Nymphs punishing Cupid
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1880-1914
This object is a design for a fan leaf titled "Nymphs punishing Cupid," created by the British artist Charles Haslewood Shannon between 1880 and 1914. Formatted in the traditional curved arc of a folding fan leaf, the artwork measures 8.5 inches in height and 17.875 inches in width.
The composition is executed as a watercolour drawing embellished with gold paint. Rendered in soft tones against a pale background with touches of blue suggesting sky, the design illustrates a mythological narrative scene featuring classical figures. A winged Cupid is held by a nude figure while another female nymph prepares to punish him. Produced in Britain, the fan leaf design demonstrates Shannon's decorative and painterly draftsmanship, tailored specifically for the semicircular format typical of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century fans.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The artist Charles Shannon lived and worked in Britain alongside his lifelong partner Charles Ricketts, collaborating on numerous artistic ventures from the 1880s onward. Shannon was known particularly for his paintings and lithography, moving within a creative circle that included figures such as Oscar Wilde. Shannon and Ricketts both became members of the Royal Academy and amassed an extensive collection of art and antiquities, which was eventually bequeathed to major British museums in 1937.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- watercolour with gold
- Dimensions
- Height: 8.5 in; Width: 17.875 in
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- Shannon, Charles Haslewood
- Place recorded
- Britain
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Nymphs punishing Cupid
- Museum object number
- E.167-1933
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.