Aphrodite, the love goddess, saw Adonis at his birth and was so mystified by his beauty that she hid him away and kept him for herself in a coffer. She told her secret to Persephone who (while the love goddess was away) opened the coffer and saw Adonis. Equally taken by his appearance, she robbed him from Aphrodite. The love goddess called for Zeus and he judged that Adonis would spend a third of a year on his own, and the other two thirds halfed between Aphrodite and Persephone. Adonis enjoyed boar hunting even though the love goddess tried to sway him away from the sport. One day, he was killed by a boar. Aphrodite begged Zeus for his life and he judged that Adonis would spend no more time on his own and the year would be halfed between Aphrodite and Persephone.

This painting depicts Adonis as he awakens from his "death" with Aphrodite by his side. The Awakening of Adonis holds the current record price for any Waterhouse painting. It was auctioned in November of 1998 for $2,340,000.