I was just thinking, on this late chilly night, how much I want to be in the ocean. And how much I love this painting...
In case you don't know, it is Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus.
It is utterly exquisite. Not much is known about it's origins but I think that is part of the draw. We do know that it is a portrayal of the mythological story of the goddess, Venus, emerging from the ocean, born as a full grown woman. In ancient myths, it was said that Venus (or, to Ancient Greeks, Aphrodite) was born when Cronus, a god, cut off the god Ouranos's genitals and tossed them into the ocean. Venus then rose from the sea foam where Ouranos's manliness had landed. In this painting, Venus arrives at the sea-shore on a shell, which is a motif often called Venus Anadyomene, which means rising from the sea. This is further intriguing as in classical times, the sea shell was used as a metaphor for a woman's lady lands. Though the Venus is blatantly nude and alluring, she holds a Venus Pudicae stance, which is one of modesty. Venus’s anatomy does not portray the very classical realism of contemporary artists but rather shows certain distorted proportion that adds to the emotive sense of the painting. She is being blown to the shore by the two Zephyrs, who symbolize spiritual passions. They also represent the chaos of the cosmos before creation and show that from this chaos, Venus was born to take care of the world. On the shore stands one of the Horae or Graces, who are goddesses of the seasons. This figure rushes to cover Venus with a cape that is covered with the flowers and fruits of the earth symbolizing Venus’s role as Venus Flora and Pomona, her true role as mother of the Earth. The image portrays Venus’s serenity and confidence despite her nudity but highlights the frantic work of the other figures, who rush to cover this nudity. It really is such a rich and intriguing piece. I think it represents elements of the neoplatonist and humanist movements in the Renaissance, but of course, will never know for certain. But it truly is a marvel to admire.
