An uprising of female rebellion took place during the Victorian era. It was a time when women were first fighting for individual voice and identity. This was an important issue that Rossetti addressed and it reflects in paintings such as Venus Verticordia. Rossetti challenges the Victorian standards of beauty and constructs his own ideal Venus. Through his work, he informs the public that beauty is confidence and that women should fight for individualism. It is fascinating to discover that the composition of the "Rossetti Woman" has similar attributes to the modern women of our generation.

While the PRB were scrutinized for using unconventional art techniques, Rossetti was mainly condemned for the sensuous nature of his paintings. This new style came about in 1860s when Rossetti experienced a shift in artistic vision. From exploring new meaning in visuals, Rossetti was able to compose his own sense of ideal female beauty. The women in his paintings did not conform to the mold of the demure and fair Victorian maiden. Instead, he constructs the idea of a “dark Venus” in his paintings with powerful Amazonian structured bodies and bold, direct gazes.@"Pre-Raphaelite Challenges to Victorian Canons of Beauty".pp. 30 There was an erogenous emphasis on areas around the décolletage, mouth and hair. The models were usually loosely dressed and exposed more skin than what was considered appropriate back then. Other typical characteristics that he would accentuate include: full, red, fleshy lips, sleepy eyes, profuse wavy hair and long neck. The general public despised these pieces and identified them as vulgar because it went against conservative Victorian beliefs. Through his paintings, Rossetti argues that women should embrace and not suppress their sexuality because real beauty is confidence.

Much like The PRB's mission statement to include all facets of nature into their art, Rossetti implies that we need to accept our flaws since it is impossible for everyone to assimilate to a certain code of standards. This is demonstrated and critiqued through the execution of Venus Verticordia. Initially, the model for this painting was a cook Rossetti noticed in the streets. However, her face was substituted with Alice Wilding's, a model whom Rossetti often featured in his paintings to idealize sexuality@The Rossetti Archive. Venus Verticordia. (For a Picture.). In later years, he made several reproductions of Venus Verticordia using different models. Similarly to the modern woman, Venus has multiple identities that doubles itself in this "double work of art". Women should be able to express their individualism and embrace difference sides to them. Through Rossetti's eyes, Venus is no longer one-dimensional but transformed into a woman with depth and substance.

The idea of female power and sexuality is associated with the biblical woman, Mary Magdalene. Charles Fairfax Murray suggests that the crayon sketch of, Woman with Vessel@"Woman with Vessel."The Rossetti Archive.1863-1864. produced between 1863 and 1864, is of Mary Magdalene. This sketch may have been one of Rossetti’s first conceptions of Venus. Like the painting, the woman has big, wavy hair, and nude breasts. This is interesting because Mary Magdalene was a fallen woman and can be seen to embody some of the traits that Venus does, such as beauty, temptation, sexuality, and female power. The photo, however, omits the apple, the arrow, and the flowers, important aspects of the final painting that incorporate ideas of religion and mythology.