The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Cupid Complaining to Venus

c. 1540–46

Peter Flötner

(German, 1485–1546)
Germany, Nuremberg
lead
Overall: 6.8 x 9.2 cm (2 11/16 x 3 5/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1984.15
Location: 114 Late Northern Renaissance

Description

This plaquette interprets an ancient Greek poem by Theocritus. Having been stung by a swarm of bees after attempting to steal their honey, Cupid sought refuge in the arms of his mother Venus, the goddess of love. Surprised that such small creatures could cause such great pain, Venus reminded Cupid, that like the sting of a bee, love’s arrow could be dangerous.
  • Probably Max Rosenheim, 1849-1911 (Vienna, Austria) and/or Maurice Rosenheim, died 1922 (England).
    Cyril Humphris, Ltd. (London, England).
    Blumka Gallery (New York, New York), sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1984.
  • Turner, Evan H. “The Year in Review for 1984.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 72, no. 2 (April 1985): 163–207. Reproduced: p. 181; Mentioned: p. 200, no. 10 www.jstor.org
    Winter, Patrick M. de. “Recent Accessions of Italian Renaissance Decorative Arts, Part II.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 73, no. 4 (April 1986): 142–182. Mentioned and reproduced: p. 160-161, fig. 175 www.jstor.org
  • Year in Review for 1984. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 3-May 5, 1985).
  • {{cite web|title=Cupid Complaining to Venus|url=false|author=Peter Flötner|year=c. 1540–46|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1984.15