U1884.1.27

Title

U1884.1.27

Creator

Unknown artist, European

Date

mid to late 18th century

Label

Venus Soliciting Vulcan to Make Armor for Her Son Aeneas, mid to late 18th century
Unknown artist, European
Oil on wood panel
Bequest of Vincent L. Bradford, U1884.1.27

In his epic poem Aeneid, Virgil recounts the legend of the Trojan hero Aenaeus, son of Venus, Roman goddess of love, and her lover Anchises. In Book VIII, the poet relates the story of Venus asking her husband Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and smithy, to make special armor for her son when he was about to go to war in Latium. It was a popular theme of artists in the 18th century, including French artist François Boucher, whose painting Vulcan Presenting Venus with Arms for Aeneas may be contemporary with this version that is possibly of French origin and which depicts Venus’ request.

Credit Line

Museums at Washington & Lee University

Citation

Unknown artist, European , “U1884.1.27,” Museums at Washington and Lee University: Online Exhibits, accessed May 17, 2024, https://exhibits-museums.omeka.wlu.edu/items/show/317.

Output Formats