Between 1632 and 1633 Guercino painted portraits of Duke Francesco I and his consort Maria Farnese (now lost) and was accompanied to Modena by his pupil Matteo Loves. It was probably on this occasion that he received the commission for the painting of Venus, Mars and Cupid: the work was executed as part of a cycle intended to decorate the Room of Dreams in the Ducal Palace in Sassuolo.
The painting immediately captivates because in front of it the viewer becomes the object towards which Cupid directs his arrow. The scene is divided into two parts: on the right are depicted Venus and Cupid who, with the light of their half-naked bodies, emerge from the dark background, while on the left is depicted Mars in armour, who with a quick gesture uncovers the scene by opening a curtain. The iconography is unusual in that it is not Mars who is the object of the god of Love but, following his mother’s gesture, Cupid extends his bow, turning it outside the painting. It is Venus’s hand that indicates to Cupid the destination for his arrow, perhaps ideally aimed at Francesco I, the commissioner of the work. To confirm this hypothesis, on the quiver, placed under the left hand of Venus, is painted the eagle, the Este symbol par excellence.
The goddess, harmoniously seated in the foreground, is naked and only partially covered by a golden and iridescent drape, her blond hair is gathered on her head in a hairstyle adorned with pearls and gems. Her face, although serene, shows a determined gaze, aware of its power. Cupid is depicted with dishevelled blond hair, his lively gaze aiming unhesitatingly at the destination. Behind them from beyond a dark curtain appears Mars looking at them in surprise. The god of war has a bearded face, wears armour illuminated by metallic flashes, a feathered helmet and a red cloak, while in his left hand he holds a staff.
The fascination of this work by Guercino lies in the fact that he created an unusual representation in which the spectator enters into a direct relationship with the scene narrated within the painting, anyone in front of this Cupid becomes the object of the god of Love.
The painting remained in the Palazzo Ducale in Sassuolo until 1745 when it was transferred to the Palazzo Ducale in Modena. Napoleon then took the masterpiece to France where it remained between 1796 and 1815, before returning to the Este collections in Modena.
