A Review of Caravaggio's Oil Painting, "Sleeping Cupid" and Its Recent History

One of the Indianapolis Museum of Art's most major works, "Sleeping Cupid," is perhaps also one of the museum's most controversial pieces. The piece is currently part of the museum's European art gallery, although it has only been in the past few weeks that the painting is again on display in Indianapolis. "Sleeping Cupid" is located in the Medieval Renaissance gallery on the first floor of the museum.

Many think that the oil painting was created in Italy in 1608 by Caravaggio[1]. However, some art scholars have their doubts as to whether the painting, unearthed in an Irish convent, is really by the Italian artist. The IMA believes the piece is undoubtedly by Caravaggio (although they credit Caravaggio with painting the piece in 1595-1596) and wanted to prove that to the rest of the art world. To do so, the IMA lent the painting to the Salander-O'Reilly Galleries in New York for an exhibit called "Caravaggio's Rome"[2]. The IMA hoped that in lending the painting to the gallery, "Sleeping Cupid" would be displayed next to a number of other genuine Caravaggio paintings and that it would be then clear that "Cupid" was similar enough in content and technique to be called a Caravaggio creation. While in New York, the gallery faced financial difficulties and due to a court order, "Cupid" was locked in the gallery during the investigation[3]. After many months, the IMA was finally able to get their painting back.