What Is the Birth of Venus?

The Birth of Venus is a painting that an artist named Sandro Botticelli completed in 1486. This famous work of art depicts the Greek goddess emerging from the ocean on a large shell that carries her to the shore. Art historians often claim that some of Botticelli's initial inspiration came from a poem that Angelo Poliziano wrote describing the birth of Venus myth, though this artist is usually thought to have had several different idea sources for his masterpiece. Along with another painting called La Primavera, The Birth of Venus is cited as one of Botticelli's greatest artistic accomplishments. This painting is frequently considered the defining image of the Italian Renaissance that took place between the 14th and 16th centuries.

Botticelli’s decision to depict Venus as a nude woman created controversy because most other paintings at the time depicted a covered woman in atmospheres of religious devotion. The pagan symbol of Venus as the goddess of physical love drew some initial criticism from the church that held considerable influence over daily life during the artist's time. Later endorsements of this painting from the intellectual community are frequently thought to be contributing factors to this painting's preservation when other similar works were burned as affronts to the church.

The particular style of painting that Botticelli used for The Birth of Venus is also unique when compared to popular painting techniques of the time. Fine artists of the Italian Renaissance usually depicted their human subjects in the style of naturalism, which is characterized by body proportions that are as true to reality as possible. The use of perspective depth is also considered ideal for painting in the naturalist style. The goddess in the center of the sea shell is considered slightly disproportionate anatomically, and the overall scene has a shorter range of perspective depth when compared to some other painting that some of Botticelli's contemporaries created.

Symbols in The Birth of Venus are subject to several interpretations. The goddess immediately to the right of Venus holds out a large cloak that Venus will put on once she steps onto dry land, which some art historians claim stands for earthly knowledge of good and evil similar to that described in the opening stories of the Christian bible. Venus' shell that carries her out of the sea is often paradoxically interpreted as a symbol of physical love. The final aim of this famous painting is usually thought to inspire a blending of both physical and spiritual love in the viewers.