Description of the picture:
Venus and Adonis – Paolo Veronese. Around 1580. Oil on canvas. 162×191
The artistic style of Veronese (1528-1588) is distinguished by the subtlety of the picture, the plasticity of the form, the complexity of color combinations on a luminiferous background. The work of this most prominent painter of the Venetian school brings the result to the art of the late Renaissance.
Adonis, the beloved goddess of love of Venus, was the offspring of the king of Cyprus. By his own beauty, he overshadowed even the gods of the Olympians. When Adonis died on the hunt, Zeus felt sorry for the heartbroken Venus and ordered Hades to temporarily release the handsome man from the kingdom of the dead. Since that time, Adonis was forced to lead a double life.
Heroes in love represent the semantic center of the picture, and dogs, one of which is napping at the feet of the goddess, and Cupid playing with the other fill the image with appeasement. The canvas is made in warm colors. The thick colors of the evening sky, foliage green and Adonis’s bright red robe contrast with the creamy whiteness of Venus’ naked body. The powerful sound of saturated colors reveals the mature talent of the painter."