Venus And Cupid Woman With A Parrot English Literature Essay

I recently visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in an attempt to compare a Traditional piece with one from the Modern period. The painting that I chose from the Tradition is Lorenzo Lotto’s “Venus and Cupid.” The painting is believed to be from the late 1520’s, though no precise date is identified. The medium used is oil on canvas, and the painting’s dimensions are 36 3/8 x 43 7/8 in. (92.4 x 111.4 cm). In 1986, the painting was purchased as a gift by Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, and it is currently located in Gallery 609 of the museum (metmuseum.org). The Modern painting that I selected is “Woman with a Parrot,” an 1866 painting by Gustave Courbet. Courbet also used the oil on canvas medium in creating his art. “Woman with a Parrot” is 51 x 77 in. (129.5 x 195.6 cm). Part of the H.O. Havemeyer Collection (1929), at present time the painting is on view in Gallery 811 (metmuseum.org). Both paintings are bound by one glaring similarity: the presence of a nude female subject. In both instances, there is a second subject as well: for Lotto it is a nude child, for Courbet it is a parrot. The presentation of the nude female body is different in the two paintings, as Lotto’s work seems to emphasize innocence and purity, whereas Courbet’s highlights a more provocative subject. This distinction is a critical one, as it marks a stylistic shift from the Renaissance to the Modern period. While Lotto’s painting is vibrant and the designs are ornate, Courbet’s painting is dark and dreary, with much less focus on fanciness. Furthermore, Lotto depicts two Roman deities in his work; Courbet’s subject, while beautiful, is not explicitly represented as being of any divine influence. Interestingly, the medium used by both artists is the same, which is demonstrative of the technical link that these paintings (and the respective eras from which they are from) share, despite some of the stylistic and thematic differences.

To fully ascertain the significance and meaning of the aforementioned artworks, it is beneficial to first understand a little about the two artists being discussed. Lorenzo Lotto was a painter from North Italy, and his work is traditionally placed in the Venetian school. He was born in 1480 in Venice, Italy and died in 1557 in Loreto, Italy. In between, Lotto painted dozens of pieces, many of which involving religious subjects. According to Humfrey, “After his death, (Lotto) gradually became neglected and then almost forgotten” (33). However, art historian Bernard Berenson led a revival of interest in Lotto’s work, and his pieces have amassed greater popularity over the past 100 years.

Gustave Courbet was born in Ornans, Doubs, France in 1819, and died in La Tour-de-Peliz, Switzerland in 1877, at the age of 58. The French painter/sculptor is most famous for works such as A Burial at Ornans. He is notable for beginning the “Realism” movement. McCarthy maintains that Courbet’s art work addressed social issues and depicted vulgarity, “…and in doing so challenged contemporary academic ideas of art” (14). To be sum up Courbet’s eventful life, one can look to his own words, as he famously stated: “I am fifty years old and I have always lived in freedom; let me end my life free; when I am dead let this be said of me: ‘He belonged to no school, to no church, to no institution, to no academy, least of all to any régime except the régime of liberty.” His artwork fell in line with these sentiments, as he consistently defied conventional norms. Unfortunately for Courbet, he would die as he lived: he was eventually exiled and died from heavy drinking (McCarthy). However, his legacy would carry on, as his style and technique would influence his own contemporaries (Monet, for instance) and artists to come.

Lotto’s painting “Venus and Cupid” represents many qualities associated with the Renaissance, and the Traditional era from which it came, though it marks a departure from the very early methods and themes associated with said period. Traditional Renaissance art was commissioned by the Catholic Church, and many of Lotto’s pieces fell into the religious category. According to Williamson, altarpieces and smaller devotional pictures were commissioned by the Church, and also utilized oil on canvas. As the Renaissance period progressed, there was a revival in focus on the Classical Period. Hugh Ross Williamson maintains that the High Renaissance brought on humanism, and rather than merely depicting religious figures, art began to depict Classical gods and goddesses as well. Venus was a critical figure during this time, and many have gone as far as to compare her to Eve and/or Mary in the Christian faith. Clearly, Lotto’s painting embraces the changes brought on by humanism and the revival of Classicism. In fact, although traditional in many regards, the painting is one of Lotto’s few that represents mythology. The two figures depicted in the painting are two of the most important in Roman mythology: Cupid and Venus. Both figures are associated with love, which is a theme made palpable in Lotto’s work.

