The composition derives from one of Burne-Jones’ seventy illustrations for William Morris’ Earthly Paradise, narrating the story of Cupid and Psyche. The style of the picture suggests that it was painted in the late 1860s as Burne-Jones transitioned from the Medievalism of his earlier watercolours to the more Aesthetic style of his oils. It is an unusually classical and sculptural rendering of the mother of Cupid, newly-born on the shore in the pose of the Venus Anadyomone, loosening her long tresses of golden hair. For a romantic like Burne-Jones, the Goddess of Love was a figure who loomed large in his imagination and was the subject of one of his greatest works The Mirror of Venus of 1873-77 (Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon). Venus Rising from the Sea belonged to Burne-Jones’ physician, friend and patron Charles Bland Radcliffe (1822-1889) who also owned The Mother of Healing of 1862 and The Annunciation – The Flower of God of 1869. Sotheby's 2018
The present work dates from c. 1870, although the subject originates from a design of Venus Rising from the Sea, part of The Cupid and Psyche series of illustrations to William Morris's narrative The Earthly Paradise, which was begun in 1864. There is evidence that the painting has been prepared by a studio assistant, in this case most likely Charles Fairfax Murray. Stylistically the treatment of the hair suggests that Murray was involved, but the majority of the modeling of the body has been worked over with white pigment by the Master. The modeling of the facial features are not entirely typical of Burne-Jones and the adjustments around the left hand indicate a later re-thinking. The ocre outline of the body also is consistent with a technique Burne-Jones used as a method of utilizing an assistant to initially lay in the painting.