Before us is a beautiful female body stretched out on the waves of the sea. Here a voluptuous goddess can be seen emerging from the waves in a lewd and welcoming pose.
The Birth of Venus was one of the great successes of the 1863 Salon where it was purchased by Napoleon III for his private collection. Cabanel, a painter who received numerous awards throughout his career, at this time played an important role in teaching at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and in directing the Salon. Typical of his virtuoso technique, this painting is a perfect example of the popular and official artistic taste of the time.
The first version of The Birth of Venus by Cabanel (Musée d'Orsay, Paris) caused a sensation. The Salon of 1863 was nicknamed the "Salon of the Venuses" due to the number of alluring nudes on display that year. Embodying the ideals of academic art, Cabanel's careful modeling, silky brushwork, and mythological subject matter of the canvas proved to be a winning combination.
The Birth Of Venus by Alexander Cabanel is ranked no. 68 on the list of famous paintings
