Venus and Adonis (Veronese, Madrid)


Venus and Adonis is a painting by the Italian late Mannerist artist Paolo Veronese, executed in the early 1580s, now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Its pendant is the Strasbourg Cephalus and Procris.
The original painting was enlarged in the upper border in the 18th century. This added section was removed in a restoration so the work recovered the horizontal format.

Overview

The painting's subject is taken from Ovid. It portrays the hunter Adonis sleeping in Venus' lap. In front of her is Eros, with a sighthound. Cupid is portrayed while trying to quench the dog's desire to hunt, as Venus had forecast that Adonis would die during a hunt. In the background is a lively landscape, with a green- and blueshaded sky.