Essay on the "Birth of Venus" a Painting by Sandro Botticelli in the Early Renaissance

Birth of Venus
In the time of Sandro Botticelli's painting of Birth of Venus, the Italian Renaissance had begun; Italians were intrigued with the classical Greek and Roman mythology as well as its works of art. The story of Venus goes back thousands of years to Greek mythology concerning the sky god Uranus, and the earth goddess, Gaea. Uranus was a self- centered, pompous preeminent male deity, who with Gaea procreated the twelve Titans. He detested his children and was afraid that one of them would overthrow him. He placed the twelve Titans in the underworld of Gaea, not allowing them to come forth. Gaea was in great pain and suffering because of the twelve Titans she held in her womb. She became angry with Uranus because of his dishonorable treatment of her and especially her children. So with her youngest son Cronus she thought of a plan to get rid of Uranus. Gaea created a great steel sickle and gave it to Cronus; she then enticed her husband Uranus to lay with her.…