In this picture, the birth of Afrodita (Venus, for the Romans) is represented. This is a very suggestive theme, that many artists, from the Greek period until these days, have dealt with. Afrodita emerges, already as an adult, in all the splendour of her beauty , from the sea foam. Crossing the waves, on a shelf driven by the mild Zephyr wind , who was accompanied by Iris (upper left corner of the picture). Surrounded by Eros, Hímerus, Potus and other erotes and by a entourage of marine deities, at the sea shore, some Horas wait for her in order to dress her with the divine clothing, and take her to Olympus in a carriage pulled by swans (upper left corner of the picture). Well-known are the interpretations given on this matter by Boticelli, Bouguereau and Cabanel.
|
