The Weapons of Mars

This monumental work is a striking example of how Corinth approached not only Biblical themes but also classical subjects in a provocative way. At the center of the image Venus is shown naked, posing flirtatiously with a thin shawl. A youthful lover, presumably Mars, holds up a shining shield as a mirror. Two boys and a girl—the children of Venus and Mars?—play with the god of war’s helmet and sword. In Corinth’s highly individual interpretation of this motif the gods seem all too human, while the children’s expressions are surprisingly serious. Contemporaries criticized Corinth for robbing the classical gods of their dignity, presenting them like actors on a stage....