Travelers to the island of Cythere, Bernard Picart, 1708 print A richly dressed lady and gentleman for Bossage are depicted within an oval. The lady (Venus) comprises a staff with her left hand, here as the attribute of the pilgrim. She lifts the shell in her right hand like a glass. The man pours wine from a jug. For the love couple stands the half -naked Bacchus, god of wine, with a crown of wingerd leaves and in his hand a thyrsus, a staff with a button in the shape of a pine cone (an old fertility symbol). He also holds a torch with burning fire. Also in the foreground a small, sculpted re
Travelers to the island of Cythere, Bernard Picart, 1708 print A richly dressed lady and gentleman for Bossage are depicted within an oval. The lady (Venus) comprises a staff with her left hand, here as the attribute of the pilgrim. She lifts the shell in her right hand like a glass. The man pours wine from a jug. For the love couple stands the half -naked Bacchus, god of wine, with a crown of wingerd leaves and in his hand a thyrsus, a staff with a button in the shape of a pine cone (an old fertility symbol). He also holds a torch with burning fire. Also in the foreground a small, sculpted representation of a Herme. Such a Herme was used in the "secret marriage ritual", connected to cleansing and fertility. In the background, boats and the island of Cythere, off the coast of Laconia in southern Greece, can be seen. The print refers to the theme "embarkation to Cythera": boys and girls from all positions and dressed as pilgrims make up to board a boat that will take them to the temple of love on the island. paper etching / engraving 'Cythera island'. 'en route', Traveler under Way
Size: 5864px × 4246px
Photo credit: © piemags/rmn / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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