Born in Florence, he was one of the leading Italian artists that worked during the Early Renaissance period. He was commissioned by wealthy families of Florence like the Medici family.
Although not as popular as other artists from the Renaissance, Botticelli still contributed one of the most beautiful and sensory-enriching paintings of the goddess Venus.
Venus is depicted as the embodiment of beauty; her skin is smooth and milky in color without any blemish. Her hair is also golden and hangs almost the full length of her body.
To Venus’ right (our left) are two figures in the air, busy blowing towards Venus. They have been identified as the Greek god Zephyr and Aura, which means “breeze”.
To Venus’ left (our right) there is another female figure on the shore, waiting to meet her. She holds out a florally decorated cloak to cover Venus. This figure is identified as one of the Horae, which are the goddesses of the seasons.
Botticelli used the tempera painting technique.Venus herself is portrayed in the lighter skin tones directly linked with her being a symbol of beauty and perfection.
In this painting, line directly influences perspective.The use of darker outlines also creates a lack of depth to the painting, creating more two-dimensionality.
The painting is large in scale, measuring 1.72 x 2.78 metersIf it was the case where this painting was made for the Medici family, it was made to adorn a wall space perfectly fit for private living space compared to public spaces.
Some sources say it is symbolic of and influenced by the Baptism of Christ.Other interpretations suggest it alludes to the Garden of Eden and Venus as a symbol of Eve’s nudity.