The Education of Cupid
by BOUCHER, François, Oil on canvas, 118 x 134 cm
In this painting Boucher presents the mythological family where mother Venus and father Mercury are captured in a moment of parental responsibility. As Messenger of the Arts, Mercury seems to be instructing his offspring in lessons of love, catching Venus’s eye in a moment of romantic encounter. The love goddess is shown in a typically Boucheresque “bottoms-up” pose.
Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 4 minutes):
Francesco Gasparini: The Meddlesome Cupid, aria