Venus Verticordia
Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1864–1868)
The heart turner – this smouldering nude, with ruby lips of pillowed petals, kissed by the nectar from succulent roses and honeysuckle. The ideal beauty, sensuous, passionate, aflame with desire. Surrounded by blatantly erotic symbolism, for the roses and honeysuckles are metaphors for sexual passion. Yet Venus also points cupid’s arrow at her heart to show how she will inflict its power over others. The bluebird, foretells doom and the moths or butterflies are drawn to the light of Venus’s halo, only to perish, illustrating the mere blink that is life. That the female power of beauty and sexuality will triumph over man – as the Greeks over Troy, Yet this victory will always end in woe.
Rossetti problems with love are well known, for while he has painted the face of his favourite muse, (she was so dull he wanted to lock her in a cupboard), he then selected the body of his cook.
The painting depicts the goddess Venus in a contemplative and introspective pose.
The painting celebrates the transformative power of love and the importance of self-reflection and introspection in the pursuit of love and beauty. The title of the painting, “Venus Verticordia,” translates to “Venus, the changer of hearts,” which emphasizes the transformative power of love to change and shape human emotions and behavior.
The figure of Venus is depicted in a complex and nuanced manner. She is shown holding a golden apple, which is often associated with the myth of the Judgment of Paris and the origins of the Trojan War. The apple is a symbol of desire and temptation, but in this context, it can also be interpreted as a symbol of the potential for transformation and growth that comes with the pursuit of love.
The pose of Venus, with her eyes downcast and her hands clasped together, suggests a sense of introspection and contemplation. The painting suggests that the pursuit of love and beauty requires not only outward action but also inner reflection and self-examination.
Overall, Venus Verticordia is a powerful and evocative work of art that celebrates the transformative power of love and the importance of self-reflection and introspection in the pursuit of love and beauty. It is a testament to Rossetti’s skill as an artist and his ability to capture the subtleties and complexities of human emotion in his work. The painting remains a beloved masterpiece of art history and a symbol of the enduring power of love and beauty in human experience.
The Birth of Venus
Sandro Botticelli (c Mid-1480s)
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
An Icon of the Italian Renaissance and one of the most famous paintings in the world. Venus is an earthly goddess whose physical beauty inspires spiritual beauty.
A celebration of the beauty and power of love. Venus, who is depicted as a stunningly beautiful woman with flowing blonde hair, represents the embodiment of love and beauty. Her emergence from the sea suggests the idea of a birth, emphasizing the transformative purity of love and desire.
The other figures in the painting, including the winds and the nymphs, represent the various forces of nature that contribute to the creation of love and desire. The use of bright colors and flowing lines creates a sense of movement and energy, further emphasizing the dynamic and powerful nature of love and passion.
Venus, as a goddess of love, represents the earthly and sensual aspects of human experience, while the winds and the nymphs represent the spiritual and transcendental aspects of nature. The painting suggests that there is a delicate balance between these two realms and that the pursuit of earthly pleasure must be balanced with a recognition of the spiritual aspects of life.
A powerful and evocative work of art that celebrates the beauty and power of love. It is a testament to Botticelli’s skill as an artist and his ability to capture the subtleties and complexities of human emotion in his work. The painting remains a beloved masterpiece of Renaissance art and a symbol of the enduring power of love.
Kama Sutra (2-4th Century)
“The eyes are silent tongues of love”
Kama Sutra or the “principles of love” is a guide to the art of living, the nature of love and exploring pleasure and happiness between partners. Written in Sankrit by the philospher Vatsayayana, The Kama Sutra emphasises the importance of pursuing a fulfilling life and to cultivate virtues such as honesty, generosity, kindness and to strive for self improvement.
The author was believed to be a monk who never married – this is not the sex guide of popular myth but actually a highly philopsophical treaty on life and relationships – many centuries before his time. Vatsayayana believed in equality between the sexes and the importance of pleasure in life to maintain harmony and nuture relationships.
