Venus, Three Graces, and Cupid Mourning the Death of Adonis, 1569
Étienne Delaune; Artist: After Luca Penniexpand_more
Engravingexpand_more
Gift of Elizabeth, Julie, and Catherine Andrus in memory of John and Marion Andrusexpand_more 2015.93.92
Not on Viewexpand_more
Even in death, Adonis transmits courtly French refinement, traits Étienne Delaune absorbed from King Francis I’s Fontainebleau palace decorations of the mid-1530s. As described in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, an accidental scratch by Cupid’s arrow causes Venus to fall for Adonis. While hunting he is killed by a boar (at left). Atop a frill of clouds, almost as if Adonis is dreaming them, Venus pulls out her hair, her three companions mourn, and Cupid breaks his arrows. Art historians Dora and Irwin Panofsky said Adonis’s story gained appeal after the tragic death of King Francis’s teenage son, the Dauphin, in 1536. This full sheet of paper is very special—a rare survivor from an era when connoisseurs trimmed the margins off prints so they would fit neatly into albums.
Details
- Title
- Venus, Three Graces, and Cupid Mourning the Death of Adonis
- Artist Life
- about 1518/19-1583
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2015.93.92
- Provenance
- John E. Andrus III, Wayzata, Minn.; by descent to his daughters, Elizabeth, Katie, and Julie; gave to MIA, 2015. Earlier provenances have been gathered, but further research will increase our knowledge of their histories.
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Robert-Dumesnil 102
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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