Venus and Adonis (by Paolo Veronese) Ceramic Tile

This design features an artwork by the Italian Renaissance painter Paolo Veronese (born Paolo Caliari, 1528–1588), who was based in Venice and became known for his paintings of mythological and religious scenes. This painting shows the moment in Roman mythology after Venus had tried to stop Adonis from going hunting after she had seen a bad omen predicting his death. Adonis is now sleeping in her lap. According to some critics, Veronese based his work on Titian's painting of the same subject, which he first encountered through engravings by Cornelis Cort. Venus was the goddess of love in Roman mythology, and she represented love, beauty, desire, lust, fertility, prosperity and victory. Venus is also known as Aphrodite in Greek myth. Adonis was the mortal lover of Venus: he was an astonishingly handsome young man. It is said that Adonis was gored by a wild boar during his fatal hunting trip, and he died in Venus' arms as she wept for him.