The Birth of Venus

William-Adolphe Bouguereau was a nineteenth century French painter who turned his back on the popular impressionist movement of the time to paint rich colorful paintings that depicted mythological themes in a more realistic style. One of his best known works, The Birth of Venus, is shown here as an overlay on a female model--the same model that was used for the "Season of Peace" example posted here in December. The contours of the model's nude body fit nicely with the mythological figures contained in the painting.