\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 This painting was exhibited at the 1863 Salon and proved an enormous success.\par
Emile Zola described the painting as foll
ows: ôThe goddess, drowned in a river of milk, has the air of a delightful and flirtatious young woman, not made of flesh and blood, which would have been indecent, but out of a sort of pink and white almond paste.ö\par
Venus is represented lying on the
waves of the sea, whose water has a milky consistency, and seems to have been caught waking up.\par
The nude is idealized and shows the influence of Ingres in the harmonious and sinuous curves of her body.\par
Her long and flaming red hair runs the le
ngth of her body and spreads out in the water, creating an effect of abandonment.\par
The figures of the putti fluttering in the sky are handled with a very lively and light touch. The pair blowing into the shell look curious while the others that are
approaching Venus have mischievous appearances.\par
The artistÆs palette is made up of shades of pale blue and white, imparting a sense of serenity and peace.
