Visual art concepts and practices

Art

In Titian's "Venus of Urbino," a nude woman reclines provocatively on a day bed, her shoulder propped up on pillows, her eyes staring directly ahead. A controversial painting because of its overtly sensual imagery, "Venus of Urbino" is inarguably stunning. The whiteness of the pillows and sheets contrasts sharply with the densely dark background behind them. Even the landscape outside of the window in the background displays a darkened sky, probably just after dusk. Symbolically, the darkness corresponds to Venus' sexuality, whereas the whiteness of her bedding adds visual and symbolic counterpoint. The white in Venus' sheets is proudly displayed in the foreground and therefore immediately noticeable. Their color is again reflected in the background, most noticeably in the dress of the kneeling woman. The repetition of colors adds a visual balance to what would otherwise be an overly dark and dramatic composition. Furthermore, the fact that the kneeling woman, who is probably a maid, is clad in white suggests that she is a wholly different type of woman from Venus. For instance, Venus is naked, almost arrogantly staring into the viewer's eyes, and sprawled out on white sheets. In contrast, the maid is fully clothed in a white gown which is reminiscent of the color of the sheet and indicative of her social class and status.

Venus' unabashed gaze likewise contrasts with the only other figures in the painting: two other females and a sleeping dog. The dog lies curled up at Venus's feet, its attitude as nonchalant as hers. None of the other three figures commands the viewer's attention as much as Venus; they are ancillary characters, their presence only meaningful to bring out Venus' glory. In the background and shrouded in shadow, the maid kneels with her back towards the viewer, a directly opposite stance from Venus'. The other woman stands over her as if supervising. Their casual presence further suggests that the Venus signifies a wealthy woman who has servants and who lives a life of utter leisure. Titian uses color, texture, shape, form, contrast, and linear perspective to convey his theme and subject. The contrast between bright and dark areas in the painting helps the eye move easily around the canvas.

Likewise, Titian's deft use of line and perspective also ease the eye's movement. For example, Venus lies on a diagonal. The focal point of the painting is her hand, which is draped deliberately over her pudenda. Also drawing attention to Venus' sexuality is the vertical line of the wall behind her, a line which directly points to her left hand. The window, the tapestries, and the checker-tiled floor add other linear dimensions to Titian's composition. The composition allows the viewer eye to roam freely without becoming fatigued, and also helps to draw attention to the most essential elements of the painting. Titian's emphasis in the composition is most assuredly on Venus, but the other elements of the painting such as the dog, the two women in the background, the window, and the sheets, all help draw attention to the central subject matter. Venus' body with its round and sensual curves, along with her ruffled curls and flowers in her hand, add curvilinear contrast to the straight lines.