VENUS VENUS AND ADONIS, Francesco Albani, Louvre ; canvas, H. 6 ft. 7 in. x 8 ft. 3 in. A cupid conducts Adonis, holding a dog in leash, to Venus, who lies asleep on cushions in the shadow of trees, watched by other cupids ; still others bathe in a river, and two in the air are supporting a large white veil. Collection of Louis XTV. Engraved by Baudet; B. Audran. Villot, Cat. Lou- vre ; Landon, Musee, 2d Col., iii. PL 64 By Guerdno, Dresden Gallery ; canvas, H. 6 ft. 7 in. x 8 ft. 3 in. Venus finds the dead body of Adonis ; Cupid leads thither the boar by the ear. In Guercino's third Venus and Adonis, Rubens, Hermitage, St. Petersburg. manner. Painted in 1647 for Cardinal Mazarin, who ordered it as a pendant to Cephalus and Procris ; belonged afterwards to Prince de Carignan. Engraved by L. S. Lempereur. Another (6 ft. 7 in. x 8 ft. 10 in.) in Dresden Gallery. Gal. roy. de Dres- de, ii. PL 23 ; He-veil, vii. 475. By Rubens, Blenheim Palace ; canvas, H. 6 ft. 5 in. x 7 ft. 10 in. Venus, seated on a bank under a tree, endeavours to detain Adonis, who, spear in hand and his dogs by his side, is anxious to depart ; Cupid clings round Adonis's leg. A grand picture of the artist's middle period. Presented by Em- peror of Germany to John, Duke of Marl- borough. Blenheim sale (1886) 7,200, to Agnew. Waagen, Treasures, iii. 131 ; Smith, ii. 245. By Rubens, Hermitage, St. Petersburg ; wood, H. 2 ft. 8 in. x 2 ft. 11 in. Venus, just descended from her car, drawn by white swans, endeavours to detain Adonis, who, anxious for the chase with his attend- ant dogs, tries to remove her arm from his neck ; Cupid aids the goddess by clinging to Adonis's thigh. Engraved by Tassaert. Similar subject, Hague Museum ; engraved by Lerouge in FilhoL Smith, ix. 302 ; Fil- hol, vii. PI. 470 ; Landon, Musee, ii. PL 16. By Bube.ns, Uffizi, Florence ; wood, H. 3 ft. 2 in. x 2 ft. 8 in. Venus, seated on a bank at foot of a tree, endeavours to detain Ado- nis, who, spear in hand, is ready for the chase ; Cupid embraces his knees, while the three Graces draw aside the crimson drapery which conceals her charms ; five other cupids play with Adonis's dogs. Smith, ii. "l43 ; Lasinio, PI. 82 ; Larousse, xv. 882. By Titian, Alnwick Castle, Eng- land ; canvas, H. 2 ft. G| in. x 3 ft. 4 in. Venus, half-lying, half-sit- ting, with her back to the specta- tor, on a brown-red cloth on a mound shaded by trees, clutches at Adonis, who, with a spear in one hand and a leash of three dogs in the other, is striding away to the field. Probably the original sketch of this subject, painted about 1560 ; formerly in the Cammuccini and Barberini Collections. The principal copy, long in the Farnese Collections in Parma and Rome, has disappeared. Oth- er copies with variations in Venice Acad- emy, Vienna Museum, and at Leigh Court and Cobham Hall, England. The Leigh Court copy (H. 5 ft. 10 in. x 6 ft. 8 in.), which once belonged to Benjamin West, was bought in at Leigh Court sale (1884) 838
