Venus Nursing Cupid, Camillo Boccaccino (cremona, 1505 – 1546) Follower
Artist: Camillo Boccaccino (crémone, 1505 – Crémone, 1546) Disciple
Camillo Boccaccino (Cremona, 1505 – Cremona, 1546) Follower
Venus Nursing Cupid (LINK)
17th century
Oil on canvas
113 x 92 cm.
In an antique frame, 129 x 107 cm.
Good condition (restorations, imperfections along the edges)
Antique frame in good condition, with slight losses and imperfections in the gilding.
This splendid painting is based on the work titled “Venus and Love” (also known as Venus Nursing Cupid), a masterpiece created between 1532 and 1537 by the Cremonese Renaissance painter Camillo Boccaccino (Cremona, 1505–1546), now housed at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. [1]
At the center of the scene is the goddess Venus, seated on the ground on a richly draped fabric of deep red, half-naked, only partially covered by a light, transparent gown that slips down her sides. Standing beside her is the young Cupid (or Amor), recognizable by the dark wings on his back.
The painting captures a moment of tender and sensual intimacy: Venus offers her breast to her son Cupid, sophisticated in her pose yet authentic in the transparency of the veils and the tenderness of the flesh. The child, resting a hand on his mother’s breast to draw closer, looks upward with an almost entranced expression.
Venus’s left hand rests delicately on the red drape, holding a few small wildflowers. In the lower right, almost in the shadows, Cupid’s bow can be seen abandoned on the ground.
The painting shows a strong influence of Parmigianino’s style, evident in the elongated and elegant grace of Venus’s figure and in the softness of the forms.
The painting makes extensive use of contrasts, with the pale, luminous skin of the two protagonists standing out sharply against the dark, shadowy tones of the trees in the background, while the bright red of the fabric on which they sit enlivens the entire composition.
The painting *Venus and Cupid* is considered by art historians to be the true emblem of Camillo Boccaccino’s secular style—a perfect fusion of the elegant grace of the Emilian painters with the strength and color of the Venetian and Lombard painters.
His style, in particular, stems precisely from the fusion of three great Renaissance painters: Parmigianino, Correggio, and Titian Vecellio; each of these masters left a clear imprint on his paintings, enabling him to create a unique and modern artistic language for his time.
From Parmigianino, Camillo inherited a taste for painting that sought abstract and elegant beauty, thanks to elongated figures, tapered fingers, sinuous necks, and refined, almost aristocratic poses.
From Correggio’s studio, he learned the secret of “sfumato” and softness, where faces and bodies—especially in his works with mythological subjects, such as our Venus—acquire a unique grace and sensuality. This is evident in the subtle transitions of light and the silky skin of the figures.
Finally, from Titian and the Venetian painters, Camillo drew upon the richness of color and the warm atmosphere.
[1] URL: https://pinacotecabrera.org/collezioni/collezione-on-line/venere-e-amore/
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The artwork is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.
We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, through professional and insured carriers.
Please contact us for any information; we will be happy to assist you. You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we look forward to welcoming you and showing you our collection of artworks.
Follow us on:
https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it
https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/
Venus Nursing Cupid (LINK)
17th century
Oil on canvas
113 x 92 cm.
In an antique frame, 129 x 107 cm.
Good condition (restorations, imperfections along the edges)
Antique frame in good condition, with slight losses and imperfections in the gilding.
This splendid painting is based on the work titled “Venus and Love” (also known as Venus Nursing Cupid), a masterpiece created between 1532 and 1537 by the Cremonese Renaissance painter Camillo Boccaccino (Cremona, 1505–1546), now housed at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. [1]
At the center of the scene is the goddess Venus, seated on the ground on a richly draped fabric of deep red, half-naked, only partially covered by a light, transparent gown that slips down her sides. Standing beside her is the young Cupid (or Amor), recognizable by the dark wings on his back.
The painting captures a moment of tender and sensual intimacy: Venus offers her breast to her son Cupid, sophisticated in her pose yet authentic in the transparency of the veils and the tenderness of the flesh. The child, resting a hand on his mother’s breast to draw closer, looks upward with an almost entranced expression.
Venus’s left hand rests delicately on the red drape, holding a few small wildflowers. In the lower right, almost in the shadows, Cupid’s bow can be seen abandoned on the ground.
The painting shows a strong influence of Parmigianino’s style, evident in the elongated and elegant grace of Venus’s figure and in the softness of the forms.
The painting makes extensive use of contrasts, with the pale, luminous skin of the two protagonists standing out sharply against the dark, shadowy tones of the trees in the background, while the bright red of the fabric on which they sit enlivens the entire composition.
The painting *Venus and Cupid* is considered by art historians to be the true emblem of Camillo Boccaccino’s secular style—a perfect fusion of the elegant grace of the Emilian painters with the strength and color of the Venetian and Lombard painters.
His style, in particular, stems precisely from the fusion of three great Renaissance painters: Parmigianino, Correggio, and Titian Vecellio; each of these masters left a clear imprint on his paintings, enabling him to create a unique and modern artistic language for his time.
From Parmigianino, Camillo inherited a taste for painting that sought abstract and elegant beauty, thanks to elongated figures, tapered fingers, sinuous necks, and refined, almost aristocratic poses.
From Correggio’s studio, he learned the secret of “sfumato” and softness, where faces and bodies—especially in his works with mythological subjects, such as our Venus—acquire a unique grace and sensuality. This is evident in the subtle transitions of light and the silky skin of the figures.
Finally, from Titian and the Venetian painters, Camillo drew upon the richness of color and the warm atmosphere.
[1] URL: https://pinacotecabrera.org/collezioni/collezione-on-line/venere-e-amore/
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The artwork is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.
We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, through professional and insured carriers.
Please contact us for any information; we will be happy to assist you. You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we look forward to welcoming you and showing you our collection of artworks.
Follow us on:
https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it
https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/
9 900 €
Period: 17th century
Style: Louis 15th - Transition
Condition: Good condition
Material: Oil painting
Width: encadré 107 cm.
Height: 129 cm.
Reference (ID): 1827352
Availability: In stock
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