Description
Sandro Botticelli’s Venus and Mars places the alert goddess opposite the sleeping god of war. Small satyrs play with his armor between them, and one blows a shell near his ear. Long drapery and relaxed limbs stretch across the narrow, wooded setting.
The scene contrasts Venus’s composed watchfulness with Mars’s complete repose. Playful figures interrupt the dignity of the pair, giving the image a witty undertone. Botticelli links the bodies through flowing contours while keeping their different states of attention clearly distinct.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Sandro Botticelli collection.
