Artwork
Venus Wounded by a Rose's Thorn
Venus Wounded by a Rose's Thorn is a print by the Renaissance artist Marco Dente. It dates from 1516 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
The rabbit at her feet is an old symbol of fertility, but here it feels out of place, almost like a silent witness.
A woman sits on the ground, pulling a thorn from her foot while a rabbit watches. She’s naked except for a thin cloth draped over her lap. The scene feels still, like a quiet moment in the woods.
This painting shows Venus, the Roman goddess of love, but not in a grand myth—just hurt and alone. The rabbit at her feet is an old symbol of fertility, but here it feels out of place, almost like a silent witness. The artist imagined this scene from a poem that never described it.
To see more quiet, everyday myths like this, look up *Italy, 16th century*.
Overview
Venus Wounded by a Rose's Thorn is a print depicting the Roman goddess of love in a moment of vulnerability.
Subject & Meaning
The scene is inspired by Bion's poem The Lament for Adonis, in which Venus is wounded by brambles while mourning her lover. The print shows her extracting a thorn from her foot, accompanied by a hare, an ancient symbol of fertility and desire.
Technique & Style
The composition presents a classical female nude in a serene, natural setting. A cloth draped over Venus's lap is her only attire, and the stillness of the scene creates an intimate atmosphere.
Context
The artwork reimagines a moment not directly described in Bion's poem, using the literary source as a starting point for a quiet, contemplative depiction of a mythological figure.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marco Dente da Ravenna (1493–1527), usually just called Marco Dente, was an Italian engraver born in Ravenna in the latter part of the 15th Century.
