The Birth of Venus Anaylsis
Ciera Callahan
Art History II
10-20-13
Sfakianos The piece that I chose to write about is entitled The Birth of Venus and was painted by the French artist Nicolas Poussin. This painting was sold to Catherine the Great of Russia in 1771. It was sold another time by the Hermitage Museum in 1932 when the Soviet government was desperate for western currency. It was then that it was acquired for the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The painting was made in Italy in either the year 1635 or 1636. The medium that Poussin used was oils on canvas, and the size of the painting is roughly around 38 by 42 inches. This painting is considered to be included the Baroque period. (Philadelphia Museum of Art) Along side of the painting on display is a short description label accompanying it, which reads; “The subject of this grand mythological painting remains a topic of lively debate: some see the birth of Venus, some see her triumphal parade, and others see the sea god Neptune's marine procession. There is even disagreement as to whether Venus is depicted at all. The woman in the center might instead be Galatea, a sea nymph who is often shown riding in a cockleshell chariot drawn by dolphins. As reflected here, Poussin exercised great skill in introducing multiple meanings and rich ambiguity into his paintings of classical themes. This painting used to belong to Catherine the Great and still bears a Russian inscription on the frame and a Hermitage Museum inventory number on the lower left corner of the canvas. It was sold by the Soviet government in 1930.” Poussin's The Birth of Venus is a scene of Venus being carried to the shore by an abundance of men, women, and angels. Venus is in the center of the scene, sitting on top of a shell that is being drawn by sea creatures. Venus and the woman to her left are holding up a pink cloth that flows in the wind. The woman on the right of Venus is supporting her arm being held up to hold the cloth. To the left of Venus is a
Art History II
10-20-13
Sfakianos The piece that I chose to write about is entitled The Birth of Venus and was painted by the French artist Nicolas Poussin. This painting was sold to Catherine the Great of Russia in 1771. It was sold another time by the Hermitage Museum in 1932 when the Soviet government was desperate for western currency. It was then that it was acquired for the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The painting was made in Italy in either the year 1635 or 1636. The medium that Poussin used was oils on canvas, and the size of the painting is roughly around 38 by 42 inches. This painting is considered to be included the Baroque period. (Philadelphia Museum of Art) Along side of the painting on display is a short description label accompanying it, which reads; “The subject of this grand mythological painting remains a topic of lively debate: some see the birth of Venus, some see her triumphal parade, and others see the sea god Neptune's marine procession. There is even disagreement as to whether Venus is depicted at all. The woman in the center might instead be Galatea, a sea nymph who is often shown riding in a cockleshell chariot drawn by dolphins. As reflected here, Poussin exercised great skill in introducing multiple meanings and rich ambiguity into his paintings of classical themes. This painting used to belong to Catherine the Great and still bears a Russian inscription on the frame and a Hermitage Museum inventory number on the lower left corner of the canvas. It was sold by the Soviet government in 1930.” Poussin's The Birth of Venus is a scene of Venus being carried to the shore by an abundance of men, women, and angels. Venus is in the center of the scene, sitting on top of a shell that is being drawn by sea creatures. Venus and the woman to her left are holding up a pink cloth that flows in the wind. The woman on the right of Venus is supporting her arm being held up to hold the cloth. To the left of Venus is a
Cited: "Girodet." : ' The Birth of Venus ' Nicolas Poussin (French 1594-1636) Oil on Canvas, circa 1635-36. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013. "Nicolas Poussin." Artble: The Home of Passionate Art Lovers. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013. "Philadelphia Museum of Art." Philadelphia Museum of Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013. "TRANSMOGRIFY." TRANSMOGRIFY. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.