Metmuseum.org asserts that Lotto’s painting is classified as a “painted epithalamium, the classical term for verses composed to celebrate a marriage.” The subject was rather typical in this time, and generally the idea is that Cupid is waking up his mother Venus so that she may carry out her duties as the goddess of love and preside over wedding ceremonies. Many of the painting’s details indicate a marriage theme; for example, Venus’ ornate jewelry and décor emphasize love and marriage: “The knotted ribbon bracelets are emblems of love, well known from Renaissance poetry” (metmuseum.org). Also, the flowers and plants depicted in the painting serve to highlight similar ideas regarding marriage: “The roses scattered on her body and in the foreground were not only Venus’s flower par excellence, but they were also essential features of classical and Renaissance wedding ceremonies, together with the myrtle wreath the figure is holding” (metmuseum.org) Furthermore, Cupid’s rendering in this painting helps to create a light and joyful mood. He is shown smiling and urinating on his mother, which seems to be a humorous act of immaturity and juvenile excitement.

Despite Venus’ nudity, the sexuality in the painting is understated for a few reasons. First, with Venus’ son next to her, the nudity takes on a maternal rather than erotic quality. Also, Venus’ legs are closed, and flower petals cover up her private area. As such, the scene is tasteful, and even the act of urination is shown in a way that is more humorous than degrading.

Another notable quality in the painting is the use of depth and perspective. Williamson mentions that depth began to evolve in art throughout the Renaissance period, particularly with the advent of humanism. Clearly in this painting, there is a sense of depth, as Cupid is standing behind his mother, and one of her legs is in back of the other.

“Woman with a Parrot” clashes with many of the themes of Tradition. As aforementioned, Courbet was concerned with depicting reality, even if it was considered to be harsh and/or objectionable. While both Lotto and Courbet show a nude figure in their paintings, there are some differences with how Courbet depicts his subject. Courbet’s figure, first of all, is not anyone of classical significance, let alone the goddess of love. There is a certain tastefulness implied just by Venus’ stature, which Courbet’s subject lacks. The way she is laying out with her legs slightly open indicates a degree of promiscuity, as well. Furthermore, Courbet, whose art work consistently clashed with academic art, represents a subject here that sufficiently offended its audience: “viewers were shocked by the presence of the model’s discarded clothing and disheveled hair” (metmuseum.org). Courbet’s image certainly evokes a much more erotic tone than Lotto’s, as his subject is sprawled out with a bird on her hand, and no child in sight to promote the innocence that Cupid accomplishes in Lotto’s.

Courbet does remain slightly traditional in the model’s pose, flesh tones, and concealing of the vaginal area (here covered by a blanket only), but most of the painting is emblematic of a break with traditional ideals. As compared with the vibrant red in Lotto’s painting, Courbet’s contains very dark colors, almost serving to emphasize the darker side of woman. It is very significant that the subject is not of any esteemed nature, and is just a “regular woman,” as this is something that would not be depicted in traditional art.

Courbet’s painting does continue the progression of depth, as there is clearly background and foreground. The other critical similarity is the medium, as a somewhat traditional oil and canvas is used here. Although technically there are some similarities with Lotto’s painting, the mood and theme seem to be contrasting.

I chose these two paintings because they both depicted, on the surface, a similar subject, but there are several differences that stress the changes that have occurred throughout art history. “Venus and Cupid” works with a known theme in Renaissance art and adds a light, humorous sentiment to it. The painting made me feel joyful. In my research, I was most surprised to learn that Lotto generally did not stray from religious images. Upon initially viewing this painting, I thought the artist must have specialized in depicting classical figures. Perhaps Lotto, coming from a purely religious vantage point, sought to undermine Roman mythology in his depictions of Cupid and Venus. Although the work is very tasteful, and stays in line with many of the accepted qualities of traditional art, there is a sense of mischief at play with Cupid and his smirk as he bothers his mother. The whole scene is very intriguing from a visual and conceptual standpoint. I would like to perform additional research on epithalamium as a result of viewing the painting, as I find the marriage celebration theme to be fascinating.

I chose “Woman with a Parrot” after Lotto’s painting, because I felt it would make for an interesting and complex comparison piece. Here one can see the juxtaposition of two nude females: one a goddess, one a common woman; one adorned in jewelry and innocent in nature, one looking messy and particularly seductive. The differences in color serve to emphasize the light vs. dark, good vs. evil idea that exists upon analysis of the two paintings. While Courbet’s subject is not evil, per se, there is a darker side attributed to her, and she represents a much more modern woman. It is clear that Courbet intended to break from tradition with this painting, as he depicts the realities of his society, and the type of woman that is its by-product.

“Venus and Cupid” by Lorenzo Lotto

“Woman with a Parrot” by Gustave Courbet