Howdy all - how was your weekend?
I had my Mum up for a few days, and on her list of London requests (alongside ‘tea’, ‘biscuits’, and not much else, she’s easily pleased) was to visit a stately home. We chose Kenwood because Hampstead Heath is a nice walk away, and as such I’ve walked past on many an occasion but never been in it.
Amongst other things — a collection of shoe buckles, for one — there was a load of artwork in there (as there always is, in these places). A few caught my eye, but I wanted to share one in particular with you because it made me laugh:
“Venus Chiding Cupid For Learning To Cast Accounts” — Reynolds, 1771
And it is exactly what it says on the tin: baby Cupid being told off by his mother Venus for learning to be an accountant, basically. His scroll says “Addition” and has mathematical symbols on it; the arrow Venus is dangling in front of him is blunt, symbolising the fact that he lost his impeccable aim when he started to learn maths instead. He’s crying, she’s scolding (🎵 can I make it any more obvioussssss). His newfound career path has not gone down well.
I’m not sure quite what motivated Reynolds to paint this, but it feels like a very modern problem encapsulated by a very Rococo painting. So next time someone makes a comment about you straying from the ‘safe’ path of your career thus far, or for adding a string to your bow (pun intended), just know: it happens to literal Gods, too.
Dear Ellie's readers, she did indeed chuckle, or more like, guffaw (in a stately home!), but this is so true isn't it? A reaction to our current interests, from someone we care about, not being quite what we thought we wanted? Been there. Love from Ellie's mum.