Eros, Cupid, Amor

Usually portrayed as a handsome young man and the offspring of the Goddess of love and sexual attraction Aphrodite (Venus) and her lover the god of war Ares (Mars). Eros meaning Desire was the Greek God of love. To Hesiod, he was the deity who arose from Chaos and represented the primal force of sexual desire. He was known to the Romans as Amour (Love) or Cupid (Desire) and was often depicted in images with his mother Aphrodite.

In Roman times he became the famous little winged archer or young boy with wings, the cherub we are more familiar with today thanks to Latin poetry and Western art. The God was often depicted wearing a blindfold symbolising love\’s blindness and carrying a bow and arrow which he would use to shoot the arrows; one golden to kindle love and iron for the flight of desire into his victim\’s hearts causing them to fall in love. This is why he is sometimes shown tying a knot to symbolise the bonding of two lovers.

Cupid was thought to have been taught by Hermes (Mercury). In the Education of Cupid by Correggio, you can see Cupid engrossed in a book given by Hermes. Suggesting that Cupid has put down his bow and arrow and now shows his favour of learning of love. In Cranach\’s Cupid Complaining to Venus where Cupid was stung by a bee and asking his mother how such a tiny creature can cause so much pain? to which Venus replies that he too is a tiny creature yet inflicts far worse pain.