Sleeping Cupid (After Caravaggio)
Painting on canvas, circular tondo format set within a square frame • Follower or Copyist after Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Style & Movement
Baroque (Caravaggesque / Tenebrism)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; employs chiaroscuro and sfumato to define the form and soft transitions of the skin against a dark ground
Creation Period
Late 16th to early 17th century based on style, though likely a later period copy (18th-19th century) based on the surface smoothness and frame style
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 40-50 cm diameter; Tondo (circular) format positioned within a square Baroque-style gilded frame
Subject Description
Depiction of a sleeping Cupid, following Caravaggio's 1608 original. The figure is shown with wings, resting his head on his hand atop a red cushion, symbolizing the temporary cessation of desire or the vulnerability of love.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good; surface appears relatively clean with some visible craquelure and minor surface abrasions consistent with age
Estimated Market Value
$2,000 - $5,000 (as a high-quality decorative period copy)
Auction Estimate
$1,500 - $3,500
Provenance History
Unknown; inscription 'Michelangelo I ferisi da Calayaggio' suggests an old inventory or attribution label attempting to link the work to Caravaggio
Art Historical Significance
A testament to the enduring popularity of Caravaggio's themes during the 17th century and beyond; illustrates the practice of copying masterworks for private collectors
Notable Features
Distinctive tondo format within an ornate Rococo-style revival frame; unusual phonetic spelling of the artist's name in the owner-provided information suggesting a non-Italian derivation
Condition Issues
Fine web-like craquelure across the flesh tones; darkening of varnish; minor loss of detail in the darker feathered areas of the wings
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning to remove oxidized varnish; inspection for structural stability of the canvas; display in a climate-controlled environment away from direct UV light
Collector Notes
Michelangelo I ferisi da Calayaggio. Late 16th early 17th