Terms and conditions of use
Venus, Vulcan and Cupid, plate
(c. 1528-1530)
Medium
earthenware (maiolica)
Measurements
3.5 × 30.3 cm diameter
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1939
Gallery location
16th & 17th Century Gallery - Painting and Sculpture
Mezzanine linked to Level 1, NGV International
About this work
This plate shows Vulcan, the god of fire, forging an arrow. He is watched by his wife Venus, goddess of love and beauty, and her son Cupid, god of erotic love. Because of his many signed, dated and inscribed works, more is known about Francesco Xanto Avelli than about any other maiolica painter. He appears to have been a learned and multi-talented man. In addition to his maiolica-painting, Xanto wrote a series of sonnets honouring the Duke of Urbino.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Urbino, Italy
Accession Number
3862-D3
Department
International Decorative Arts
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited