Mars abandoning Venus.

Mars Abandoning Venus, painted around 1820 and now in the Museum of John Paul II Collection in Warsaw, depicts the mythological moment when the god of war leaves the goddess of love — a subject with both erotic and narrative potential. The painting dates from early in Etty's independent career and demonstrates his engagement with the mythological subjects that would define his art. The Museum of John Paul II Collection in Warsaw preserves European paintings donated to Poland, reflecting the complex history of art collecting and cultural exchange between Britain and Central Europe.

The contrasting flesh tones of the male and female figures reveal Etty's nuanced understanding of skin coloring, with Mars rendered in bronzed warmth and Venus in cooler, pearlescent tones.