Étienne Maurice Falconet: L'Amour Menaçant (1757); Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam;

Although the Rijksmuseum is especially known for its rich collection of Dutch art, it does own some masterworks from outside the Netherlands. One of them is this lovely Cupid by Étienne Maurice Falconet, who is considered to be the most important sculptor of the French Rococo. It was commissioned in 1757 by Madame de Pompadour, the (in)famous mistress of the French king Louis XV. Falconet carved it in such a way that from every angle, new exciting details draw the attention of the spectator.
The title of the piece, 'L'Amour Menaçant' ('Love threatens') stems from a later date and probably refers to the inscription by Voltaire on the pedestal: 'Qui que tu sois, voicy ton Maitre - Il l'est, le fut, ou le doit être' ('Whoever you are, this is your master - He is, he was or he will be'. So beware of love').
The boy seems to warn us to keep quiet, while with his other hand he’s reaching for a love arrow, but the exact meaning of the gesture is open for interpretation. Some say the young love god is searching for his next victim, making us an accessory to his 'crime' with this call for secrecy. Others think it merely emphasizes the mysterious nature of love, a very popular theme in Rococo art.