Adonis neemt afscheid van Venus voor de jacht 1793 - 1838

Angelo Bertini created "Adonis takes leave of Venus to go hunting" sometime between the late 18th and early 19th century, using engraving techniques. This work emerges during a time when Neoclassicism was very much in vogue, celebrating the virtues of antiquity and the human form. Here, we see the ill-fated lovers Venus and Adonis in a tender embrace, one that belies their tragic end. Bertini captures Adonis's toned physique and Venus's sensuous curves, reminding us of how beauty standards have historically been idealized and gendered. The engraving is taken from a sculpture, a medium often associated with power and permanence, yet here, it captures a fleeting moment of parting. It invites us to consider the emotional weight of love, loss, and the inevitable passage of time, a narrative that still resonates today.