Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/charles-shannon-1931" aria-label="More by Charles Shannon" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Charles Shannon</a>
Bath Venus
Presented by Francis Howard 1940
actions: postures and motions
actions: processes and functions
adults
Aphrodite / Venus
bathing / swimming
classical myths: gods and heroes
domestic
female
furnishings
leisure and pastimes
maid
mirror
nudes
objects
people
recreational activities
religion and belief
standing
washing / drying
woman
work and occupations
<p>Shannon frequently painted the female nude and often depicted his models in water. The title deliberately takes the subject out of the present and evokes a comparison with the old masters, in this case particularly with Titian, and with the Roman sculpture that had been taken as an ideal by Titian. This Venus is posed and modelled like sculpture, but has warm colouring and a rich background of jewels and drapery. There was a revival of interest in Titian at the end of the century, inspired by the example of G.F. Watts.Shannon was also a printmaker and designer, and with his friend Charles Ricketts founded the art magazine 'The Dial', and published art and literature at 'The Vale Press' in Chelsea.</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
2 October 2017 – 2 April 2018
2018-04-02
2 October 2017 – 2 April 2018
2018-04-02
2017-10-02
National Gallery (London, UK)
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk
2017-10-02
Jan van Eyck and the Pre-Raphaelites
Loan-out
The Bath of Venus
support: 1460 × 978 mm
frame: 1804 × 1316 × 70 mm
Presented by Francis Howard 1940
<p>Shannon frequently painted the female nude and often depicted his models in water. The title deliberately takes the subject out of the present and evokes a comparison with the old masters, in this case particularly with Titian, and with the Roman <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/sculpture" title="Glossary definition for 'Sculpture'"><span>sculpture</span></a> that had been taken as an ideal by Titian. This Venus is posed and modelled like sculpture, but has warm colouring and a rich background of jewels and drapery. There was a revival of interest in Titian at the end of the century, inspired by the example of G.F. Watts.<br/>Shannon was also a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/print" title="Glossary definition for 'Print'"><span>printmaker</span></a> and designer, and with his friend Charles Ricketts founded the art magazine 'The Dial', and published art and literature at 'The Vale Press' in Chelsea.</p>
Display caption
2004-08-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05160</b> THE BATH OF VENUS 1898–1904</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘C. H. Shannon. 1898–1904.’ b.r.
<br/>Canvas, 57 1/2×38 1/2 (146×97·5).
<br/>Presented by Francis Howard 1940.
<br/><i>Coll:</i> Viscount and Viscountess Northcliffe, Red Cross Sale, Christie's, 13 April 1918 (894), bt. Sir Jeremiah Colman, Bt.; sold Colman, Red Cross Sale, Christie's, 12 July 1940 (919), bt. Francis Howard.
<br/><i>Exh:</i>
<i>Irish Artists</i>, Guildhall, 1904 (13), as ‘The Toilet of Venus’, lent by the artist.
<br/><i>Lit:</i> T. Sturge Moore and Cecil Lewis (ed.), <i>Self-Portrait: taken from the Letters &amp; Journals of Charles Ricketts, R.A.</i>, 1939, p.292.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> E. B. G[eorge], <i>Charles Shannon</i>, 1924, pl.8.</p>
<p>The title of this picture was originally ‘The Green Marble Bath’, according to Charles Ricketts in a letter to Thomas Lowinsky, 15 April 1918, published in Moore and Lewis (<i>op. cit.</i>). Three studies for <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/shannon-the-bath-of-venus-n05160" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05160</span></a>, either pastels or <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawings</span></a>, were exhibited at the Dutch Gallery, 1901 (15, 25 and 41), and three at the Guildhall, 1904 (201, 203 and 206, <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/medium" title="Glossary definition for 'Medium'"><span>media</span></a> not specified).</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-07T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions actions: processes and functions adults Aphrodite / Venus bathing / swimming classical myths: gods and heroes domestic female furnishings leisure and pastimes maid mirror nudes objects people recreational activities religion and belief standing washing / drying woman work and occupations