-Oil painted in layers; glazes achieve rich color -Complex spatial environment: figure placed forward on the picture plane, servants in middle space; open window with plants in the background
--Venus looks at the viewer directly -Venus is reclining in an open space in a luxurious Venetian bedroom. -Roses contribute to the floral motif carried throughout the work; roses with their thorns symbolize the beauty and problems of love -The dog may symbolize faithfulness
Function
Context
--May not be Venus; may be a courtesan in the tradition of a female reclining nude -Cassoni: trunks intended for storage of clothing for a wife’s trousseau seen in the background of the painting. -May have been commissioned by the Duke of Urbino as a wedding painting