The Birth Of Venus By Sandro Botticelli
Sandro Botticelli’ created the painting The Birth of Venus in 1480 during the Renaissance Movement. The painting shows Venus floating on a seashell. Off to her right is the god Zephyr with his wife. Zephyr is blowing Venus towards land. The image on her left displays a woman ready to cover up her image with a brightly intense red garment (Getlein, 2008, p. 398).
To understand the paintings contextual properties, “The word renaissance means “rebirth,” and it refers to the revival of interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that is one of the key characteristics of the period” (Getlein, 2008, p. 393). It appears that the Medici family, who were the ruling merchant family in Florence, commissioned Botticelli to paint this image. The cultural …show more content…
Canvas, however, was starting to gain acceptance by painters. It worked well in humid regions, such as Venice, because wooden panels tended to warp in such climates: (Italian Renaissance, 2016).
The expressive properties contain a religious component. Mark Getlein remarks, “”In Neo-Platonic thought, Venus was identified with both Eve and the Virgin Mary; her birth from the water was related to the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist” (Getlein, 2008, pp. 398-399). The blue hues are calming representation offset by the intense red garment suggesting energy of life. The mood is one of happiness, birth, and life.
The formal elements of the shape are the linear lines carrying us through the horizon and upwards following the sturdy trees. Zephyr blowing Venus towards the right side or the painting implies movement in a linear line. Throughout I see organic lines. The waves and Zephyr’s wings have texture within them. Individuals, their garments, the ocean, and wings have value within. The soft blue hue shows calmness, while movement towards the intense red garment on the right of the painting, implying movement towards life and energy. There is a symmetrical balance in the overall picture. Emphasis is on Venus floating on a seashell. Space implies and added depth to the picture as seen with the ship in the
To understand the paintings contextual properties, “The word renaissance means “rebirth,” and it refers to the revival of interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that is one of the key characteristics of the period” (Getlein, 2008, p. 393). It appears that the Medici family, who were the ruling merchant family in Florence, commissioned Botticelli to paint this image. The cultural …show more content…
Canvas, however, was starting to gain acceptance by painters. It worked well in humid regions, such as Venice, because wooden panels tended to warp in such climates: (Italian Renaissance, 2016).
The expressive properties contain a religious component. Mark Getlein remarks, “”In Neo-Platonic thought, Venus was identified with both Eve and the Virgin Mary; her birth from the water was related to the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist” (Getlein, 2008, pp. 398-399). The blue hues are calming representation offset by the intense red garment suggesting energy of life. The mood is one of happiness, birth, and life.
The formal elements of the shape are the linear lines carrying us through the horizon and upwards following the sturdy trees. Zephyr blowing Venus towards the right side or the painting implies movement in a linear line. Throughout I see organic lines. The waves and Zephyr’s wings have texture within them. Individuals, their garments, the ocean, and wings have value within. The soft blue hue shows calmness, while movement towards the intense red garment on the right of the painting, implying movement towards life and energy. There is a symmetrical balance in the overall picture. Emphasis is on Venus floating on a seashell. Space implies and added depth to the picture as seen with the ship in the