The Birth of Venus

This engraving depicts the birth of Venus as she emerges from the waves while standing upon a shell. In the sky above, a crowned figure wielding a sickle confronts an older, bearded figure, referencing the violent myth of the creation of the goddess. Below, sea creatures swim in the water around her.

This image reflects the Renaissance Neoplatonic interest in the 'Birth of Venus' as an allegory for the divine creation of beauty (Venus Urania) from the separation of primordial chaos (Saturn/Uranus), a theme deeply influenced by the translations and commentaries of Marsilio Ficino.