The Birth of Venus
Nicolas Poussin, French, 1594 - 1665
Geography:
Made in Italy, Europe
Date:
1635 or 1636Medium:
Oil on canvasDimensions:
38 1/4 × 42 1/2 inches (97.2 × 108 cm)Curatorial Department:
European Painting
E1932-1-1Credit Line:
The George W. Elkins Collection, 1932
Made in Italy, Europe
Date:
1635 or 1636Medium:
Oil on canvasDimensions:
38 1/4 × 42 1/2 inches (97.2 × 108 cm)Curatorial Department:
European Painting
* Gallery 276, European Art 1500-1850, second floor
Accession Number:E1932-1-1Credit Line:
The George W. Elkins Collection, 1932
Label:
The subject of this grand mythological painting remains a topic of lively debate: some see the birth of Venus, some see her triumphal parade, and others see the sea god Neptune's marine procession. There is even disagreement as to whether Venus is depicted at all. The woman in the center might instead be Galatea, a sea nymph who is often shown riding in a cockleshell chariot drawn by dolphins. As reflected here, Poussin exercised great skill in introducing multiple meanings and rich ambiguity into his paintings of classical themes. This painting used to belong to Catherine the Great and still bears a Russian inscription on the frame and a Hermitage Museum inventory number on the lower left corner of the canvas. It was sold by the Soviet government in 1930.
The subject of this grand mythological painting remains a topic of lively debate: some see the birth of Venus, some see her triumphal parade, and others see the sea god Neptune's marine procession. There is even disagreement as to whether Venus is depicted at all. The woman in the center might instead be Galatea, a sea nymph who is often shown riding in a cockleshell chariot drawn by dolphins. As reflected here, Poussin exercised great skill in introducing multiple meanings and rich ambiguity into his paintings of classical themes. This painting used to belong to Catherine the Great and still bears a Russian inscription on the frame and a Hermitage Museum inventory number on the lower left corner of the canvas. It was sold by the Soviet government in 1930.
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