"The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a full grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore (Venus Anadyomene motif). The painting is currently in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birth_of_Venus_(Botticelli)
"The classical goddess Venus emerges from the water on a shell, blown towards shore by the Zephyrs, symbols of spiritual passions. She is joined by one of the Horae, goddesses of the seasons, who hands her a flowered cloak."
"波提且利受當時富有的梅迪奇家族之一的成員羅倫卓‧麥第奇﹝Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici﹞之託，為他的鄉村別墅繪製了這幅名畫。畫中，維納斯站在一只貝殼上，從海中升起，飄飛在一陣灑落的玫瑰花中的風神，將貝殼吹拂到岸上。四季女神展開了一件紫色斗篷，迎接正要上岸的維納斯。據希臘神話的諸神世系裡說，維納斯是塞浦路斯島海上泡沫生的，被西風一吹就把她吹到島上，再由季節女神荷拉為她添上艷裝，奉到諸神面前。在波提且利的畫中，左邊一個裸體的天使，飄翔在空中，向維納斯吹一口氣，頓時鮮花從空中落下，美艷的維納斯便誕生了，畫面右方拿著粉紅衣裳的正是弗羅娜﹝Flora﹞，正準備為維納斯化妝"
A critic pointed out the element of distortion as used by Botticelli. It manifested in the exceptionally tall stature of Venus, the almost elongated neck, the disproportionate ratio of hands and legs. In particular the hair was long and thick. The expression was almost melancholic evincing a sense of uncertainty. Yet this concept of beauty is totally accepted since.
Is this suggestion of vulnerability of womanhood is a mark of male chavinism?
