Un Rêve d’Amour

Francesco Vinea

Italy, 1845-1902

Printed reproduction

15.5 x 28.5 in.

Mori and Jacobson Collection

“Un Rêve d’Amour” or “The Dream of Love” is a fanciful scene in which a sleeping young woman is visited by a troop of cherubs who instill the hope of romance through a dream. These little figures are various versions of Cupid, the Roman god of love and desire. The dominant winged cherub balances at the foot of the bed and aims his arrow toward the heart of the sleeping girl. Finding its mark, the arrow will enflame her with passion and, when she awakes, she will hardly be able to think of anything else. The little cupids who besiege her bedroom have streamed in from the night on a gauzy glow of light.

Love, flirtation, and light-hearted romances were frequent subjects for Francesco Vinea. He lived most of his life in Florence, Italy, where he attended the Academy of Fine Arts. He exhibited his works in Paris, London and other European cities, and he enjoyed a successful career. It was common in the past for artists to make copies of their most popular paintings. To make them even more accessible to a broader audience, they sometimes created prints, usually lithographs, which could be sold in large numbers at lesser prices, as Vinea did with his “Un Rêve d’Amour”.