Valerio BelliItalian, 1468–1546Mars, Minerva, Venus, and Cupid
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Mars, Minerva, Venus, and Cupid” now? The Cleveland Museum of Art, 117A Italian Renaissance, Cleveland. Yes, on view now. Checked September 29, 2026.
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
Mars, the god of war, chooses Minerva over Venus, goddesses representing Virtue and Vice. The subject was common in antiquity, although the male figure traditionally represents Hercules. The snake passing from Minerva to Mars lionizes wisdom, perhaps indicating that the patron, who has yet to be identified, connected the idea of a difficult choice to a specific military or political problem.
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 2008.147
In the catalog
Sources
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image: The Cleveland Museum of Art — Museum open access
