Venus in european and christian art

Click to enlarge photo.

The Birth of Venus by William Adolphe Bouguereau

Venus (Lat. Venus, - «love») was also called Astarta in Phoenician mythology, or Aphrodite in Ancient Greece mythology. Firstly, she was known as a goddess of blossoming gardens, fertility and the rise of all fertility powers of the world. Later she was indentified as a Greece Aphrodite. According to Greece mythology, descendants of Aeneas had founded the Rome. As far as Aphrodite was Aeneas‘s mother, she was indentified not only as a goddess of love and beauty, but also as a ancestor of Aeneas’s descendants and the protectress of the Roman people.

The symbols of this goddess were a dove and a rabbit (meaning fertility). Floral symbols of this goddess were rose, poppy and myrtle.

The Cult of Venus was founded in Ardea and Lavinium (cities, situated in Lazio region). The first and the most famous Venus cathedral was built in 18 August 293 BC. So, the festival “Vinalia Rustica” is celebrated on 18 of August.

Another one Venus cathedral was built in 23 of April 215 BC, on Capitol. It was built in commemoration of the defeating in battle near the Trasimeno Lake, during the second Punic war.

In Russian culture the most frequently used name of the goddess of love is Aphrodite. It came to Russian culture from Byzantium. But a great amount of European artists, writers and critics use the name Venus. In fact, these two names are synonyms.
The second planet of our solar system is called Venus in honor of this goddess.

The Birth of Venus :: Alexandre Cabanel