Essay on "Nude: Venus and Adonis in the Renaissance"

Essay 4 pages (1391 words) Sources: 3 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Nude: Venus and Adonis

In the Renaissance painter Titian's original depiction of Venus and Adonis, the nude Venus sits, clinging to her lover Adonis, as she tries to restrain him from going to hunt wild boar. Her nudity represents female perfection and sensuality in the context of Titian's work. Titian's audience would be familiar with the gods and goddesses of mythology and the story depicted in the painting. Venus was famously the goddess of love, the most beautiful woman in the world, and Adonis, her mortal lover, was the most beautiful man in the world. Today, although the story is less well-known, Venus (and Cupid in the background) is still famed as the goddess of love and beauty, and a handsome male is often called an 'Adonis.' But the seemingly exaggerated fleshiness of Venus (in modern eyes), her bare buttocks, and the feminized yet powerfully dressed Adonis suggests that the painting might inspire humor rather than pity in a modern observer. Titian's original audience was likely to have taken the painting more seriously, as well as been more familiar with the story of Adonis' untimely death, which is not shown in the painting.

In terms of the scenic arrangement of the original work, only Venus' exposed backside is revealed and her front is concealed from the viewer, probably covered by a drapery. Her form looks soft and rotund compared with Adonis' hard, armor-encased frame, as he stands, ready to go and do battle with nature. It looks as if the two of them have been sleeping side-by-side, until Adonis dressed to leave. Venus has decided to arouse herself, half-clothed, aware that her lover is going to his doom. "She clings to him, imploring him not to go, but Adonis looks down at her impassively. His dogs strain at their leashes, echoing his impatience, as detailed in the tragic love story found in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Cupid sleeps in the background, a symbol of Adonis's resistance to Venus's entreaties, since his ineffective arrows hang uselessly in a tree. The story ends tragically; during the hunt the mortal Adonis is fatally gored by a wild boar" (Venus and Adonis, The Getty Museum, 2009). The story is a tale of the futility of eternal love, even the love of the gods, in the face of human mortality.

This is the paradox of the painting -- although Venus looks more vulnerable because of her nudity and femininity, it is really Adonis, the human male who is more vulnerable. In resisting the nude and the goddess' sexuality, he is departing for his own grave. The nude goddess of love represents life, Adonis heads to his death. Although Venus' buttocks, depicted in the foreground of the painting, are often used for humorous purposes in modern depictions of the nude, this is not the case in the original painting. "Venus's awkward pose… was inspired by an ancient sculptural relief" (Venus and Adonis, The Getty Museum, 2009). The painting reflects the revival of classical artwork that manifested itself during the Renaissance. It also shows a new interest in celebrating physicality and sensuality as well as anatomy. Her awkwardness suggests her difficulty in restraining Adonis.

Venus' nudity is not displayed in a static fashion: it is highly kinesthetic, which makes it seem even more sexual. Venus is writhing and actively involved in the painting as she pleads for her lover to stay. "Titian's loose, energetic strokes of paint give the painting a sense of spontaneity and movement. In some areas, the artist even painted with his finger, as seen in Adonis's arm. The composition's dynamism…used rich colors, shimmering highlights, and a lush landscape to create the painting's evocative, poignant mood" (Venus and Adonis, The Getty Museum, 2009).

As depicted on the cover of a scholarly book, Titan and Tragic Painting, however, the nude Venus is used to draw the eye of the viewer to purchase the work. The use of Venus' nudity has a more playful quality, as her buttocks are at the center of the cover design. Perhaps this choice of centering Venus indicates that the writer has some sense of humor about his subject. He may have wished to convey the fact that,… READ MORE

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