Despite her erotic air, however, Titian's Venus is no courtesan, and the painting is not a subtle promotion of casual infidelity. On the contrary, given that it was painted to commemorate Guidobaldo's marriage, it is almost certainly celebrating marital love and the physical intimacy between man and wife, a supposition supported by a number of details. In her right hand, for instance, the girl holds a posy of roses, which usually symbolize love; also, the sleeping dog is a common symbol of fidelity; lastly,
Despite her erotic air, however, Titian's Venus is no courtesan, and the painting is not a subtle promotion of casual infidelity. On the contrary, given that it was painted to commemorate Guidobaldo's marriage, it is almost certainly celebrating marital love and the physical intimacy between man and wife, a supposition supported by a number of details. In her right hand, for instance, the girl holds a posy of roses, which usually symbolize love; also, the sleeping dog is a common symbol of fidelity; lastly,