Venus And Cupid Stung By A Bee Fireplace Plaque

A Louis XV period fireplace plaque with a scalloped top, in the Rococo style, in fine condition, depicting Venus and Cupid stung by a bee, the latter having left his bow and quiver on the ground. A swarm of bees covers the plaque's surface, the scene framed by motifs typical of the artistic canon of that period. An ode by Anacreon on Love, Greek lyric poet (550-464 BC): One day Cupid did not see a bee sleeping among roses; he was stung. Wounded on his little finger, he sobbed, he ran, he flew to the beautiful Cytherea: "I am lost, my mother, I am lost; I am dying: a little winged serpent has stung me; the farmers call it a bee." Venus replied to him: "If the sting of a honeybee causes you pain, O my son! How much do you think those you strike must suffer?" An identical plaque is on display at the Châlons-sur-Marne museum. This plaque was found near Acy-Romance in the Ardennes. It weighs 76 kg. Bibliography: - CARPENTIER H., Fireplace Plaques, Volume One, F. DE NOBELE, Paris, 1967, page 397 No. 1125. - ANACREON, Odes, translated by Mr. Ernest Falconet. https://remacle.org/bloodwolf/poetes/falc/anacreon/oeuvre.htm You can visit our website: www.claudeaugustin.com