Venus and Adonis (Bath of Venus)
Benjamin West (1779)
When first gazing at the image the eye is drawn to the white area in the clouds. The branches of the tree drag the eyes to the right and the cliffs guide the eyes down to the Venus figure. Her body comes to a point at her feet and her hand is outstretched almost as if to point your eyes to the figures in the brook. The eyes skim across these cupid like figures to what can be assumed to be nymph figures of the the left. This image appears dark in spite of the pale white figures in the image. The mountains stretch into the distance forming a deep background that almost seems to be separated from the foreground. The images color scheme consists mostly of grays, browns and some other dull colors. However this dim color scheme doesn't take from the beauty of the piece. The nude figures could be meant to show innocence, though many Greek and roman paintings are of nude figures. They may also be nude to show the beauty of the human form.
From memory Venus was a fair goddess. She was the "ideal woman" and represented fertility. She was born from sea foam therefore it is fitting to see her amongst the water. Venus is the goddess of beauty, love, and is the Roman counterpart for the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
The Venus of Willendorf artist unknown (about 28,000 B.C.E.). One may not think that this palm sized sculpture should be called Venus, however there are many ways these two works are simular. of course they are both nude but also this Venus' genitals are exaggerated, her hips are large, and her breasts are also large. Her face is not shown, her arms disappear into nothing, and as do her legs. This is because these parts of the body are not important. The dramatic areas are meant to symbolize fertility. Fertility was one of the most desired things in a woman from this time. This Venus, even though she is not what we would think of when we think of ideal, is the ideal woman of this time.
Venus of Urbino, Titian (1538). This Venus is seen reclining on a couch. This depiction domesticates Venus by putting her inside. This painting is erotic and the Venus in this image is meant to be the opposite of the traditional Venus. The nudity of this image shows the vulnerability of the woman and that is what relates to the first image.
The following image is meant to poke fun of the Venus of Urbino. It is titled Olympia, Manet (1863). In this piece Venus is meant to be a prostitute which is shown with her choker, the orchid in her hair, and bed sheets. This can be compared to the first image because the first image shows innocence while this image is the opposite.
These images are proof of prejudging things before you see them. A first look at the Venus of Willendorf one would never think she was the ideal woman. And the last image of Olympia when people looked at her they thought of her as a prostitute.
