In Case Study: Romance, a painting lives within a painting—layering visual storytelling with symbolic reflection. Three curious young cupids, each with wings and bows, stand before Raphael’s famed Renaissance masterpiece The Triumph of Galatea. They gaze up not just in admiration, but in contemplation, questioning the ideals of love, beauty, and complexity depicted before them.

The original painting within the work celebrates the sea nymph Galatea, surrounded by mythical creatures and winged cupids. It’s a scene rich with movement and sensuality. But beyond the elegance lies a deeper story: in mythology, the Cyclops Polyphemus loved Galatea, but his love turned to jealousy—culminating in the tragic death of her true lover, Acis.

The juxtaposition of innocence and intensity is central to this piece. The real-world cupids—painted with softness and realism—stand in contrast to their stylized counterparts in the artwork before them. One holds a candy-tipped arrow, a playful nod to childhood love, while another hides her hands behind her back, perhaps already sensing the weight that love can carry.

This work becomes a reflective study of love across ages: playful yet dangerous, idealized yet flawed. It challenges the romanticized narratives we inherit from classical art and mythology, urging us to consider a deeper question:

Do we truly love others—or merely love how they make us feel?

*In jealousy, there’s more self-love than love. Don’t use the name of love as just an excuse.

This painting reminds us that love should never be confused with possession or ego. Through the eyes of innocent cupids, we see how even the purest ideas of love can be shaped—or distorted—by human emotion. Don’t use the name of love as an excuse for control or harm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galatea_(Raphael)#External_links