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Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña, 'Venus and Two Cupids', 1847

About the work

In a vaguely wooded setting a woman traditionally identified as Venus sits with two naked cupids pressing into her lap from either side. The whole is very rapidly and thickly painted. Venus’s skirt is painted in thick strokes of pinks and whites swirled together, with dashes of red-brown helping to shape the folds. Her face, which is deep in shadow, has been left unfinished. The legs of the cupid on the left are boldly outlined in the same dark red paint as that in Venus’s skirt.

The composition is related to a highly finished version of the same group, and forms part of Diaz’s extensive output of Venus-type figures, usually accompanied by children, which he produced from about 1846 to 1863. Despite their mythological subject matter, they were very influenced by Correggio’s depictions of the Virgin and Child. Such paintings were extremely popular with collectors.

Key facts

Full title
Venus and Two Cupids
Artist
Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña
Artist dates
1807 - 1876
Date made
1847
Medium and support
oil on paper, mounted on wood
Dimensions
33.7 × 20.6 cm
Inscription summary
Signed; Dated
Acquisition credit
Sir Hugh Lane Bequest, 1917, The National Gallery, London. In partnership with Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin.
Inventory number
NG3246
Location
On loan: Long Loan to The Hugh Lane (2019 - 2031), Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin, Ireland
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

More works by Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña

Common with Stormy Sunset
Common with Stormy Sunset
Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña
A small dark silhouetted figure sits fishing at the edge of a pool. The location is almost certainly near the village of Barbizon in the forest of Fontainebleau. This is an early example of Diaz’s numerous paintings of watery plains with solitary fishermen, dominant trees standing out against dra...
Not on display
Cows at a Pool
Cows at a Pool
Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña
A group of four cows drink at a pool set in a flat grassy plain. A few trees are dotted on the horizon. The cows form a focal point in the composition, their warm brown and ochre tones creating a contrast with the surrounding landscape. The sky is overcast yet the plain itself is painted in fresh...
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Sunny Days in the Forest
Sunny Days in the Forest
Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña
Two women gather sticks by a watery clearing in front of a group of trees. The trees are arranged in an arc, with the most prominent left of centre and the others set back on each side. The composition, which shows the influence of Théodore Rousseau, is typical of those used by Diaz in his views...
Not on display
The Storm
The Storm
Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña
This landscape, imbued with strong natural and dramatic effects, is typical of Diaz’s late work. The view is across the desolate heathlands near the village of Barbizon. The combination of the dominant stormy sky with its mass of grey clouds and the bleak plain conjures up the terrors of a storm...
Not on display