The central couple in the painting represent Venus
and her son Cupid whose suggestive
embrace shows the sinuous marble white flesh of Venus to full advantage.
She holds an apple in her left hand, her prize as winner of the first ever
beauty contest where she was judged the most beautiful of the goddesses.
Cupid’s kiss and the way in which he grasps her breast
give the painting its erotic charge. At the right hand side of the
composition is Foolish Pleasure, a boy throwing
rose petals at the couple, despite a thorn under his foot and behind him
is Deceit, whose monstrous body is topped
by a beautiful face. On the other side of the lovers is the dark and wretched
figure of Jealousy and above him Oblivion,
empty-headed and wilful, struggles with the personification of Time
as he prevents her from drawing the ultramarine veil over the scene.
The painting is contradictory and confusing (the characters are  |
