Mars and Venus United by Love
Dublin Core
Title
Description
Depicted in this painting are Venus and Mars, looking down as a putti ties their legs together, symbolizing unity through marriage. Mars dons golden armor with high-quality rose colored drapery, almost indicative of movement and animation. On the other hand, Venus is nearly naked, only adorning fine jewelry, specifically pearls, which match the color of her skin tone. The gazes of Mars and Venus, in addition to the line created by their body position, directs the viewer’s attention towards the putti, thus emphasizing the main theme of the painting: unity through love/marriage--as indicated by the title. This concept is further solidified by the shape of the figures’ bodies: together, the figures create an outline of a heart, with the point of the heart meeting where their legs intersect.
In addition, the painting doesn’t merely portray the theme of marriage--it develops it, characterizing marriage as a concept that builds upon sacrifice, strength, fertility, and transparency. In the middle ground of the painting, another putti presents Mars’ sword to a calm and tranquil horse. Here we see the concept of sacrifice: it is assumed that Mars forgoes his violence for Venus’s love, symbolized through the actions of the second putti, as well as the tether to which Mars’ horse remains bound to.¹ Returning to the main subject matter, we see the concept of transparency through the white cloth hanging behind Venus. Rather than covering herself for Mars, Venus exposes herself, allowing Mars to see her completely. In addition, we see fertility--Venus cups her right breast, allowing milk to flow--and strength--Mars is sat upon a stone slab with Veronese’s signature, allowing support for himself and Venus who rests upon his shoulder.
Unlike many other paintings including representations of Venus which focus on extreme eroticism intended to evoke strong responses, this painting uses Venus, characterized by her lack of clothing as well as the putti, to show the civilizing nature of love.² As mentioned before, even Mars--the Roman god of war and violence--puts down his weapons for love. In addition to Venus’ representation of love, one may argue that Venus serves to represent the role of a wealthy woman in Venetian marriage: although it has been claimed that no amount of female wealth or power could dissolve the male control over Venetian social institutions, the very opposite may be true in private relationships. Despite strong relationships and loyalty to the family of origin, strong bonds in marriage often overpower older, stronger relationships. However, men in Venetian society often found themselves walking a thin line, maintaining a balance between familial relationships and the matrimonial relationship.³
- Richard Cocke, ”Wit and Humour in the Work of Paolo Veronese," Artibus Et Historiae 11, no. 21 (1990): 138-39. Accessed November 9, 2020. doi:10.2307/1483387.
- Catherine Belsey, "The Myth of Venus in Early Modern Culture," English Literary Renaissance 42, no. 2 (2012): 179-202. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43607524.
- Stanley Chojnacki, Women and Men In Renaissance Venice: Twelve Essays On Patrician Society, (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000) https://hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.04157. EPUB.
Creator
Source
- Journal Article I: BELSEY, CATHERINE. "The Myth of Venus in Early Modern Culture." English Literary Renaissance 42, no. 2 (2012): 179-202. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43607524.
- Journal Article II: Cocke, Richard. "Wit and Humour in the Work of Paolo Veronese." Artibus Et Historiae 11, no. 21 (1990): 138-39. Accessed November 9, 2020. doi:10.2307/1483387.
- Book: Chojnacki, Stanley. Women and Men In Renaissance Venice: Twelve Essays On Patrician Society. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.04157. EPUB.
- Museum: “Mars and Venus United by Love.” metmuseum.org, 2020. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437891.
- Image Source: Paolo Veronese (Paolo Caliari) (Italian, Verona 1528-1588 Venice). 1570s. Mars and Venus United by Love. Painting, Paintings. Place: <A HREF=https://www.metmuseum.org/>The Metropolitan Museum of Art</A>. https://library.artstor.org/asset/SS7731421_7731421_11764786.