Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus Would Freeze

The Roman goddess Venus reclines languidly in the center of the composition. Cupid serves her a cup of wine; Ceres, the goddess of crops, appears behind her holding a sheaf of wheat, while an inebriated Bacchus leans against a wine barrel at right. The traditional title for this scene—a quotation from a play by the Roman comedian Terence—became a popular proverb in the Renaissance, inspiring numerous visual depictions in the period. The adage wryly suggests that sensual desire (represented by Venus) is stimulated by food (Ceres) and wine (Bacchus). While Abraham Bloemaert probably made this drawing as an independent work, he also produced numerous designs for prints.