| Description |
Birth of Venus Sandro Botticelli ca. 1486
Description of Original: Tempera on canvas Location: Uffizi, Florence
The Birth of Venus (in Italian: Nascita di Venere) is a painting which depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a full grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore (which is related to the Venus Anadyomene motif).
Venus is an Italian Renaissance ideal: blonde, pale-skinned, voluptuous. Botticelli has picked out highlights in her hair with gold leaf and has emphasized the femininity of her body (long neck, curviness). The brilliant light and soothing colors, the luxurious garden, the gorgeous draperies of the nymph, and the roses floating around the beautiful nude all suggest that the painting is meant to bring pleasure to the viewer. |
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