The Birth of Venus

late 1770s

Gaetano Gandolfi

Associated Names
Gaetano Gandolfi

Artist, Bolognese, 1734 - 1802

This is a drawing of mythological figures engaged in an aquatic scene. The work features nude and semi-nude figures, including a central figure surrounded by cherub-like beings and other mythical creatures, such as dolphins and mermaids. The drawing uses soft, sweeping lines and shading to convey movement and fluidity, enhancing the dynamic composition. The creatures are animated in a swirling motion, and the interaction among the figures suggests a sense of playfulness and chaos. The use of a single color tone throughout the composition gives the piece a harmonious and unified appearance.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    red chalk heightened with white on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of David H. McDonnell

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 32.6 × 38.2 cm (12 13/16 × 15 1/16 in.)
    mount: 40.8 × 47.6 cm (16 1/16 × 18 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2016.131.2

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

French private collection [by 1993]; (sale, Sotheby's, London, 5 July 2006, no. 72);(sale, Sotheby's London, 8 July 2015, no. 110); David H. McDonnell, Arlington, VA; gift to NGA, 2016.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1993

  • Bella Pittura: The Art of the Gandolfi, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 2006, 90, no. 76 (Mimi Cazort).

Bibliography

1995

  • Biagi Maino, Donatella. Gaetano Gandolfi. Turin, 1995: 376, under no. 121.

2002

  • Biagi Maino, D. Gaetano e Ubaldo Gandolfi, Opere scelte. Exh. cat. Cento, Auditorium di San Lorenzo, 2002: under no. 32.

Inscriptions

fragments of inscriptions on verso, by later hand, in pen and ink, lower right: Mauro Gandolfi, n. 1790; upper right: No. 22

Wikidata ID

Q64571005

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