A reclining female figure with pale skin and golden hair, adorned with pearls, rests on a lush bed of drapery and flowers near the left side of the composition. Her gaze is lowered, and her cheek leans gently on her right hand, while her left arm lies relaxed against a cascade of white and lavender fabric. Beside her, a small winged child with curly hair—Cupid—lies on his back, his body angled toward the viewer, holding a pair of white doves by a blue ribbon.

The doves flutter energetically near a golden cornucopia overflowing with pink and white flowers, which sits at the lower right, next to Cupid’s quiver of arrows. Behind the figures, a silvery waterfall tumbles over a ledge, its delicate streams catching the light, while dense foliage and a darkened sky enclose the scene, creating an intimate, secluded atmosphere. Soft, diffused light falls across Venus’s exposed skin and the folds of her drapery, highlighting the pearly whites, pinks, and pale blues that dominate the color scheme.

The artist’s brushwork is fluid and lively, with feathery strokes used for the textures of fabric, feathers, and foliage, and smoother transitions for the flesh tones. The composition draws the viewer’s attention to the intertwined gestures of Venus and Cupid, whose bodies form a gentle diagonal across the canvas, surrounded by abundant natural and decorative elements. Small details, such as the string of pearls in Venus’s hair, the translucent ruffles of her gown, and the intricate rendering of leaves and blossoms, reveal a meticulous attention to ornament and surface.

The scene presents a mythological subject, with Venus and Cupid as central figures, set in a luxuriant, dreamlike landscape. Venus and Cupid was painted by François Boucher in 1742.