The Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli, after 1482, was the choice for my writing assignment. It can be found on page 401, in our textbook, The Humanistic Tradition, by Gloria K. Fiero. The painting is a tempera on canvas and measures 5 feet x 9 feet ½ inches. Canvas was often used because it was less expensive and easier to transport. The Birth of Venus was one of the first non-biblical female nude paintings. Many early artworks of nude women depicted Eve. As I did research, I found many different opinions and interpretations of the work. Often artworks of naked women glorify a demeaning image of women. In my opinion, this image was much more than just the nakedness of the woman. It represented natural beauty and love. The soft pastel colors and flowers floating in the water made it look natural and peaceful. The details that appear in her hair and the lines of her pose were very elegant and made the piece so beautiful. The details of her hair blowing in the wind and the curtain waving like a flag. Although she is naked, I believe Botticelli showed the femininity and curves of her body in a romantic way. In most of my research she was called the ancient goddess of love, born from the sea. This painting was unlike any other Renaissance painting I have seen. Typical Renaissance artworks appear to show more solid figures representing people. The Birth of Venus seems to have almost angelic traits in their characters. She is believed to have emerged from the sea as an adult woman. Looking at the painting I can almost visualize being in the fantasy of the painting. It seems that Zephyr, the god of winds and breezes, Azura was embraced like a light wind pushing Venus towards the shore where she would be welcomed and wrapped with... means of paper... impressed by the painting. There were indications that Botticelli's painting had been banned for nearly 200 years due to nudity. After his 1486 painting there were many other paintings. Some figures more complete, some with more deformities and some more symmetrical. Then there were other paintings with naked women that revealed more of the body. Botticelli's Birth of Venus may have been controversial for a moment, but once you look beyond the nakedness of the image you can discover the great beauty it entails. I have often found some nude paintings and artwork unpleasant and embarrassing. This, however, was not the case with the Birth of Venus. This was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. I found it not only beautiful but also very inspiring for true love. True love for nature, elegance, expressions of femininity and the hope of something new.