Sunday, February 6, 2011

V-V-Venus

For some unfathomable reason ; )
Venus is a favorite subject of artists.

William Stott — Birth of Venus — 1887

6 comments:

M. D. Jackson said...

"It's not just a naked lady taking a swim! It's Venus rising from the waves. It's a classical subject, therefore worthy of artistic representation.

"No it's not just an excuse to paint naked women.

"No! You can't have the model's address! Get out of my studio, you blackguard!"

Thomas Haller Buchanan said...

"Master Stott, you shall hear from representatives of Her Majesty the Queen about this matter, you can rest assured. After all, this is the age of Victoria!"

Judy said...

Despite I already have a big Venus-collection, I didn't know this artist. Thanks.

Thomas Haller Buchanan said...

Hi Judy—I have a lot of images of Venus, but I haven't yet put them together in a collection, the same with the goddess Diana, but one of these days...

Anonymous said...

Actually there is much more to this picture than meets the eye. The model was J W Turner's mistress and model Maud Franklin, who posed for Stott (a disciple and good friend of Turner) without Turner's knowledge. The first Turner knew of it was when he saw the painting in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Fisticuffs were exchanged in the Beefsteak Club, and Turner dumped Maud and Stott.

Anonymous said...

Arggh! Did I say Turner? - I meant WHISTLER!!