A detailed 17th-century engraving depicting a man with the mythological figures of Venus, Ceres, and Bacchus, illustrating the classical proverb on love and sustenance.

This engraving by Johann Theodor de Bry depicts a classic allegorical scene rooted in the proverb, Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus (Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus grows cold). The composition centres on a man seated at a table, accompanied by three mythological figures who represent the essential elements of human comfort and desire. To the left, Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, holds a cornucopia and a sickle, signifying the harvest. To the right, Bacchus, the god of wine, pours liquid into a chalice, while Venus, the goddess of love, sits beside the man. A small Cupid figure stands in the foreground, aiming his bow, which adds a layer of romantic tension to the gathering.

De Bry, a member of a prominent family of engravers and publishers, demonstrates his technical skill through the use of varied hatching and cross-hatching to define form and texture. The figures are rendered with the elongated proportions and fluid, expressive gestures typical of the Northern Mannerist style. The background features a pastoral setting, with a tree providing a canopy over the group and a distant view of agricultural activity, which reinforces the thematic connection to the earth and its bounty. The work functions as a visual representation of the idea that love requires the sustenance of food and wine to flourish. The print is a fine example of the period's interest in classical mythology as a vehicle for moral and philosophical commentary. The attention to detail, from the folds of the clothing to the individual grapes in the basket, reflects the high standards of the de Bry workshop, which played a significant role in the dissemination of visual culture across Europe during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.