Venus and Mars

Venus and Mars (1485) by Sandro Botticelli. Its palette is led by putty (#9f927f, 20%) and bone (#dec8ab, 19%), with accents of golden umber, light muted blue, muted red and rich sienna. 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

#9f927f MG 173 putty 20.0% of canvas
#dec8ab MG 171 bone 18.5% of canvas
#7d6e54 MG 183 golden umber 18.0% of canvas
#2d2a26 MG 222 charcoal 17.2% of canvas
#524a3b MG 176 taupe 15.1% of canvas
#9cb1c8 MG 094 light muted blue 7.9% of canvas
#a15f65 MG 012 muted red 1.6% of canvas
#773a32 MG 147 rich sienna 1.6% of canvas

Color families

Brown 48%, Gray 23%, Black 10%, White 7%, Blue 3%

Measurements

Lightness: 0.57
Contrast: 0.64
Vividness: 0.033
Warmth: +0.89
Complexity: 256 cells
Hue range: 0.53
Focus: 0.02

Composition

52% of the visual weight is in the left half, 60% in the upper half. Symmetry 0.23 (how closely its shapes and edges mirror each other). 1% of the canvas is calm space. Half of the detail sits in 39% of the canvas. Measured from the image, not a rule the painter followed.

Details

Date: 1485
Medium: Tempera and oil on poplar panel and plaster
Size: 69.2 × 173.9 cm
Genre: mythological painting
Collection: National Gallery, London

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