Priya Kapoor
The Toilet of Venus is a painting that has been created by various artists, including Diego Velázquez and François Boucher. The Toilet of Venus by Velázquez, also known as The Rokeby Venus, was painted between 1647 and 1651 and is currently housed in the National Gallery in London. It depicts the goddess Venus in a sensual pose, lying on a bed with her back to the viewer, and looking into a mirror held by her son, Cupid. Boucher's Toilet of Venus, on the other hand, was completed in 1751 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This painting portrays a nude Venus, seated on a love seat alongside three putti, surrounded by rich fabrics and precious objects. Both paintings are known for their unique styles and have become celebrated works of art.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Painter | Diego Velázquez |
| Alternate Title | The Rokeby Venus |
| Year | 1647-1651 |
| Location | National Gallery, London |
| Size | Over a meter in height and nearly two meters in width |
| Subject | The Roman goddess Venus, goddess of beauty and love |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Style | Rococo |
| Inspiration | Previous paintings of the naked Venus, such as Sleeping Venus by Giorgione and Venus of Urbino by Titian |
| Venus' Pose | Reclining on a bed with her back to the viewer, looking into a mirror |
| Cupid's Pose | Holding a mirror up to Venus, without his usual bow and arrows |
| Colours | Red, white, grey, and deep mauve (now faded) |
| Details | Intertwining pink silk ribbons, rich fabrics, precious objects, a dove, a pitcher, a cassolette (perfume burner) |
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What You'll Learn
The Toilet of Venus by Diego Velázquez
The Toilet of Venus, also known as The Rokeby Venus, is an oil painting by Diego Velázquez, a leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age. The painting, created between 1647 and 1651, is one of Velázquez's most celebrated works and is currently housed in the National Gallery in London.
The Toilet of Venus depicts the Roman goddess of beauty, love, and fertility, Venus, reclining languidly on her bed with her back turned to the viewer. Her son, Cupid, holds a mirror up to her, allowing her to admire her own beauty. The painting is a merging of two traditional representations of the goddess—one of Venus 'at her toilet', where she is usually shown sitting upright on a bed, looking at herself in a mirror, and another of her reclining, typically in a landscape. The result is an image of astonishing originality.
The use of a mirror in the painting is notable, as it allows Venus to look outward at the viewer through her reflection. Additionally, her reflection is blurred, inviting viewers to complete' her features with their imagination. Cupid's face and far leg are also painted in a loose, sketchy style, with the intentional focus being on Venus herself. The composition mainly uses shades of red, white, and grey, with the grey sheet originally being a deep mauve that has faded over time.
The circumstances surrounding the commission of The Toilet of Venus are a mystery. It is believed to have been painted during one of Velázquez's visits to Rome and was likely commissioned by Gaspar Méndez de Haro y Guzman, a notorious womanizer and lover of pictures. The painting is the only surviving female nude by Velázquez, and nudity in 17th-century Spanish art was considered a mortal sin punishable by law. Despite this, the painting was hung in the houses of Spanish courtiers until 1813 when it was brought to England and hung in Rokeby Park, Yorkshire, from which it gets its nickname.
The Toilet of Venus has had a lasting influence on the art world, inspiring artists such as Édouard Manet, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Francis Bacon. It has also been the subject of various novels, films, documentaries, artworks, and installations.
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The Rokeby Venus
Venus's face in the mirror is blurred, and we cannot see her true identity. Velázquez may have intended to portray Venus, the personification of female beauty, as a non-specific figure, leaving her features to the imagination. The focus of the painting is on the contemplation of her body, and the appreciation of beauty. The use of a mirror in the composition is also noteworthy, as it creates a pictorial departure from traditional representations of Venus.
The painting takes its nickname, 'The Rokeby Venus', from Rokeby Park, a country house in County Durham, where it hung for much of the nineteenth century. The Rokeby Venus has inspired numerous artists and writers, and has been the subject of novels, films, documentaries, artworks, and installations.
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Oil painting on canvas
The Toilet of Venus, also known as The Rokeby Venus, is an oil painting on canvas by Diego Velázquez. Completed between 1647 and 1651, it is notably large, measuring over a metre in height and nearly two metres in width. The painting depicts Venus, the goddess of beauty, in a sensual pose, lying on a bed with her back facing the viewer, and looking into a mirror held by her son Cupid, the Roman god of physical love. The painting is notable for its ambiguous reflection of Venus's face, which appears blurred and indistinct, as well as the loose, sketchy style in which Cupid's face and far leg are painted, giving them an almost unfinished appearance. This style was likely deliberate on the part of Velázquez, as a way to focus the viewer's attention on Venus herself.
