• Bertel Thorvaldsen

  1770-1844

Reclining Venus. Jupiter. The Genius of Death or Cupid. Fragment of a self-portrait

• Production Date

  1807 - 1810

• Type of Work / Object

  Drawing

• Location

  • Not on display

• Inventory Number

  C141v

• Catalogue Number

  C141v

• Catalogue Level / Collection

  Thorvaldsen's Art > Thorvaldsen's Drawings (C)

Explanation

• Thorvaldsen worked for several years on the motifs in this drawing. A number of them, for instance the reclining figure of Venus, go back to the studies of Antiquity he undertook during his early years in Rome. In 1810, he executed both a very carefully prepared, sketched self-portrait and a closely related portrait bust. The detailed study in this drawing of the back of the head with the great shock of hair, so characteristic of Thorvaldsen, is directly related to both works.

Motif / Theme

• Human > Genius
• Human > God > Erotes > Eros / Cupid
• Human > God > Zeus / Jupiter
• Human > Goddess > Aphrodite / Venus
• Theme > Condition > Death

Additional Catalogue Information