Kama Sutra states that desire, sexuality, and emotional fulfillment was one of the proper goals of life.
Living a fulfilling life: The Kama Sutra emphasizes the importance of pursuing a fulfilling life, both materially and spiritually. It encourages individuals to cultivate virtues such as honesty, generosity, and kindness, and to strive for self-improvement.
Relationships: The text offers advice on how to build and maintain healthy relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners. It stresses the importance of communication, trust, and respect in any relationship, and provides guidance on how to resolve conflicts.
Love: The Kama Sutra explores the different types of love, from infatuation to lasting devotion. It offers insights on how to develop and deepen feelings of love, and how to express love in meaningful ways.
Sexual behavior: While the Kama Sutra is known for its detailed descriptions of sexual positions and techniques, it also emphasizes the importance of sexual intimacy as an expression of love and a means of achieving spiritual and emotional fulfillment. It stresses the importance of mutual pleasure and respect in sexual relationships.
The story of Cupid and Psyche, a tale of love and perseverance from ancient Greek mythology. Bouguereau captures the romantic and emotional essence of the story. The soft, dreamy quality of the painting reflects the ethereal nature of the story and the eternal nature of true love.
Cupid and Psyche are depicted in a tender embrace, with Cupid’s wings wrapped around Psyche protectively. Psyche, a mortal woman, had been tasked with a series of impossible tasks by the goddess Venus as punishment for daring to seek the love of Cupid, the god of love. Cupid, unable to resist Psyche’s beauty and purity, secretly aids her in completing the tasks, and the two eventually marry with the approval of the gods.
The Swing or The Happy Accidents of the Swing
Jean-Honoré Fragonard
Wallace Collection London
Characterized by its playful and erotic themes, ornate details, and pastel colors, the Swing is considered a masterpiece of the Rococo style. Centre stage is the exhilaration of play. The pleasure of play occasions sexual intimacy, where uninhibited positions reveal the body, usually hidden from sights. As participants flew through the air, typical social decorum ceased in favor of play and the erotic.
A young woman clothed in a billowing, ruffled, ballet-pink dress floats in a dramatically lit clearing, rocking above the ground on a crimson-cushioned swing. She flings her kitten-heeled shoe towards a mischievous cupid sculpture while she gazes at the man sprawled in the bushes beneath her. Her paramour wears a pewter-hued suit, extends a black tricorne hat into the brush, and looks up the woman’s skirt with what can only be described as the goofiest, most love-struck grin possible. In the shadows behind her, an older man—perhaps her cuckolded husband—pulls the swing’s reins.
The decadent composition all but shouts: “Let them eat cake!” The Swing isn’t particularly relatable to the 21st-century viewer or anyone unaffiliated with the court at Paris or Versailles, nor does it offer serious truths about human nature. While there’s plenty of intrigue in the story of its making, The Swing ultimately revels in fun, fantasy, and the idealized haut monde. Its hedonistic subject and obsessive detail make it an icon of Rococo style and a continual source of creative inspiration and visual enjoyment.
Overall, the painting captures the lightheartedness and sensuality of the Rococo era.
Horse Whisperer
Suen Castelao (C 19th Century)
Museo del Parado, Madrid
“The Love of animals is profound, powerful and protective for there is no more rewarding or deserving love”
Suen Castelao has captured the horse as the noblest and most beautiful of animals. The horse whisperer illustrates that special bond between girl and pony – the truest of friendships. For there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of humanity. The hair of the girl’s ponytail is entwined with the horse’s beautiful blond mane in a metaphor for how the love between horse and human can be one of the deepest and most enduring of all loves, a true combination of souls.
Suen Castelao captures perfectly the protective power of love that guides our relationship with our horses, dogs, and cats. Based in Barcelona he draws inspiration from living in the splendour of where the shores of the Mediterranean Sea meet the Pyrenees. Growing up among the Wild horses that roam in this natural paradise. He has witnessed the wild mountain ponies transform into sea horses in the waves of the Mediterranean.
