Cupid Chastised

“Cupid Chastised” (1613) Bartolomeo Manfredi

Bartolomeo Manfredi’s “Cupid Chastised” (1613). This painting depicts a scene of Mars beating Cupid while Venus tries in vain to stop him. Mars is punishing Cupid for having caused his affair with Venus. Observe Mars’ physicality and dominance, and contrast with Cupid’s vulnerability and submissiveness.
This painting is so Caravaggesque that when the Art Institute of Chicago acquired this painting as part of the Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection it was labeled simply as “School of Caravaggio.” Soon after the piece was featured in a 1951 Caravaggio exhibition in Milan, the label was updated to reflect attribution to Manfredi.

Fun Fact - The physician, art collector and author - Giulio Mancini had asked Caravaggio to paint “Cupid Chastised” for him, but Manfredi offered a better price for the painting so Mancini gave the commission to him. There is an alternate version of this story that says that Caravaggio did paint a “Cupid Chastised” for Manfredi, but Cardinal del Monte took it (as Cardinals do), so Mancini then commissioned Manfredi to paint a “Cupid Chastised” for him. The supposed del Monte “Cupid Chastised” is lost today. Either way, we are lucky to have this masterpiece at the Art Institute of Chicago