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Venus Anadyomene (Titian)
Encyclopedia
Venus Anadyomene
(Greek - literally Venus rising from the sea), is a c.1520 oil painting by Titian
, depicting Venus
rising from the sea and wringing her hair, either after bathing or after her birth. Venus, said to have been born from a shell, is identified by the shell at bottom left. It is smaller than usual in birth of Venus scenes, such as Botticelli's
, and is likely just an identifier rather than a sure sign that this is a birth of Venus scene.
The voluptuousness of the Venus presented, and her sideways glance, also owes much to the Crouching Venus
and Cnidian Venus types of antique sculpture. The wringing of her hair is a direct imitation of Apelles
's lost masterwork of the same title. Titian deliberately included this detail to prove that he could rival the art of antiquity in which the goddess was also washing her hair — a fact mentioned in Pliny's Natural History.
The painting is in exceptionally fine condition. It was once owned by Christina of Sweden
, and passed via the Orleans Collection
to 6th Duke of Sutherland
, who loaned it and 26 other paintings to the National Galleries of Scotland
in 1945. On the death of the childless Duke in 2000, the work was acquired from his cousin, Francis Egerton, 7th Duke of Sutherland
for more than £11m in 2003, with the aid of the National Arts Collection Fund. Also contributing to the purchase were the Wolfson Foundation
, the Heritage Lottery Fund
(£7.6m), and the Scottish Executive
(£2.5m). To facilitate the sale, £2.4m of the picture's value was offset against inheritance tax
. The market value has been estimated at £20m. After the sale, the 7th Duke said, "To all intents and purposes nothing has changed, except the painting will now belong to the nation."
It soon afterwards formed the centrepiece of an exhibition in 2004 and the anniversary exhibition "Saved!" for the National Art Collections Fund.
Venus Anadyomene
Venus Anadyomene was one of the iconic representations of Aphrodite, made famous in a much-admired painting by Apelles, now lost, but described in Pliny's Natural History, with the anecdote that the great Apelles employed Campaspe, a mistress of Alexander the Great, for his model...
(Greek - literally Venus rising from the sea), is a c.1520 oil painting by Titian
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
, depicting Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
rising from the sea and wringing her hair, either after bathing or after her birth. Venus, said to have been born from a shell, is identified by the shell at bottom left. It is smaller than usual in birth of Venus scenes, such as Botticelli's
The Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a fully grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore...
, and is likely just an identifier rather than a sure sign that this is a birth of Venus scene.
The voluptuousness of the Venus presented, and her sideways glance, also owes much to the Crouching Venus
Crouching Venus
The Crouching Venus is a Hellenistic model of Venus surprised at her bath. Venus crouches with her right knee close to the ground, turns her head to the right and, in most versions, reaches her right arm over to her left shoulder to cover her breasts...
and Cnidian Venus types of antique sculpture. The wringing of her hair is a direct imitation of Apelles
Apelles
Apelles of Kos was a renowned painter of ancient Greece. Pliny the Elder, to whom we owe much of our knowledge of this artist rated him superior to preceding and subsequent artists...
's lost masterwork of the same title. Titian deliberately included this detail to prove that he could rival the art of antiquity in which the goddess was also washing her hair — a fact mentioned in Pliny's Natural History.
The painting is in exceptionally fine condition. It was once owned by Christina of Sweden
Christina of Sweden
Christina , later adopted the name Christina Alexandra, was Queen regnant of Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Grand Princess of Finland, and Duchess of Ingria, Estonia, Livonia and Karelia, from 1633 to 1654. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora...
, and passed via the Orleans Collection
Orleans Collection
The Orleans Collection was a very important collection of over 500 paintings formed by the French prince of the blood Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans, mostly acquired between about 1700 and his death in 1723...
to 6th Duke of Sutherland
John Egerton, 6th Duke of Sutherland
thumb|right|200px|Portrait by [[Allan Warren]]John Sutherland Egerton, 6th Duke of Sutherland , styled Viscount Brackley until 1944 and known as The Earl of Ellesmere between 1944 and 1963, was a British peer.-Background and education:the son of John Egerton, 4th Earl of Ellesmere and Lady Violet...
, who loaned it and 26 other paintings to the National Galleries of Scotland
National Galleries of Scotland
The National Galleries of Scotland are the five national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries. It is one of the country's National Collections.-List of national galleries:* The National Gallery of Scotland* The Royal Scottish Academy Building...
in 1945. On the death of the childless Duke in 2000, the work was acquired from his cousin, Francis Egerton, 7th Duke of Sutherland
Francis Egerton, 7th Duke of Sutherland
Francis Ronald Egerton, 7th Duke of Sutherland , known as Francis Egerton until 2000, is a British peer.Sutherland is the son of Cyril Reginald Egerton, the grandson of Francis Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere. His mother was Mary, daughter of Sir Ronald Campbell...
for more than £11m in 2003, with the aid of the National Arts Collection Fund. Also contributing to the purchase were the Wolfson Foundation
Wolfson Foundation
The Wolfson Foundation is a charity that awards grants to support excellence in the fields of science and medicine, health, education and the arts & humanities.- Overview :...
, the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
(£7.6m), and the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
(£2.5m). To facilitate the sale, £2.4m of the picture's value was offset against inheritance tax
Acceptance in Lieu
Acceptance in Lieu is a provision in British tax law under which Inheritance Tax debts can be written off in exchange for the acquisition of objects of national importance...
. The market value has been estimated at £20m. After the sale, the 7th Duke said, "To all intents and purposes nothing has changed, except the painting will now belong to the nation."
It soon afterwards formed the centrepiece of an exhibition in 2004 and the anniversary exhibition "Saved!" for the National Art Collections Fund.