id: 166197 accession number: 2008.147 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2008.147 updated: 2023-01-11 17:31:02.064000 Mars, Minerva, Venus, and Cupid, early 1500s. Valerio Belli (Italian, c. 1468–1546). Rock crystal intaglio, gilded from reverse with gold and silver, backed with lapis lazuli, mounted in a gold pendant; overall: 6 cm (2 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2008.147 title: Mars, Minerva, Venus, and Cupid title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: early 1500s creation date earliest: 1500 creation date latest: 1550 current location: 117A Italian Renaissance creditline: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund copyright: --- culture: Italy, 16th century technique: rock crystal intaglio, gilded from reverse with gold and silver, backed with lapis lazuli, mounted in a gold pendant department: European Painting and Sculpture collection: Sculpture type: Sculpture find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS * Valerio Belli (Italian, c. 1468–1546) - artist --- measurements: Overall: 6 cm (2 3/8 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: inscription: VALERIUS·VI·F translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE Sold, Christie's, London, King Street, December 6, 2006, lot 90, to Guglielo Melodia. date: footnotes: citations: Guglielmo Melodia (London, England), sold, Sotheby's, London, December 2, 2008, lot 35, to the Cleveland Museum of Art. date: footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: Lapis lazuli, the stone used in this pendant, was first mined in Afghanistan 9000 years ago. digital description: wall description: Mars, the god of war, chooses Minerva over Venus, goddesses representing Virtue and Vice. The subject was common in antiquity, although the male figure traditionally represents Hercules. The snake passing from Minerva to Mars lionizes wisdom, perhaps indicating that the patron, who has yet to be identified, connected the idea of a difficult choice to a specific military or political problem. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2008.147/2008.147_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2008.147/2008.147_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2008.147/2008.147_full.tif