The Fine Art of Sculpture

The center piece of the painting (Venus trying to cover her bare body) is often criticized for her unrealistic posture which often opens up for discussions. In other words ‘Venus’, the goddess of love, born from the sea, is portrayed as a desirable fantasy figure. The beauty of the work is it’s mysterious composition.

In my rendition of the painting, I have shown the form that represents Venus as an empty region cut-out in the canvas. By doing this I wanted to liberate Venus from criticism and voyeurism. The male gaze is so pervasive in Art that it is taken for granted. Females are shown offering up their femininity for the pleasure of an absent male spectator. “Birth of Venus”, painted by Sandro Botticelli in 1486 AD, is among the most treasured masterpieces of the Renaissance and it has served its purpose long enough. Today its my chance to liberate Venus (femininity) to express the freedom we have as women.

Here is a quick glance of all that you need to know about Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”. “Birth of Venus” narrates a Classical myth: Venus, the goddess of love, born from the sea. Venus is the Roman name for ‘Aphrodite’. According to Greek poet Hesiod, Venus was the Goddess of love, beauty and fertility. The subject was of great interest in sculpture, the central figure of Venus in the painting is very similar to Praxiteles’ sculpture of ‘Aphrodite’ and the pose of Botticelli’s Venus is reminiscent of the “Venus de’ Medici”, a marble sculpture from classical antiquity in the Medici collection which Botticelli had opportunity to study.