The Garden of Delights
Hieronymus Bosch (C 1490 and 1510)
Museo del Prado, Madrid
In an Earthly paradise: A man and a woman, both natural beauties, innocent and naked, live happily in the garden of Eden.
Yet they are encouraged to go forth and procreate. Thus the human condition is born, the pristine beauty of nature is to be sullied.
With free will and imagination, they quickly engage in all manner of pleasure-seeking activities – both real and dreamlike. Wild ecstasy, weirdness of lust and the pleasures of the flesh – this is a deeply imaginative romp. An orgy of pleasure with humanity consumed only by passion and pleasure.
A lush garden, the plucking of fruit, love, aphrodisiacs and carnal knowledge represent the ephermal nature of earthly pleasures. Imagine eating a giant strawberry while engaged in an orgy. Or living in a bacchanalian garden of paradise – eating giant grapes while riding unicorns.
Surreal and fantastical imagery, a commentary on the pleasures and sins of human life. The left panel depicts the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve surrounded by animals and mythical creatures. The central panel, which is the largest and most complex, depicts a surreal and chaotic scene filled with humans, animals, and bizarre objects engaged in all manner of activities, both mundane and scandalous. The right panel depicts a vision of hell, with demons and tortured souls.
A celebration of pleasure and sensuality. It is a testament to Bosch’s skill as an artist and his ability to capture the complexity and nuance of human experience. The painting remains a beloved masterpiece of art history and a symbol of the enduring power of art to provoke thought and challenge our perceptions of the world.
The Spring |
Guiseppe Arcimboldo (1527 -1593) |
| An Italian painter known for his imaginative portrait heads made entirely of objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, |
| Plants have sustained, intoxicated and given pleasure to humans since the begining of time. Love of plants and the nature was never better celebrated than by Arcimboldo – who creatively fused plant power with human power. Melt believes deeply in the power and pleasure of plants -particularly of course: chocolate. |
Narcissus
Caravaggio
Caravaggio’s Narcissus is a painting depicting the mythological character, Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water and became trapped by his self-obsession.
The painting portrays Narcissus gazing intently at himself, with a look of longing and desire, while his body languishes in a state of sensual abandon. The painting is a warning against the dangers of vanity, self-obsession, and narcissism.
It also reflects the broader cultural and artistic movement of the Baroque era, which often explored themes of illusion, self-reflection, and the darker aspects of the human psyche.
Overall, Caravaggio’s Narcissus is a powerful work of art that captures the timeless message about the dangers of self-absorption.
In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a beautiful youth who was admired by many, including the nymph Echo. However, Narcissus was disdainful of love and rejected Echo’s advances, causing her to waste away until only her voice remains. As punishment, Narcissus was made to fall in love with his own reflection, which he saw in a pool of water. He became so consumed with his own image that he was unable to leave the water’s edge, and eventually died of thirst and starvation.
Caravaggio’s painting of Narcissus captures the moment when the youth first glimpses himself and falls in love with it. The painting emphasizes Narcissus’s sensual beauty and the intensity of his gaze. The pool of water in the painting is also significant, as it represents the mirror-like quality of the surface that reflects Narcissus’s image back to him.
Narcissus’s excessive self-love leads to his downfall, and that his obsession with his own image is ultimately destructive. The painting is also a commentary on the limitations of human perception and the deceptive nature of appearances. Narcissus’s inability to see beyond his himself highlights the dangers of being overly focused on surface-level qualities and failing to see the true nature of things.
Overall, Caravaggio’s Narcissus is a complex and multi-layered work of art that explores themes of beauty, desire, illusion, and self-deception. It is a powerful reminder of the dangers of being consumed by one’s own ego and the importance of maintaining perspective and humility in the face of life’s challenges.
