Venus Verticordia , 1864-1868
147.1 x 104.8 cm (h x w)
Oil on canvas

by Dante Gabriel Rossetti is a semi-nude depiction of the goddess Venus, portrayed as a young woman with a golden halo and flowing auburn hair, surrounded by pink flowers in a dark, lush green garden. Her left breast is visible, while the right is obscured by the golden apple she holds in her left hand. In her right hand she holds an arrow, the point directed towards her own heart, and on which rests a small yellow butterfly. Other similar butterflies ring the halo surrounding her head, and another sits on top of the apple she holds. The title, meaning 'Venus, Changer of the heart', derives from Latin and refers to Venus's ability to turn women's hearts towards virtue. In the Bible, apples often have connotations associated with sin, greed, and depravity, in connection with the well-known myth of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. In particular, in this painting, the halo on Venus's head is believed to be derived from the halo of Venus, representing a symbol of purity, echoing the apple in the hand, and showing a strong implication of the forbidden fruit and the Garden of Eden story.

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