The Birth of Venus

The Birth of Venus (1485) by Sandro Botticelli. Its palette is led by bone (#d1caa9, 30%) and light orange amber (#d0b073, 20%), with accents of warm grey and rich scarlet brown. Overall the canvas is light, moderately saturated and warm.

Color note

Botticelli painted mostly in egg tempera, which dries fast into clear, matte color and doesn't allow the soft blending of oil. The Birth of Venus is tempera on canvas, unusual for so large a work in its time.

Palette

#d1caa9 MG 171 bone 30.0% of canvas
#d0b073 MG 032 light orange amber 20.4% of canvas
#423d2a MG 177 dark taupe 14.6% of canvas
#7d8164 MG 174 warm grey 14.0% of canvas
#90623b MG 161 rich scarlet brown 12.7% of canvas
#27251b MG 219 bistre 8.3% of canvas

Color families

Brown 49%, Yellow 17%, White 16%, Black 6%, Green 5%

Measurements

Lightness: 0.64
Contrast: 0.63
Vividness: 0.052
Warmth: +0.99
Complexity: 223 cells
Hue range: 0.43
Focus: 0.13

Composition

62% of the visual weight is in the right half, 52% in the upper half. Symmetry 0.00 (how closely its shapes and edges mirror each other). 9% of the canvas is calm space. Half of the detail sits in 33% of the canvas. Measured from the image, not a rule the painter followed.

Details

Date: 1485
Medium: Tempera on canvas
Size: 172.5 × 278.5 cm
Genre: mythological painting
Collection: Uffizi Gallery, Florence

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