"Venus and Adonis" by Francois Lemoyne
(1729)
Iconic realism is evident in William Shakespeare's epyllion, "Venus and Adonis." He places these two beings of varying mortality in a lush setting, similar to the Garden of Eden, but the goddess of Love finds it impossible to obtain the object of her desire, for his own desires and eventual mortality triumph. Through his representation of this immortal creature in conjunction with a mortal setting and circumstances, Shakespeare uses the goddess of Love to elucidate his readers of the importance of suffering as a vital aspect of the human experience.
Painting of William Shakespeare by William Rock
Chinese Calligraphy of Hamlet's Soliloquy by Huang Xiang
Listen to the John Blow musical rendition (1683) of this tragic tale below.
Performance: Concerto Copenhagen