Venus and Adonis (Veronese, Madrid) facts for kids

The painting Venus and Adonis was created by the famous Italian artist Paolo Veronese. He painted it in the early 1580s. Today, you can see this beautiful artwork at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.

This painting is an oil on canvas. It measures about 162 centimeters (64 inches) tall and 191 centimeters (75 inches) wide. The painting was made a bit taller in the 1700s, but in 1988, experts removed that extra part. This made the painting look just like Veronese originally intended it.

Story Behind the Painting

The Myth of Venus and Adonis

The story in this painting comes from an ancient Roman poem called Metamorphoses. This poem was written by a poet named Ovid. The painting shows the hunter Adonis resting in the lap of Venus, the goddess of love.

Characters in the Scene

In front of Venus and Adonis, you can see Cupid, who is Venus's son. Cupid is the god of desire and love. He is trying to calm down a sighthound dog. Venus had a special reason for wanting the dog to stay calm. She knew that Adonis might die during a hunt, and she wanted to protect him.

Setting the Scene

In the background of the painting, there is a bright green landscape. Above it, the sky is a vivid blue. Veronese painted this after spending time in Rome. He used old Roman sculptures as inspiration for some of his figures. For example, Cupid looks like an ancient statue of a boy with a goose. Adonis might look like a figure from an old Roman sarcophagus (a stone coffin).

Another Painting: Cephalus and Procris

Veronese also painted another artwork around the same time. It is called Cephalus and Procris. This painting tells another sad love story from Ovid's Metamorphoses. This second painting is now in the Museum of Fine Arts in Strasbourg, France.

Journey of the Painting

How it Came to Spain

The painting Cephalus and Procris became part of the Spanish royal collection in 1641. A famous Spanish painter named Diego Velázquez bought it in Venice, Italy. It stayed with the Spanish royal family for many years. Later, during a short period when Joseph Bonaparte ruled Spain, he took some paintings from the collection. Cephalus and Procris was sold many times after that, until it was bought for the Strasbourg museum in 1912.

Venus and Adonis in the Royal Collection

It is thought that Venus and Adonis was also bought in 1641, along with its matching painting. We know for sure that by 1666, it was in the Spanish royal collection. It was displayed in a special area called the "Mid-day Gallery" at the Alcázar of Madrid, which was a royal palace.

Moving to the Prado Museum

Sadly, the Alcázar palace burned down in 1734. After the fire, Venus and Adonis was moved to different rooms in the New Royal Palace of Madrid. This new palace was built on the same spot as the old one. The painting stayed there until most of the royal art collection was moved to the Museo del Prado. This is why you can see it there today!

See also

In Spanish: Venus y Adonis (Veronés) para niños

• The Prado museum also has a Venus and Adonis painting by Titian.
• Another painting there is Venus, Adonis and Cupid (around 1595) by Annibale Carracci.