Michelangelo's Cupid was a famous forgery by Michelangelo, that, unfortunately, has been lost. Forgery is the process of making or adapting objects or documents (see false document), with the intention to deceive (fraud is the use of objects obtained through forgery). ... This page is about the artist. ...

In 1496, Michelangelo made a sleeping cupid figure and treated it with sour earth to make it seem ancient. He then sold it to Cardinal Riario of San Giorgio, who later learned of the fraud and demanded his money back. However, Michelangelo somehow managed to keep his money. Events January 3 - Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tests a flying machine. ... Cupidon (French for Cupid) , by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1875 In Roman mythology, Cupid was the god of erotic love. ...

The relevance of the cupid is that it directed attention to Michelangelo's talents at sculpting for the first time. Alas, the figure has not resurfaced since then.