1774
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Birth of Venus is a 1774 chalk by Gaetano Gandolfi, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a woman standing on a shell in the middle of a swirling sea. Around her, tiny figures float, some holding fabric or looking upward. The waves and clouds are sketched in quick, loose lines, while her body is more defined. The red chalk gives the whole scene a warm, earthy tone. Tiny highlights of white make the figures pop against the darker background. Want to see more works like this? Check out Romanticism.
Gaetano Gandolfi (31 August 1734 – 20 June 1802) was an Italian painter, draughtsman and sculptor of the late Baroque period, mainly active in and around Bologna.
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