'Female Cupid', Circa 1880, Roman Mythology, Venus and Mars, Romance, Lust, Love, Desire, Slovenia

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After the original by Henrika Langus (Slovenian, 1836-1876) and painted circa 1880. Unsigned. Framed dimensions: 17.25 x 1 x 15.5 … Read more After the original by Henrika Langus (Slovenian, 1836-1876) and painted circa 1880. Unsigned. Framed dimensions: 17.25 x 1 x 15.5 inches.

A charming and antique study of a young, female Cupid wearing the hairstyle made popular by the young Queen Victoria in the late 1830's. The god of love, desire, erotic passions and affection he is, in roman myth, the son of Venus and Mars.

After the early death of her father, his brother, the artist Matej Langus, adopted Henrika. He gave her her first lessons in painting and encouraged her further studies. In 1885, she moved to Austria, where she studied with Professor Blaas at the Vienna Academy and, subsequently, in Dresden. In 1868, she was commissioned to paint the Stations of the Cross for the Franciscan church in Ljubljana and this led to a series of commissions for devotional paintings including The Immaculate Conception for Borovnica and for Dovje, the Stations of the Cross for Brezovica. She also painted the Virgin with the Infant Jesus (1871) and the Heart of Jesus and Mary (1872) for Brezovica. In addition to a successful career as painter of large-scale religious works, Henrika was also sought after as a portrait and genre painter. The original version of this charming view of a mischievous Cupid was painted circa 1855 and is currently held in a private collection in Slovenia.

Reference:
Steska, Viktor: Langus, Henrika (1836–1876) . Slovenian Biography. Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Scientific Research Center SAZU, 2013. Original publication in: Slovenian Biographical Lexicon: Vol. 4. Kocen - Lužar. Franc Ksaver Lukman et al. Ljubljana, Zadružna gospodarska banka, 1932; et al. See less