The Toilet of Venus is the only surviving female nude by Velázquez, and one of only four nudes recorded in 17th-century Spanish inventories. Nude paintings were rare in 17th-century Spain due to disapproval from the Catholic Church and the Spanish Inquisition. This particular painting was likely created for private use, thereby avoiding any moral controversy. It is believed to have been executed during one of Velázquez's visits to Rome, where he is thought to have employed a live female nude model, which would have been frowned upon in contemporary Spain.
The Rokeby Venus takes its nickname from Rokeby Park, a country house in County Durham, where it hung for much of the 19th century. Since its arrival at the National Gallery in London in 1906, the painting has become one of Velázquez's most celebrated works, inspiring artists and writers alike.
Another version of The Toilet of Venus was completed in 1751 by the French Rococo painter François Boucher. This painting was commissioned by Madame de Pompadour, the official mistress of King Louis XV, for her shared retreat with the king. It portrays a nude Venus, seated on an ornate love seat, surrounded by rich fabrics and precious objects. Boucher's work embodies key characteristics of the Rococo style, including a pastel colour palette, dynamic composition, and richly sensual textures. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
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Completed between 1647 and 1651
The Toilet of Venus, also known as The Rokeby Venus, is an oil painting by Diego Velázquez, completed between 1647 and 1651. It is believed to have been painted during the artist's visit to Italy, specifically during his second trip to the country between 1649 and 1651. The painting is currently housed in the National Gallery in London.
The Rokeby Venus is the only surviving female nude painted by Velázquez, and it is one of his most celebrated works. The painting depicts the goddess Venus, the goddess of beauty, in a sensual pose, lying on a bed with her back to the viewer. She is accompanied by her son Cupid, who holds a mirror that reflects her face. The painting combines two traditional representations of the goddess: one of Venus 'at her toilet', where she is usually shown sitting upright on a bed, looking at herself in a mirror; and another of her reclining, typically in a landscape.
The Rokeby Venus is notable for its unique depiction of Venus. While she is often described as looking at herself in the mirror, this is physically impossible, as her face is reflected towards the viewer. This phenomenon is known as the Venus effect. The painting also blurs the lines between the spiritual and the material. Venus, as the personification of female beauty, is not identifiable as a specific person; her features are left vague, inviting viewers to ''complete' her image with their imagination.
The style and content of The Rokeby Venus are indicative of the artistic climate of seventeenth-century Spain. Nude paintings were rare in this period due to disapproval from the Catholic Church and the Spanish Inquisition. As a result, The Rokeby Venus was likely painted for private use, avoiding any moral controversy. Despite this, the painting was hung in the houses of Spanish courtiers until 1813 when it was brought to England, where it hung in Rokeby Park, a country house in County Durham, for much of the nineteenth century.
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French Rococo painter François Boucher
The Toilet of Venus is an oil painting on canvas completed in 1751 by the French Rococo painter François Boucher. It was commissioned by Madame de Pompadour, the official mistress of King Louis XV, for her shared retreat with the king. The painting portrays a nude Venus, seated on an ornate love seat alongside three putti, surrounded by rich fabrics and precious objects.
François Boucher was a French painter, draughtsman, and etcher, who worked in the Rococo style. He is known for his idyllic and voluptuous paintings on classical themes, decorative allegories, and pastoral scenes. Boucher is perhaps the most celebrated painter and decorative artist of the 18th century. He was highly adept at marketing his work, providing designs for all manner of decorative arts, from porcelain to tapestry.
Boucher's involvement in stage production and costume design, as well as his association with Madame de Pompadour, may have influenced his Rococo style, reflecting common themes of pleasure and love. Madame de Pompadour had been cast as the lead role of Venus in a ballet piece titled "La Toilette de Vénus" in 1750, a year before the completion of The Toilet of Venus. This role may have served as an inspiration for the painting.
The Toilet of Venus embodies key characteristics of the Rococo style, such as a pastel color palette, dynamic composition, and richly sensual textures of fabric and gilded surfaces. Boucher's distinctive style often incorporated a painterly surface and a high-toned palette favoring blues and pinks. This style was well-suited to Rococo interiors and helped establish Boucher as one of the most influential artists of his time.
The Toilet of Venus is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is one of Boucher's most renowned works, showcasing his unique artistic vision and his significant contribution to the Rococo movement in French and European art.
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Frequently asked questions
'The Toilet of Venus' is also known as 'The Rokeby Venus'. The painting was hung in Rokeby Hall in County Durham during the 19th century, hence its nickname.
'The Toilet of Venus' was painted by Diego Velázquez between 1647 and 1651. It is the only surviving female nude by Velázquez.
The painting is a Renaissance oil painting on canvas. It is characterised by rich colours and lively brushstrokes, with a focus on the smooth skin of Venus.
