Venus of Urbino

     Titian's Venus of Urbino depicts a nude woman reclined on a bed in an unspecified space. Although, nude women posing as "Venus's" is nothing new at this time, her gaze towards the audience is groundbreaking. Venus, being a sensual and amorous being, had been depicted since antiquity as passive or shy in her nudity. In countless representations she is sleeping in a state of luxurious abandon or attempting to cover herself, but to no avail.
     Titian's Venus' directness can be interpreted in several ways. One being that the woman depicted is a prostitute or involved in some scandal. This can be supported by the messy sheets, or her directness in being observed in the nude as if this was a routine moment for her. However, I think it is more likely that the woman being portrayed here is being sympathized with, if not admired by Titian himself.
     The way she is rendered in soft colors that echo her surroundings make her appear harmonious and beautiful rather than profane or guilty of some scandal. The trunks in the background have been identified as marriage trunks. The dog snoozing on the edge of her bed does not look alarmed in any way, but seems comfortable and at peace, signifying that nothing is inherently wrong with this situation. The dog is also known to be a signifier of fidelity.
     It is difficult for us today to understand, even with historical texts, female sexuality of this time in it's entirety. Today equivalent images of nude woman pervade our daily lives in advertisements, film trailers, television shows ect. Today the female figure is often utilized to attach the promise of sex to a product. The difference is the female subjects today, aren't even given the pleasantry of being elevated to a "Venus" status today. If Titain was a misogynist,  he didn't even come close to present day ad designers.

The below Skyy advertisement depicts a devolution, in my opinion, in depicting women since Venus of Urbino. Although these women have more clothes on, they retain no active role in being observed. While Titian's Venus gets to behold her beholder directly and be identified, in part, by her surrounding and expression, these women don't even have a face. While Titian's Venus takes ownership in her space and seems very much a part of it, these women are just bodies as inanimate as the yellow background and the product.