The depiction of Naturalistic time periods in ‘The Birth of Venus’ and ‘Salon des Refuses’ Essay

These paintings are also similar because they are about the same size. They are both pretty big paintings. The Birth of Venus by Botticelli is 172.5cm height wise and 278.5cm length. The support of this painting is a Canvas. Luncheon on the Grass by Manet is 208cm height and 264.5cm in length. Supporting this is Canvas. These paintings may both be on canvas but the Medium of these paintings are very different. Manet who painted Luncheon the Grass used basic pigment with lending binder (oil paint). Botticelli chose to go with something that was not normal for his time period which was pigment with very little fat and a layer of egg white (binder) and this is called tempera. There are many different ways to paint and every way to paint has a different type binder.
Luncheon on the Grass has a little bit of a history, it was submitted to the Paris Salon and it was rejected by Salon. Botticelli submitted more places and finally first exhibited in "Salon des Refuses" which translates to "Salon of Refuse" which if you ask me is pretty funny. It is now on show in Florence, Italy at Galleria Degli Uffizi. Luncheon on the Grass was meant to be a small private painting only meant for certain people to see. Luncheon on the Grass is on display in Musee d'orsay, Paris.
These paintings both portray Naturalistic time periods because they both have to do with outdoors. In the Birth of Venus, Venus is emerging from the sea and it is in the open outdoors. She is a myth coming from the air. In Luncheon on the Grass the men and women are sitting outdoors in the forest having a picnic. More things were outside during these time periods. I believe that these paintings were made to separate from the norm of other paintings. These artist wanted to stray away from the beaten path. They wanted to be different from other artist and they definitely achieved these goals if that is what they were reaching for. Their paintings are still very different from paintings we see today. It is also all about the type of painting that you are looking into.
These paintings are very similar and different depending on how you chose to personally interpret them. I can give you all the facts and Art History of these paintings but nothing can determine the mindset of these artist when painting these paintings. Only you can mentally break down what you chose to see. Although these paintings are 400 years apart they are also portraying very similar things. They are showing a Focal point, Renaissance, Realism, Naturalism, and Impressionism. Like I said these paintings are how you chose to interpret them. I wish we could find a way to go back and figure out what these two artist were wanting to show people. This essay is my opinions on the comparing and contrasting of the Birth of Venus by Botticelli and Luncheon on the Grass by Manet.