Rubens is describing his painting 'The Horrors of War' https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Rubens_-_The_Consequences_of_War.jpg 1637 <br class="br">In a letter to Justus Sustermans, c. 1637 (Rubens' agent at the Medici court in Florence); as quoted in Rembrandts Eyes', by w:Simon Schrama, Alfred A. Knopf, Borzoi Books, New York 1999, p. 180<br>Simon Schrama describes: The blue skies in the painting are overwhelmed by smoky darkness.. ..despite support from the usual team of putti and her own spectacularly opulent charms, Venus is losing the battle for Mars's attentions to the Fury Alecto <br class="br">1625 - 1640