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Compared to other works by Bouguereau, this painting shows less idealism but retains a sense of unworldliness. The figure seems placed into the scene but not so much a part of it. It has a feeling of unreality. Bouguereau was well versed in classical art, biblical, mythology stories, and the world of gods and goddesses, particularly the mythological story of the birth of Venus but with a modern interpretation of the classical subject. Although she looks every inch mortal, this image can be understood as the birth of Venus.
This version by Bouguereau can be seen as a pared-down version of the myth even though it is devoid of many of the obvious trappings of the goddess, it relies on the well-understood and often portrayed popular trope.
The story contains a violent act of castration between the tyrannical father, Uranus, and his son. Saturn overthrew his father and severed his penis and testicles, throwing them into the foaming, frothy sea and spermatozoa. Thus the goddess was born. The wind and waves carry the goddess depositing her on the seashore fully formed as a young woman, usually with the attribute of a clamshell.
According to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, Venus had two aspects: she was an earthly goddess who inspired humans to physical love, but on the other hand, she was a celestial goddess who inspired humans to intellectual love, but Venus is more than just the god of love, she also represents beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity, victory and prostitution.
The mythological interactions between gods, goddesses and mere mortals are quite enthralling but complicated.
