09/12/2026
Why do lions, wolves, and other wild animals gather calmly around the goddess of love?
In Briton Rivière’s Aphrodite (1902), the goddess stands in a dark forest surrounded by powerful animals, while a white bird flies above her.
Rather than presenting Aphrodite through romance or beauty alone, Rivière connects her to the natural world. The scene draws on the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, where wild animals follow the goddess as she moves through Mount Ida.
The result is one of Rivière’s most unusual paintings: a vision of attraction, divine presence, and nature brought together in a single scene.
Discover the meaning, animals, and story behind Aphrodite:
🔗 https://bymuseum.com/blog/riviere-aphrodite/
