Reception The Dawn of Love (painting)

etty s world before flood, exhibited later in 1828, illustrated milton, in case paradise lost.

etty exhibited painting in february 1828 @ british institution under title of venus wakes, , wakens love. met storm of derision critics style in venus painted; 1 of few positive reviews of new monthly magazine, critic considered figure of venus delightfully drawn , voluptuously coloured; , way in awakens love, ruffling feathers of wings, exquisitely imagined , executed . times commented drawing free , flowing , colouring, though rich, natural , felt subject is, however, handled in way entirely luscious (we might, great propriety, use harsher term) public eye . literary gazette conceded painting attractive, in colour , considered painting s voluptuousness 1 of unpardonable sins against taste , , chided etty s careless drawing, observing impossible artist has many years, , unremittingly, studied living model, can err in respect want of knowledge . monthly magazine complained of venus s sullen colour , corpulent shape , etty s excessive exposure of [venus s] figure . la belle assemblée, meanwhile, felt etty s representation of venus though fine voluptuous woman, not, either in supremacy of beauty, or according received description of love-inspiring goddess, venus , , complained colouring of flesh chalky .

the harshest criticism came anonymous reviewer in london magazine:

this small picture ... utterly condemn, not nudity or indecency of have complained, because there total want of beauty, grace, , expression, clothe nakedness , abstract mind it. mr. etty seems conscious of coldness of flesh-colour, , atones flabbiness of figures. thing voluptuous or alluring. recommend our artist leave these small unfinished vignettes, these little doughy rubenses toys of desperation others. firm, broad, manly pencil, requires wider scope , different subject.

an anonymous reviewer in same publication later year returned theme, chiding etty imitation of foreign artists rather attempting develop new , unique style of own, observing cannot imitate voice or actions of another, without exaggerating or caricaturing them , complaining there [no] propriety in seeing venuses of titian, fables of heathenism, or base occupations of dutch boors, placed in parallel subjects form basis [of] our future hopes , , observing surely, rubens ought here [in england] held rock avoid, not light follow .