Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 1st century CE. A skillfully carved, fine-crystalline white marble head depicting an ideal beauty of the classical world - probably Venus (Greek Aphrodite), the goddess of romantic love and beauty - with a recessed diadem over her swept back coiffure. The goddess' elegant, oval face is sensitively modeled so as to present a naturalistic visage characteristic with a rounded forehead, large and generously lidded almond-shaped eyes, a fine browline that arches gracefully and merges with the bridge of her nose, and full closed lips. Size: 3.75" H (9.5 cm); 5.5" H (14 cm) on included custom stand.
A breathtaking sculptural representation of the goddess whose sublime beauty legendarily inspired much rivalry among the gods, not to mention countless depictions throughout art history, among the most famous, the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" (1484-86), Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens' "Judgement of Paris" (ca. 1636), and of course, Attic sculptor Praxiteles's "Aphrodite of Knidos" (ca. 360-330 BCE) as well as the equally famous "Lely's Venus" (ca. 100 to 199 CE).
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
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#143518
Condition
A fragment, but quite nice with strong features. Losses to the head/coiffure and neck as shown. Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Earthen deposits across the surface as well. French auction house label (104 2 fevrier 2017) on base.