Venus Frigida
1614 Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
About this artwork
This oil on wood panel depicts a nude Venus shivering in a cold landscape while being observed by a satyr holding a cornucopia. The painting illustrates the Latin proverb 'Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus'—without Ceres (grain) and Bacchus (wine), Venus (love) freezes.
Did you know?
The title 'Venus Frigida' is derived from a famous Roman comedy by Terence, translating to 'Venus is cold without Ceres and Bacchus.' Rubens used this mythological allegory to warn that love cannot survive without the physical comforts provided by food and wine. It stands as a clever, intellectual twist on the traditional representation of the goddess of love, moving away from her usual warm and seductive depictions.
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Venus Frigida
Peter Paul Rubens, 1614
