PARIS, France — The figure of Cupid, the winged ambassador of desire, has charted a remarkable two-thousand-year trajectory through Western art and culture, evolving from a primordial cosmic force in ancient Greece to a lighthearted commercial icon today. A new analysis details how this mythological character’s shifting appearance—from fearsome adult deity to plump Renaissance cherub—directly reflects humanity’s fluid perceptions of love, sexuality, and the divine. This historical plasticity has enabled Cupid to transcend vastly different eras, from the pagan height of the Roman Empire to today’s secular, postmodern world.
Origins in Greek and Roman Antiquity
The god’s lineage began in ancient Greece as Eros, a concept initially representing the fundamental, powerful force of creation emerging from Chaos, essential for universal order. By the Classical period (5th–4th century BCE), Greek mythology reimagined Eros into the son of Aphrodite (Goddess of Love) and, occasionally, Ares (God of War), symbolizing the volatile nature of passion. Greek artists typically depicted Eros as a graceful, athletic adolescent carrying a bow and arrows that induced immediate, overwhelming love.
This imagery changed significantly when the Romans adopted the figure, renaming him Cupid (derived from cupido, meaning ‘desire’). While Roman interpretations initially retained the youthful beauty, they increasingly softened the god’s image, leaning toward younger, more innocent portrayals. This transformation, exemplified in the enduring Roman tale of Cupid and Psyche, paved the way for the familiar infantile image that would later dominate European art.
The Revival and Flourish in European Art
The medieval period largely restrained overt pagan imagery, but Cupid found a literary niche in courtly love allegories, often blindfolded to symbolize love’s irrationality. His prominence exploded during the Renaissance, where scholars and artists enthusiastically revived classical subjects. Figures like Sandro Botticelli included Cupid, often blindfolded, in works like Primavera (c. 1480), merging classical mythology with Neoplatonic philosophy to suggest love as a divine, uplifting force.
The opulent Baroque era (1600–1750) embraced Cupid with theatrical fervor, employing his image to convey dramatic sensuality and the triumph of love over earthly endeavors, famously seen in Caravaggio’s provocative Amor Victorious (1602). Later, the lighter, more decorative Rococo period reduced Cupid’s powerful divinity entirely, transforming him into a charming, mischievous cherub, frequently depicted in pastoral scenes by French painters like François Boucher.
The subsequent Neoclassical movement reacted against this frivolity, seeking classical integrity. Cupid returned briefly as a figure of noble sentiment, exemplified by Antonio Canova’s celebrated sculpture Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (1787–1793), which emphasized idealized beauty and grace.
Enduring Attributes and Modern Legacy
Throughout these stylistic shifts, essential symbolic attributes remained constant. The bow and arrows continuously signify love’s swift, unavoidable strike, while wings denote divine origin and rapid arrival. The blindfold, popularized during the Renaissance, indicates love’s notorious disregard for reason or status.
In the 20th and 21st centuries, Cupid has largely stepped away from serious high art; modernists preferred alternative subjects. However, the god’s ubiquitous imagery endures in popular culture, having been co-opted for commercial purposes, particularly around Valentine’s Day. Contemporary artists like Banksy occasionally appropriate the figure ironically, using him to critique romantic clichés or consumerism.
This adaptability—from powerful cosmic entity to greeting card mascot—highlights the enduring power of ancient symbols to narrate humanity’s complex and ever-changing relationship with passion, proving that even a fearsome ancient god can be domesticated into an emblem of affection.