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Birth of Venus. 1912
Milioti Nikolay,
Oil on canvas
200 x 400,5
State Russian Museum
Annotation
From his early age Milioti, having experienced a passion for painting of V. E. Borisov-Musatov and poetry of the symbolists, was constantly drawn to the themes of classical mythology. In the painting "Birth of Venus” artist interprets an ancient legend with acute individuality. The adolescent goddess is shown among untouched nature, surrounded by vortexes of air and water, in the radiance of the light, when all living creatures, birds, fish, people worship her appearance. The refined, musically sounding pearlescent-pink colouring of the canvas complies with the idea of the "eternal spring of life". This work peculiarly reflected the neoclassical trends accordant with the symbolism, the dream of the "golden age" of humanity, regret for beauty and wonders that had forever disappeared from the real life of people.
Venus (Latin “love”) – in Roman mythology initially was a goddess of gardens abloom, spring, fertility, growth and florescence of all natural vital powers, a goddess of love and beauty, patroness of marriage, mother of Cupid (Eros). In the art of the Italian Renaissance the beautiful and seductive Venus is the favourite of all the goddesses. In the history of fine art the image of Venus was gradually losing its religious and mythological significance and becoming an occasion to demonstrate the naked female body.