Cupid and the Silent Goddess
Who were the models of Agnolo Bronzino’s An Allegory with Venus and Cupid?
“... a brilliant, imaginative novel”
Blurb
Florence, 1544. Duke Cosimo de’ Medici has commissioned Agnolo Bronzino to paint An Allegory with Venus and Cupid. Intended as a diplomatic gift for King François of France, the Duke demands the seemingly impossible: Bronzino’s painting is to be an even greater masterpiece than Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. It will be the artist’s defining work: his reputation and, ultimately, his life will depend on its timely completion.
He finds the perfect model for Venus in Angelina, a mute and vulnerable Florentine woman whose beauty is ethereal; a silent goddess oblivious to the dangerous new world that surrounds her. As the painting develops, so too does the relationship between the central models. Can Giuseppe, ordered to pose as the adult Cupid, save Angelina from the cruel fate planned for her by the Duke?
Alan Fisk is the author of The Strange Things of the World (1988), The Summer Stars (1992), Forty Testoons (1999) and Lord of Silver (2000). A member of the Historical Novel Society, he has lectured on subjects including ‘Writing Historical Novels’ and ‘Story Theory’.
“…a fascinating and often amusing tale, weaving historical fact with fiction.”
“…a beautiful rendition of beauty, love, and intrigue.”
More praise for the original edition (2003):
“...a fiction which is as intriguing as the painting itself... an excellent read”
“I was engaged by this novel from beginning to end.”
“It brought me into the 16th century Florentine life, with all its warts, humanity, politics and art. A very enjoyable read.”
“Fans of authors such as Susan Vreeland and Tracy Chevalier who enjoy these what-if forays into art history will also enjoy Alan Fisk’s imaginative story about how the painting ‘Allegory with Venus and Cupid’ came into being.”
Published: May 2022
Paperback: 294 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1913825560
Dimensions: 12.7 x 3.25 x 20.32 cm