Saychelle Dildy Art History 1138 Professor Bramble 2014 November 19 Venus Through Time Sandro Botticelli, “Birth of Venus”, was the first of many artistic creations around 1482 through 1485. “Birth of Venus” exemplifies historical genre based on the mythological goddess, as subject, Venus. To this day “Birth of Venus” is located at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. The “Birth of Venus” had become a landmark of XV century Italian painting due to being rich in meaning. It’s allegorical references to antiquity and theme of Ovid’s Metamorphoses allowed Botticelli to have a deeper meaning than later versions of the painting. The painting shows iconography derived from Venus Pudica, covering of private parts shyly, depicting a “Modest Venus” …show more content…
By doing so Venus is resisting a contrapposto stance. She is a gift, given to earth, from the gods. Zephyr floats to her left holding the nymph. Zephyr blows wind towards the nude Venus, allowing her auburn hair to caress her body as she is blown to shore. Venus is then showered with flowers, specifically violets, symbolizing love. The colors Botticelli uses in this painting brings out a youthful and majestic feel, becoming bright and vibrant. Colors representing modesty once again, especially seen in Venus’s bright auburn hair. In adversity, the ideal of Neoplatonism comes into play; the birth of love and the spiritual beauty as a driving force of life, physical, sensual, eroitic, divine beauty becomes a result of this narrative. The scene is also incredulously non realistic for a Renaissance painting. It’s very linear, defying space, deemphasizing deep space. The patterns show a beauty that defies nature. The waves have a steady pattern and the clothing is specifically done accordingly. This allows the picturesque theme to give off a divine feeling, of what awaits in the afterlife. Background illusionism and atmospheric perspective come into play