Lovers Walking in the Snow (1764-62)
Suzuki Harunobu
The greatest beauty Earth can offer, is whatever a person most desires
The intimacy of two lovers strolling in quietly falling snow, sharing both an umbrella and love. A couple – both melancholic and intimate – representing unbreakable love.
This is a beautiful and evocative work of art that captures the complexity and nuance of human emotion. It celebrates both the beauty of nature and the power of love, while also highlighting the importance of intimacy and companionship in our lives to transcend hardship and difficulties.
Harunobu emphasizes the intimacy of two lovers strolling in quietly falling snow, under an umbrella and in love, with the woman holding onto his sleeve, combining in a single metaphor the melancholic and the passionate.
The Book of Pillows was a description of High Society at Court in 15th C Japan. It speaks to the power of woman to control events without any formal position or title
Lovers Walking in the Snow is a woodblock print by the Japanese artist Suzuki Harunobu, created in the mid-18th century.
The print can be interpreted as a celebration of the beauty of nature and the joys of romantic love. The white snowy landscape is rendered in intricate detail, with delicate snowflakes and trees depicted in a stylized manner. The couple’s clothing and accessories are also rendered with great care, emphasizing their elegance and refinement.
At the same time, the print also explores themes of intimacy and companionship. The couple is depicted in a close and tender embrace, with the woman holding onto the man’s sleeve and the man sheltering her with his umbrella. The print suggests that love and companionship can provide warmth and comfort even in the midst of a cold and harsh environment.
Overall, Lovers Walking in the Snow is a beautiful and evocative work of art that captures the complexity and nuance of human emotion. It celebrates the beauty of nature and the power of love, while also highlighting the importance of intimacy and companionship in our lives. The print is a testament to Suzuki Harunobu’s skill as an artist and his ability to capture the subtleties of human emotion in his work.
Virgin and Child
There is no stronger love than that between a mother and her child. The intimacy of the moment when the mother brings her child face-to-face for the first time, is captured exquisitely by the nose-to-nose kiss.
Donatello captures the earthly mother-child bond but also the divine. For the Virgin gazes at her son with apprehension, for she knows that she must let him go to fulfill his sacred mission. As with all Donatello’s biblical works, this expressive sculpture first moves our heart and then reminds us of what’s most important: to deepen our faith.
The Fisherman and the Syren is a painting by Frederic Leighton, which depicts a moment from Greek mythology where a fisherman is seduced by a Syren, a creature with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a bird or fish. The painting portrays the fisherman as he is pulled down into the water by the Syren, who is luring him to his death.
The painting is a warning against the dangers of temptation and desire. The Syren, with her alluring beauty and enchanting song, represents the seductive power of desire and the lure of temptation. The fisherman, who is depicted as helpless in the face of Syren’s seduction, represents humanity’s vulnerability to temptation and the consequences of giving in to our base desires.
At the same time, the painting can also be seen as a celebration of the beauty and power of nature. The Syren’s body is depicted with intricate details and delicate brushstrokes, emphasizing her other worldly beauty and ethereal quality. The water is also rendered in a rich and vibrant manner, capturing the fluidity and depth of the sea. The painting thus captures the tension between the dangerous allure of temptation and the irresistible beauty of nature.
The Fisherman and the Syren is also a commentary on the role of art in evoking emotion and telling stories. Leighton’s use of color, light, and composition creates a powerful and evocative image that captures the drama and intensity of the story. The painting’s Romantic style, with its emphasis on emotion, imagination, and nature, is well-suited to the mythological subject matter and highlights the enduring power of myth and legend to capture the human imagination.
Overall, The Fisherman and the Syren is a rich and complex work of art that explores themes of temptation, desire, nature, and the power of storytelling. It is a powerful reminder of the dangers of giving in to our base desires and the importance of recognizing the beauty and power of the natural world around us.
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