One of the most iconic representations of the goddess Aphrodite, known as Aphrodite Anadiomene, was a highly popular subject for classical paintings from the Renaissance and modern times.
But who is Anadiomene and why, according to the iconographic tradition, is she depicted naked?
The answer to this very curious question lies in ancient Greek mythology.
Both people and gods obeyed the love power of Aphrodite, and she mercilessly punished those who reject this love.
Aphrodite Anadiomene (literally from Greek: Aphrodite from the sea) is a very popular image of the goddess at the moment of birth.
Birth of Venus. Alexander Cabanel, 1863.
It is believed that the first artistic image of Anadiomene was created in the 4th century BC by the famous ancient Greek painter Apelles (who, among other things, was also a friend of Alexander the Great). The location of the work was originally the temple of Asclepius on the island of Kos.
Fragment of a fresco from Pompeii. Presumably the middle of the 1st century.
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Unfortunately, the original painting was lost in ancient times, but the description of the work was included in the encyclopedia "Natural History" compiled around 77 BC. e. Pliny the Elder, thanks to which it has come down to our time.
The original Venus was so popular that numerous copies of the work were created throughout the Roman Empire, including in the form of frescoes, some of which were discovered during excavations in the city of Pompeii.
Venus born of the sea. Fresco from the city of Pompeii.
It should also be noted the desire of Renaissance artists, reading Pliny to imitate Apelles, and even surpass him, which can be clearly seen in the paintings of many famous artists since the 15th century.
Some of the first were Botticelli, Titian and Rubens.
Venus Anadiomene. Titian Vecellio, 1520
It is noteworthy that the outstanding historian and art theorist Ernst Gombrich viewed Apelles' painting as a work that determined the development of the entire European fine arts.
And he called one of his famous books on Renaissance painting - "The Legacy of Apelles".
Birth of Venus. Botticelli, 1482 - 1486.
The extreme conservatism in the depiction of Anadiomene may be due to the fact that the culture of the last pagan centuries remained viable for a long time. However, most likely, the attractiveness of the image itself played a key role in this.
