Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan or Venus, Vulcan and Mars is a 1551-1552 oil on canvas painting by Jacopo Tintoretto, now in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Daniel Arasse, On n'y voit rien, Denoël, 2000; rééd. Folio-poche, 2002
The painting depicts a scene of adultery. The goddess Venus is lying nude on a couch whilst her lover Mars is hiding helmeted under a bed. Venus' husband Vulcan, tipped off by Apollo, has just returned unexpectedly and has become distracted by his wife's naked body, disregarding the warnings of his dog. Cupid is sleeping in a cot by the window.Simone Facchinetti, Peterzano, Accademia Carrara, 2020, pp. 136-139 (Italian)Pierluigi De Vecchi, L'opera completa del Tintoretto, Milano, Rizzoli, 1970 (Italian)
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