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Analysis Of Sandro Botticelli's Venus And Mars

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Sandro Botticelli’s Venus and Mars is a tempera and oil painting on poplar panel, illustrating a scene from the classical mythology story of Venus and Mars, who are engaging in a love affair with each other. The painting was made during the Renaissance, around 1485. It’s dimensions are 69.2 × 173.4 cm and it is currently located at The National Gallery in London, room 58 (Nationalgallery.org.uk, n.d.) In the painting we see Venus and Mars resting on the grass both facing each other, surrounded by 4 infant satyrs. The scene is set on a meadow or a forest glade surrounded by myrtle trees, sacred to Venus and a symbol of love and faithfulness in marriage (Hall, 1974). Venus and Mars have engaged in a love affair and now they’re resting on the grassy field. On the left side of the painting, Venus is resting her arm on a red cushion, watching her lover sleep. She appears very composed and in control of her body; in contrast to Mars who seems lost in a different world and in a very relaxed pose. She is fully clothed, whereas Mars in naked and only partially covered by a small white cloth. Botticelli portrays Venus as a beautiful, young woman in contemporary clothing. Her dress consists of multiple layers of thin, white fabric which appears sheer in places e.g. her legs. The way in which the bodice draws attention to and accentuates her curves, emphasizes her physical and sexual desirability (Rubin, 2000). Her braids are arranged in a complex hairstyle and are clasped together

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