Venus and Cupid

This marble relief of Venus and Cupid was made by John Gibson, in Britain in about 1839. This may be the Venus and Cupid relief exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1839. However, he is known to have executed more than one version of the subject, and another is housed at the Royal Academy, Burlington House. Gibson spent most of his working life in Rome, and had studied in Canova's studio.

Two versions of Venus and Cupid are listed by Lady Eastlake in her work on Gibson of 1870: one in the ownership of the Marquis of Albercorn and another owned by Howard Galton Esq. of Hadzor (Eastlake 1970, p. 253). The present piece may be one of these. Two versions are in the Royal Academy, one in marble and another in plaster painted so to imitate terracotta.

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Gibson (1790-1866) was apprenticed to Messrs Franceys, the Liverpool firm of statuaries and later removed to Rome where he received instruction from Canova and Thorwaldsen. Elected A.R.A in 1833 and RA in 1838. He became the leading English sculptor of his generation working in the Neoclassical style and was famous for such works as the Tinted Venus, Pandora, Mars and Cupid and Psyche and Zephers. He also executed public statues and busts. He bequeathed his property on his death to the Royal Academy.