06/06/2026
What makes ‘The Rokeby Venus’ so unusual for its time? 🤔
Diego Velázquez was born in 1599. ‘The Rokeby Venus’ is the artist’s only surviving female n**e and one of his most celebrated works. Here, Venus, the goddess of love, reclines on her bed, the curve of her body echoed in the sweep of sumptuous satin fabric beneath her. Cupid, her son, holds a mirror up to her, its intertwining pink ribbons – used to hang it on a wall – are knotted at the top. The way these ribbons cross Cupid’s wrist may allude to a blindfold, one of his attributes, or to the shackles he used to bind the hearts of lovers.
This subject was rare in 17-century Spain, as overtly sensual images were met with disapproval by the Catholic Church. Despite this King Philip IV, and wealthy Spanish art collectors in his circle, did own mythological paintings depicting n**es. While we are not sure exactly when and where the painting was made, we can assume it was made for a wealthy patron or noble, likely in the king’s inner circle: https://bit.ly/2HojKMf
