Group of Archers

The subject of this print remains yet to be convincingly identified. The image shows a group of archers competing in target shooting, two putti preparing a fire and a sleeping Cupid. Although the shooters are quite near the target, they fail to hit the centre. One of the possible interpretations suggests that, blinded by fire and smoke, shooters miss their target without Cupid’s guidance. Whatever the case, the scene gave the artist an opportunity to produce a study of nude figures conveying a sense of tension and movement.