Bradley1
Robert Bradley
Professor Hanthorn
HUM 101
5 April 2017
Allure of the Human Form
Throughout history, the human form has been the focus of many artists and has intrigued audiences. However, even to this day, the nude human body can stir up controversy amongst society. One sculpture created by Praxiteles called Aphrodite of Knidos was created during the late Greek classical period was rather risqué for the time and was a major tourist attraction for the island of Knidos. The sculpture was of a nude goddess, and such a subject had never been created before. Many years after this depiction of a goddess, Sandro Botticelli portrayed the goddess Venus nude in his painting Birth of Venus. This was created in the early Italian Renaissance during a time when strict boundaries were being preached. While both works have incredible beauty, each have their distinctions that allow them to stand on their own.
At first glance, there are a lot of similarities between Aphrodite of Knidos and Birth of Venus.The form of each goddess’s is quite similar to the other. While both Aphrodite and Venus in their portrayal have been caught at an indecent moment, they manage to cover most private parts. Only Venus is able to cover most of her naked body with her long golden hair. Even though these goddesses have been caught in a vulnerable moment their facial expressions are quite calm instead of shocked. It seems as though Botticelli may have been inspired by Praxiteles, since his Venus looks like a modest Aphrodite. It even looks as though he painted Venus to appear that her skin is made of stone, as if she herself is a sculpture.While Praxiteles carved a more accurate depiction of the female form, Botticelli was still able to show the soft female form with the sloping shoulders in the painting. This softness is a main part to the likeness of these two distinctive forms. These similarities are what give these two works of art their allure and sexuality. Both Praxiteles and Botticelli created works of art that were ahead of their time in subject matter, thus both of these creations were the center of controversy during their time. They both had the ability to capture pathos rather than traditional ethos. When one looks at these works you don’t sense or feel their ethics, instead you feel their emotion. Before Aphrodite of Knidos was created the only nude females people to appear in art were slave girls. Never before has there been a goddess shown with no clothing. They utilize open composition to make the audience curious as to what is so interesting or what information they are missing.
When dealing with art you can never really take the whole work at face value alone. When closer looks are taken at these two works, each have their own hidden meaning. With the Birth of Venus, the audience is seeing the Goddess Venus at her moment of birth. Venus was born from the sea foam and rode to shore on the sea in a large shell. These shells have been a recurring representation for women’s genitalia. Since this shell is such a prominent part of this painting it hints to the sexuality that Venus exudes. As for the sea, instead of the normal wild ocean waters that one would expect, it remains calm. I believe the reason is to show the power and control that the gods have over the world. When looking at Aphrodite of Knidos her gesture has her shielding her genitalia. This is not representing shame, but instead shows her fertility. Next to Aphrodite is a pot known as a hydria and drapery. This helps the sculpture to stand, but it also helps with compositional proportions of the sculpture. These representations in both Praxiteles and Botticelli’s art helps to bring a whole new level of depth and life to their work.
The biggest differences between Aphrodite of Knidos and Birth of Venusare obvious. Praxiteles and Botticelli were very different artists that were separated by a large period of time. They lived over a thousand years apart from each other. Praxiteles was born into a family of sculptors and his most notable work was during the Greek Late Classical period. On the other hand, Botticelli was a father of the Early Italian Renaissance. Both artists had a unique style and were not afraid to experiment with art. Another difference for these works of art is the setting. Aphrodite is simply getting ready for a bath while Venus is being born. This is not such an everyday event and has more significance.
Praxiteles and Botticelli are arguably two of the greatest artists of their time. Their depictions of the Goddess of Love have many stylistic differences that set them apart. However, with a closer analysis you can see that they two actually have a bit in common. The gestures, pathos, the beauty and softness of the figures help give the audience more appreciation for the artwork. Both Aphrodite and Venus are quite similar and the same poised emotional reactions of both goddesses almost makes it seem like the two pieces of art could be related. However, the delicate beauty and craftsmanship set each piece on its own pedestal.
Works Cited
“Birth of Venus by Botticelli.”UFFIZI, Accessed 11 Apr. 2017.
“Botticelli's Birth of Venus.”ItalianRenaissance.org, 6 Feb. 2015, Accessed 11 Apr. 2017.
Eason, James. “Aphrodite of Cnidus.”UChicago, penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/greece/hetairai/aphrodite.html. Accessed 11 Apr. 2017.
Martin, David, F. Humanities Throught the Arts. 9th ed., Mcgraw-Hill Education, 2015.
Narzariunus, Ilona. “Praxiteles.” Edited by Andrea Mendyk,WebChron, Accessed 11 Apr. 2017.
“Sandro Botticelli (Alessandro Filipepi) Biography.”Sandro Botticelli, Accessed 11 Apr. 2017.
“The Aphrodite of Knidos and the Invention of the Female Nude in Greek Art.”Aphrodite of Knidos, employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/ARTH209/venus_knidos.html. Accessed 11 Apr. 2017.
“The Birth of Venus .”Totally History, totallyhistory.com/the-birth-of-venus/. Accessed 11 Apr. 2017.