The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli
The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli Before writing this review of a painting, I asked myself several times of what should I choose, what is my favourite or the most peculiar masterpiece for me? After a short dilemma I figured out that I am fond of Italian Renaissance, especially Early Renaissance. Most of all I enjoy and admire the Florentine School, brightly represented in the paintings of Sandro Botticelli.
The painting of his that attracts me most is The Birth of Venus. The work on it was accomplished in nearly 1486 and the painting itself is now kept in Uffizi, Florence. It is the most famous and recognized reproduction of the myth about the birth of Venus, Roman goddess of love and beauty. Venus is an Italian Renaissance ideal: blonde, pale-skinned, voluptuous. Botticelli has picked out highlights in her hair with gold leaf and has emphasized the femininity of her body (long neck, curviness). The brilliant light and soothing colors, the luxurious garden, the gorgeous draperies of the nymph, and the roses floating around the beautiful nude all suggest that the painting is meant to bring pleasure to the viewer.
The naked goddess swims to the coast in the opened pearl shell. Venus is escorted by Zephir, god of western wind, and Flora, his wife. By this Botticelli shows the beauty that Venus brings in our world: freshness from the offshore breeze and odour from the flowers. On the shore she is welcomed by one of the Graces. Therefore, Venus’s advent to this world is accompanied by celestial beauty and charm.
The background also deserves a special attention. The colour of Venus’s body is purely divine; the chord is used excellently to show the darkness of the horizon and to express the feeling of anxiety, fading away, and even mystery. Contrariwise, the front side is saturated with bright colours meaning the commencement of something unknown and heavenly.
To sum up, rather than choosing one of the many interpretations offered for Botticelli's depiction
The painting of his that attracts me most is The Birth of Venus. The work on it was accomplished in nearly 1486 and the painting itself is now kept in Uffizi, Florence. It is the most famous and recognized reproduction of the myth about the birth of Venus, Roman goddess of love and beauty. Venus is an Italian Renaissance ideal: blonde, pale-skinned, voluptuous. Botticelli has picked out highlights in her hair with gold leaf and has emphasized the femininity of her body (long neck, curviness). The brilliant light and soothing colors, the luxurious garden, the gorgeous draperies of the nymph, and the roses floating around the beautiful nude all suggest that the painting is meant to bring pleasure to the viewer.
The naked goddess swims to the coast in the opened pearl shell. Venus is escorted by Zephir, god of western wind, and Flora, his wife. By this Botticelli shows the beauty that Venus brings in our world: freshness from the offshore breeze and odour from the flowers. On the shore she is welcomed by one of the Graces. Therefore, Venus’s advent to this world is accompanied by celestial beauty and charm.
The background also deserves a special attention. The colour of Venus’s body is purely divine; the chord is used excellently to show the darkness of the horizon and to express the feeling of anxiety, fading away, and even mystery. Contrariwise, the front side is saturated with bright colours meaning the commencement of something unknown and heavenly.
To sum up, rather than choosing one of the many interpretations offered for Botticelli's depiction