Framed The Birth of Venus by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

The Birth of Venus by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, completed in 1879, presents a romantic and idealized vision of the goddess Venus emerging from the sea upon a shell, surrounded by mythological figures including nymphs, tritons, and cupids. Venus stands nude at the center, her form graceful and serene, embodying classical beauty and perfection. Painted with Bouguereau’s characteristic smoothness and academic precision, the work reflects 19th-century academic art’s fascination with mythology, idealized femininity, and technical mastery. Though often contrasted with Botticelli’s version, Bouguereau’s painting is more focused on sensual elegance and painterly refinement than symbolic meaning.