Who painted Venus Urania?

Venus Urania was painted by Eric Paulsen.

Where can I see Venus Urania?

Venus Urania is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Venus Urania?

Venus Urania is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

Venus Urania

Eric Paulsen

Venus Urania is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Eric Paulsen. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Technique & Style

The composition focuses on the figure of Venus Urania, rendered through the artist's application of pigments to the woven fabric ground.

Executed in 1786 by Eric Paulsen, this mythological work depicting Venus is realized in oil paint on a canvas support. The painting measures 580 cm in height and 475 cm in width, indicating a substantial scale. As a piece classified within the genre of mythology, the work utilizes traditional oil medium techniques characteristic of late eighteenth-century European painting.

The composition focuses on the figure of Venus Urania, rendered through the artist's application of pigments to the woven fabric ground.

History & Provenance

The oil-on-canvas painting Venus Urania was created by Eric Paulsen in 1786. This mythological work, which depicts the goddess Venus, is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The artwork measures 58 cm in height and 47.5 cm in width.

No specific details regarding the original commission, patron, or the chain of ownership prior to its current location are provided in the available records.

Overview

Erik Pauelsen, a Danish painter active in the late eighteenth century, completed the oil painting Venus Urania in 1794. Executed within the Rococo idiom, the work presents a mythological scene centered on the goddess Venus. It is part of the permanent collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.

Subject & Meaning

The canvas portrays a female figure identified as Venus Urania, the celestial aspect of the love goddess. She is shown with long, wavy hair crowned by a delicate garland of stars, wearing a flowing robe with a deep V‑neck that reveals a white undergarment. Her serene expression and sideways gaze convey a tranquil, otherworldly presence.

Artist & collection

Artist

Eric Paulsen

Erik Pauelsen (2 or 14 October 1749 – 20 February 1790) was a Danish painter. He is most notable for his landscapes and was also a popular portraitist. However, he did not experience the same level of success as Jens…