“Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli, c. 1486, 172.5 cm x 278.5 cm, tempera on canvas, owned by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli depicts the ancient Roman belief system, conveying Italy’s admiration for the Roman empire. Venus, the God of love, arises from the shore on a seashell because she was born of seafoam. The man blowing her to shore carrying a woman is Zephyr the god of wind, and his wife Chloris. The woman to the right is an admiral welcoming her to land. Through Botticelli’s painting Venus symbolizes the standards of beauty. For she has soft features such as a round face, pale skin and long blonde hair. Venus is nude to contribute to her sensuality and please the male audience.