Artwork Information

The painting of Mars, Venus and Cupid in the National Gallery of Scotland, from which this reversed etching is made, has been attributed to both Paolo Veronese and his son, Carletto. The seventeenth-century Bolognese biographer, Malvasia notes that Cantarini also produced a painting on the same theme. At a time when the Republic of Venice was extremely powerful, it was a popular subject because it demonstrated the sway Love had over War. Here a greater emphasis is placed on Venus’ dishevelled appearance, and Mars appears more elderly than virile. (A Connoisseur's Eye: Prints from the Tomory Collection, 2005)