Sleeping Cupid

A small bronze figure of a winged Cupid sits slumped on a rounded base, head resting on his bent arm in sleep. Traces of gilding catch light on the draped cloth beneath him and on the rocky mound. The dark patina and smooth modeling of the youthful body make the figure feel quiet and intimate.

Look closer: Small carved mask-like face and sculpted details on the rocky base at the lower right.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 16th century

Medium

Bronze, partially oil-gilt

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

4000 × 3062 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Edith Perry Chapman Fund, 1951