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Venus of UrbinoVenus of Urbino © Scala/Ministero per i Beni e la Attività culturali/Art Resource, NY

Venus of Urbino

Titian. c. 1538 C.E. Oil on canvas.

Curator Note

"A celebration of female beauty and marital sexuality. Titian depicts a nude woman (conventionally called "Venus" to make it acceptable) reclining on a bed in a contemporary Venetian palace. Her direct, inviting gaze challenges the viewer. It established the standard for the "reclining nude" genre."

Form

  • Venetian style: emphasis on color and light (colorito) over line (disegno).
  • Oil on canvas (texture, glazing).
  • Soft, glowing skin tones.
  • Diagonal composition divides the space.
  • Background depth (servants in the back).

Function

  • "Cassone" image (marriage chest) or private erotic art for the Duke of Urbino.
  • To celebrate a marriage (fidelity symbology).
  • To provide visual pleasure.
  • Didactic model for a wife (be sexual for husband).
  • Display of wealth (palace setting).

Content

  • Nude woman (Venus) looking at viewer.
  • Dog at feet: Fidelity (Fides).
  • Servants looking in chest: gathering clothes (dowry?).
  • Roses: love.
  • Myrtle plant: marriage.
  • Hand placement: suggestive.

Context

  • Titian was the master of the Venetian school.
  • Venice was a wealthy, hedonistic republic.
  • Inspired Manet's Olympia (but Olympia rejects the male gaze).
  • The title "Venus" was added later to justify the nudity.
  • The model might be a courtesan or the Duke's wife.