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The Birth of Venus

Alexandre Cabanel1863

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Paris, France

The Birth of Venus was one of the great successes of the 1863 Salon, where it was bought by Napoleon III. Typical of Cabanel's virtuoso technique, this facile and disciplined painting is a perfect example of popular and official artistic taste of the period. In an eclectic spirit characteristic of the Second Empire, Cabanel combines references to Ingres with an 18th century style of painting.

Here, however, the mythological theme is simply a pretext for the portrayal of a nude figure who, though idealized, is nonetheless depicted in a lascivious pose. Emile Zola denounced this ambiguity: "the goddess, drowned in a river of milk, resembles a delicious courtesan, not made of flesh and bone - that would be indecent - but of a sort of pink and white marzipan".

Leaving this academic tradition far behind, Manet's Olympia, painted with honesty and vigour, caused a major scandal.

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  • Title: The Birth of Venus
  • Creator Lifespan: 1823 - 1889
  • Creator Nationality: French
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Paris
  • Creator Birth Place: Montpellier
  • Date Created: 1863
  • Provenance: 1863 : In Napoleon III Collection 1879 : Allocated to the National Museums
  • Physical Dimensions: w2250 x h1300 mm
  • Painter: Alexandre Cabanel
  • Original Title: La Naissance de Vénus
  • Credit Line: © Musée d'Orsay, dist. RMN
  • Type: Oil on canvas
  • Rights: Musee d'Orsay, dist. RMN
  • External Link: https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/collections
Musée d’Orsay, Paris

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