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Venus and Adonis,

How It works

“Venus and Adonis,” (after Titian, or his brother Orazio Vecellio), engraving,
Sir Robert Strange, Naples, 1762-79.

The engraving was taken from a famous painting in the Collection of the king of Naples which had been painted by the Venetian High Renaissance Master Titian in the 1550s. The original painting was one of a series of eight scenes from Venus’ life, which the artist called “visual poems.” Both the main figures are semi-nude, and their bodies are meant to be classically beautiful. Instead of showing Venus simply reclining on a couch, she is twisting around on her seat in a graceful, more complex pose. The scene takes place in a mountainous landscape, with dramatic rays of light breaking through heavy clouds. The setting and mood suggest this is a portentous moment; in fact, it is the lovers’ last embrace before he is killed.

Question: What painting did the artist most likely copy for this engraving?

Answer: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/49.7.16