 The inclusion of Cupid, who replaces Caravaggio's self-portrait with a cornetto, shows that the picture was intended as an allegory of Love and Music presented in the guise of an actual concert.This was a common theme in the pictorial tradition of the 16th century, which depicted Love as being born from Music, or Love as always being in the company of Music".The red carnation proffered by Cupid to one of the women is a pointed allusion to this relationship between Love and Music.