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Philip Melville CourtneyVenus and the Sea Monster Large Mythological Oil on Canvas Female Nude2025
2025
$18,500
£14,042.45
€16,103.17
CA$26,112.65
A$28,029.48
CHF 14,924.26
MX$331,977.76
NOK 188,601.89
SEK 172,246.13
DKK 120,297.97
About the Item
Venus and the Sea Monster Large Mythological Oil on Canvas — Sculpture Rendered in Painting
By American Artist Philip Melville Courtney
This large-scale oil on canvas painting presents a dreamlike vision drawn from the classical world, reimagined through a distinctly contemporary lens. Rooted in mythology, the composition evokes a serene yet powerful dreamstate, where untouchable beauty and ancient symbolism converge in a suspended moment outside of time.
The subject—recalling a classical sculptural relief—is rendered entirely in oil, transforming the language of carved marble into luminous, painterly form. Courtney’s mastery lies in his ability to translate the tactile presence of sculpture into paint: soft, marble-like flesh tones contrast with stylized, flowing forms of a sea creature and attendant figures, creating a harmonious balance between stillness and motion. The surface is meticulously controlled, with subtle gradations of light and shadow that echo the quiet authority of antiquity while remaining unmistakably modern.
The palette is refined and atmospheric—cool aquas, sea greens, and muted flesh tones set against a deep, nocturnal ground—enhancing the sense of reverie and timelessness. The figures appear both idealized and emotionally distant, reinforcing the theme of untouchable beauty, as if glimpsed in a half-remembered myth or classical dream.
This work exemplifies Courtney’s ongoing exploration of sculpture rendered in oil on canvas, a genre that bridges painting, relief, and classical reference. Monumental in scale and presence, it functions as a commanding focal point in both modern minimalist and classical interiors, offering collectors a rare synthesis of mythological subject matter, technical virtuosity, and contemporary sophistication.
A museum-quality painting that speaks to enduring beauty, classical refinement, and the quiet power of the ancient world—reinterpreted for today’s discerning collector.
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