Venus 

John William Godward's painting, Venus, is made with oil paint on canvas, using the long-established traditions of Western fine art. The artist's technique is meticulous, building up layer upon layer of pigment to create a smooth, almost porcelain-like finish. The marble architecture that frames the figure of Venus has the same quality, rendered with incredible precision, emulating the costly materials with labor-intensive techniques. Notice the rich textures of the animal skins underfoot, and the translucent quality of the jewelry she toys with. These are the trappings of wealth and power, carefully reproduced through the artist's skill, and the time he invested into the painting. The social context here is the late 19th century, when the rise of industrial capitalism allowed for an unprecedented level of material consumption, but it also created a longing for the perceived luxury and refinement of earlier eras, and a desire for a more sensual world. The painting is not just an image, but an object - an opportunity for Godward to show off his mastery of technique, while also catering to the desires of an aspirational class, eager to own a piece of that imagined past.