Venus and Adonis c. 1610

Peter Paul Rubens, a leading artist of the Flemish Baroque, created this oil painting "Venus and Adonis". Here, Rubens places the viewer right in the middle of the action. Venus is trying to detain Adonis, who is intent on going hunting despite her protests. The setting is the opulent world of the 17th century European aristocracy. Rubens himself moved in those circles as a diplomat and advisor. We get a sense here of courtly life and its values. But the image also subtly reinforces the prevailing social norms of its time. Venus, though a goddess, is portrayed as emotional and pleading, while Adonis embodies masculine resolve and duty. The little cupid seems to encourage Adonis. To understand the painting more fully, one can delve into the mythological sources that Rubens drew upon. In the “Metamorphoses” of Ovid and other classical texts, we can learn more about the symbolic meanings of the characters. Analyzing the patronage records of the time might reveal the painting’s intended audience and the specific social contexts in which it was viewed.