Johann Liss (German, c. 1597–1631), Cupid (Amor), c. 1630. Oil on canvas. Framed: 108 x 86 x 6.5 cm; Unframed: 87.7 x 65.7 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 1971.100.

Johann Liss studied in Holland and Antwerp, and later (about 1620) traveled to Rome and Venice. His painting of Cupid—also known as Amor, the god of love—displays rich colors and fluid brushwork that were influenced by past Venetian masters (Titian, Tintoretto, or Veronese), while the deep contrasts of light and shadow reveal a stylistic debt to Caravaggio. The directness of Cupid’s gaze and the concentrated energy of his pose create a strong connection with the viewer.