Venus Disguised as a Huntress Appears to Aeneas (Aeneid I: 305 ff.) 1699 - 1768

Stefano Pozzi’s “Venus Disguised as a Huntress Appears to Aeneas” (1699–1768) depicts a scene from the Aeneid, where the Roman hero Aeneas encounters the goddess Venus, disguised as a huntress. The drawing shows Venus, in the foreground, approaching Aeneas, who is on horseback and accompanied by a group of men. The work, which is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is rendered in black chalk on blue paper. The composition features a group of figures, and the work’s theme draws from classical literature. This work provides insight into the visual interpretations of the Roman epic that were popular during the 18th century.