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Adonis carried off by Venus

John Browne

1755

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism 18th Century Mythology

Dominant colour

Adonis carried off by Venus is a 1755 by John Browne, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: John Browne
When & what style?: 1755 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This print shows a forest scene with rolling hills in the background. A woman and a child walk toward a group of sleeping people under the trees. The sky is partly cloudy, and animals graze in the distance. The title hints at a story from mythology—Venus, the goddess of love, takes a man named Adonis away. The artist used shading to make the scene feel three-dimensional. Check out Romanticism to see how artists used nature and emotion in their work.

The story of this work

Overview

The print on paper titled *Adonis carried off by Venus* by John Browne, created in 1755, depicts the mythological scene of Venus transporting the mortal Adonis. The composition follows Herman van Swanevelt’s earlier design, rendered as a print.

Read the full account in the museum source.