An Analysis of Titan’s Venus and Adonis Painting

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Tiziano Vecellio is among the most prominent artist who left a mark in the art world because of the great form of arts that he made. One of his most remarkable painting is the Venus and Adonis an art work I stumbled upon in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The art provokes a lot of emotions just by a single look. This art measures approximately 42 inches by 52 and a half and was created using medium made up of pigments as well as various types of vegetable oil including bear-seeds, poppy, linseed oils and the walnut (Metropolitan Museum of Art). This painting was made on a stretched canvas which in turn gave it a kind of textured quality. Venus Adonis is an art that tells a mythological tale of a goddess Venus who possessed immeasurable powers, despite this she seems to be a victim of love, having the very feeling she inspired on men.

The first thing you will definitely notice from the painting is the colors used in the painting which are of luminescent quality. The paint is characterized by lightly fleshy colored skin where we can see the goodness naked to the blue colors of the sky. The paint features Adonis, Venus, Cupid and three dogs belonging to Adonis that have been positioned in the front of the painting. The painting from the outward look portrays a woman who is Venus trying to hold onto Adonis probably so that he does not leave. While painting this art, Titan asserts himself as both a poet and a painter trying to tell the story of the goddess and the Adonis. Ovid’s Metamorphoses is used as the narrative source which explains how Venus was afraid of the harm that would come upon Adonis if he goes out to hunt large game. However, Adonis disregards her lovers warning because of the thrill he got from hunting. The paint actually captures Adonis emotionally charged moment as he departs to hunt with his dogs.

The art is classified during the period of Venetian Renaissance. Art during this period utilized colorito and disegno in drawing forms just like most Titans arts works (Hall, 1992). The art portrays the theme of love and torment that is often inflicted on a lover. Venus is tormented that his lover Adonis will die while hunting. Being a goddess most people would not expect her to have a side that shows humanity. As human’s emotions are our order of the day and the picture portrays a goddess with quite a powerful emotion that also seems to relate with the renaissance notion of masculine. The artist brings out gender reversal as Venus emotions leans more towards being masculine rather than feminine. In the picture from how she holds Adonis, she is quite aggressive and almost seems violent as she tries to stop him from leaving. This narrative has allowed Titian to portray another view of the goddess at the same time changing the figural composition.

Several critics have recognized his artistic and innovative arrangement as he is able to use elements of both painting and sculpture: colorito and disegno. In terms of sculpture, both Adonis and Venus have sculptural quality as their paintings appear to be in 3-D. He is able to bring the sculpture into life just by using his brush. Light and shadows have been used in the painting. Adonis seems to be covered predominantly with shades that bring out his physical powers and the masculine features that he possesses (Rosand, 1972). Light on the other hand has been used on Venus back as well as the hip making her silhouette clearer. In this art he used color as well as light in developing his forms rather than lines. In painting the goddess, she depicts her back and bottom as she also turns her torso to look at Adonis. From Venus’ back, we get a somber mood and she can sense a tragic ending as Adonis lifts his hand resisting the pleas Venus was making. Cupid is also frightened in the panting asserting mood of sensuality. He also employs symbolism highly in the painting. The doves have often been known to be symbol of peace and love, they may have been included in the picture depicting the purest form of love that the goddess had towards Adonis. Dog have also been said to be the most loyal animals, in the painting too, they may have been used to depict loyalty.

In conclusion Titian employs shimmering highlights, light and shadows, rich colors as well as lush landscape in creating a masterpiece that portrays a poignant mood. The painting draws parallels between the sense Venus displays during departure of Adonis and the loss that would later occur when Adonis dies in the mythology. He brings the aspect of a humanly goddess who is in love and is afraid of losing the love of his life.

References

Hall, M. B. (1992). Color and meaning: practice and theory in Renaissance painting (pp. 14-29). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Metropolitan Museum Art Gallery (n.d.). Venus and Adonis. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/en/art/collection/search/437826

Rosand, D. (1972). Ut pictor poeta: Meaning in Titian’s poesie. New Literary History, 3(3), 527-546.