Why it matters
Cupid sleeps with his bowstring broken and arrows cast aside, a common symbol of giving up worldly pleasures. The painting may have been a reminder of the vow of chastity of the knight who commissioned it.
Did you know?
- An old inscription on the back records that it was painted in Malta in 1608.
- It was commissioned by Fra Francesco dell'Antella of the Knights of Malta.
- Unlike many Caravaggios, it can be dated precisely.
Based on the Wikipedia article Sleeping Cupid (Caravaggio) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
