Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite

The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite or Birth of Venus

The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite or Birth of Venus (preferred by the owning museum) by Nicolas Poussin is now in Philadelphia in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It is in oil on canvas (114,4 x 146,6 cm) and shows a group of figures in the sea near a beach, with putti flying over their heads.

This mythological scene clearly depicts Poseidon (or Neptune to the Romans), bearded and muscular, with three horses and a trident, to the left. But it is not completely clear whether the woman in a shell boat is intended as Venus, Amphitrite, or Galatea.

The depiction is somewhat similar to the Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, showing the arrival of Venus after her birth in sea. There are small details, like the chariot in the clouds on the left side, that represent typical features of Venus.

The painting belonged to Catherine the Great of Russia, and was in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg until sold by the Russian government in 1930.


This page was last updated at 2022-11-07 23:03 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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