Mantel clock with Cupid and dog

Being dealers in good antique clocks we are always on the look for rare mantel clocks of good quality. They are attractive because of their worksmanship of chiseling and gilding. But also proportions, design and subject must appeal tot he imagination.

When we had bought this lovely clock we received a lot of comments about the subject. Someone said; love can only be fateful when it is blind, otherwise it will look at others. Or the funnier version; Cupid with a guidance dog. Many thought that Cupid looked kind of cute and funny.

But is this Cupid so nice and cute?

In Ancient Times Cupid stood for falling in love in a physical way and the cause of confusion for this. The blindfold stands for spiritual blindness, sin and ignorance. Cupid with a blindfold is thus a personification of lust which is blind for morality and reason, the opposite of spiritual love. The dog, symbol of loyalty and vigilance holds a torch in its mouth. A torch pointing downwards would indicate dying or decay. But a torch pointing upwards means to enlight, awake and bringing of knowledge. But there is a third clue; Cupi carries a clock. This of course personifies Time.

Therefore the theme could well be; Faithfulness which surpasses physical lust after time and brings the more spiritual love.