Great women from art, literature & myth

The birth of Venus, the grand Renaissance painting by Sandro Botticelli, was quite controversial in its day, going against the trend of Roman Catholic influence by showcasing a secular & mythological theme. Venus (Greek-Aphrodite), the goddess of love, beauty, laughter & marriage – arises from out of the sea. Roman & Greek Legend has it that when the god Uranus was castrated & his genitals thrown into the sea, the foam gave rise to Venus. At that very moment the rose flower also came into being – the rose, a universal symbol of love with its thorns reminding us that love can be both cruel & dangerous. Venus is greeted on her right by the west wind Zephyr, the gentle breeze of spring - he ushers her to shore. With him is his bride Flora the goddess that holds “perpetual sway over flowers” – she showers Venus with pink roses. To her left stands the hour spirit Horae – the nymph of spring, waiting to clothe a naked Venus & guide her to dry land.