No, Cupid is not inherently a baby. While often depicted as a winged infant, particularly in modern Valentine's Day imagery, his portrayal has evolved throughout history.
Cupid's Shifting Image
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Ancient Depictions: In classical mythology, Cupid (or Eros, his Greek equivalent) was a god of love, desire, and attraction. While sometimes depicted as a child, he wasn't consistently portrayed as a baby. Britannica and Wikipedia both support this. Ancient depictions varied; sometimes he was a young boy or even a young man. HISTORY notes that the cherubic infant image is a more recent interpretation.
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Evolution of the Image: The modern image of Cupid as a chubby, winged baby likely arose from a confluence of factors. The association with putti (winged infants in Renaissance art) played a significant role. Reddit mentions putti's appearance on ancient burial containers. Over time, this image became strongly linked to Valentine's Day, solidifying the association of Cupid with infancy. TIME highlights the shift in portrayal, citing Caravaggio's depiction of a young boy as Cupid in 1602. The shift towards a more playful and mischievous child image is described in Cincinnati Insurance's article.
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Parentage: Cupid's parentage further complicates the "baby" question. While often described as the son of Venus (goddess of love) and Mars (god of war) or Mercury (winged messenger of the gods), these accounts don't inherently define him as an infant. Brandeis University and the initial reference describe varying accounts of his lineage.
In conclusion, while the image of Cupid as a baby is prevalent in modern culture, especially around Valentine's Day, it is a stylized and evolved representation of the god of love, not a definitive characteristic. The "baby Cupid" is a cultural construct, not a strictly mythological fact.
