Artwork Page for Allegory of Carnal Love

Details / Information for Allegory of Carnal Love

Allegory of Carnal Love

c. 1530

Cristofano Robetta

(Italian, 1462–1534)
Culture
Italy, 20th century
Medium
engraving
Measurements
Image: 29.7 x 27.8 cm (11 11/16 x 10 15/16 in.); Sheet: 29.7 x 27.8 cm (11 11/16 x 10 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland 1923.744
Catalogue raisonné
Hind I.205.29
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Robetta worked in a manner of engraving known as the fine manner, characterized by its extremely fine lines combined with crosshatching and dots.

Description

This enigmatic group of figures is most likely an allegory (a representation of an abstract idea) centered on human love. The winged Cupid lashes a man’s arm to a tree, while a long sash binds together two couples who hungrily touch one another. A figure of ambiguous sex at left holds the end of the sash. The print may be related to Neoplatonic love treatises in Florence. One such treatise argued that the sense of touch operates between sensual and spiritual realms, an idea
embodied by Hermaphroditus, an intersex figure described in Greek myth. A direct connection remains elusive.

Allegory of Carnal Love

c. 1530

Cristofano Robetta

(Italian, 1462–1534)
Italy, 20th century

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