The artwork of Diaz de la Pena holds a special place among artists of the Barbizon school. A Spaniard by birth, the artist demonstrated an inclination toward the romantic perception of the world in the early period of his work. This tendency was in no small way influenced by his fascination with the literary legacy of Hugo, and Diaz’s favorite painter was Correggio. Thoré, a 19th century critic, noted that “Diaz”s painting is a dream in an enchanted land.’ The picture ‘Venus with Cupid on Hands’, steeped in the poetic nature of image rendering, turns the motif into a captivating vision. The painter achieves this through his color scheme, which is brighter and more ornate than other Barbizon artists, the manner in which he handles the lighting effects, and the blurred form.