Friday, February 27, 2009

Bees in culture

In Lucas Cranach the Elder’s c.1525 "Cupid Complaining to Venus," the little trouble-maker has stolen some honeycomb and is being stung for his efforts. With all that nudity, you bet there’s a moral: “life’s pleasure is mixed with pain.” The bees bear a heavy burden of metaphor. See here and here, just for starters.

No comments: