Roman Marble Torso of Venus, ex-Bonhams

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Fine Antiquities/Ethnographic Art

By Artemis Gallery

Jul 19, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-07-19 10:00:00 2018-07-19 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities/Ethnographic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-ethnographic-art-3329
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• Lot Description
  Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. A beautifully-carved marble sculpture of a youthful feminine body representing Venus (Greek Aphrodite), the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. The goddess is depicted nude with a softly-modeled body, her posture slightly bent to the right with a rounded abdomen, recessed navel, and rounded breasts defining her characteristic femininity. One rounded shoulder has part of her upper arm held tightly against her side, and a drilled slot on her other shoulder and her neck meant for an attachable arm and head. Characteristically depicted as a sensual, youthful woman, Venus was perceived as the ideal of Roman beauty as she is here. Carvings of the female form are much more scarce than sculptures of male subjects from this time, making this a rare example from the Roman Empire! Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 4.5" W x 7.25" H (11.4 cm x 18.4 cm); 9.125" H (23.2 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  A breathtaking representation of the goddess who possessed such sublime beauty that she inspired much rivalry among the gods, all of whom wished to make her his wife. According to classical mythology, Jupiter (Zeus) determined that Venus (Aphrodite) would marry Vulcan (Hephaestus), the handicapped blacksmith god. Vulcan in turn created a magical girdle to guarantee her fidelity. Unfortunately for him, the Goddess of Love and Beauty proved unfaithful. Venus (Aphrodite) has inspired countless representations in visual culture, among the most famous, Attic sculptor Praxiteles's "Aphrodite of Knidos" (ca. 360 to 330 BCE) and Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" (1484-86).
  
  This torso hammered for GBP 6,250 ($8,253) at Bonhams, London, New Bond Street Antiquities Auction (October 23, 2013, lot 136): http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20669/lot/136/?category=list&length=10&page=14
  
  This item is accompanied by an Art Loss Registry certificate, reference #S00080375.
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Bonhams, London, New Bond Street Antiquities Auction (October 23, 2013, lot 136); ex-private Belgian collection, acquired on the London art market in the late 1990s
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  #136322

  Condition

  Piece is a fragment, with loss to neckline, most of one arm, one shoulder, and most of lower body. Ancient deposits on body, and light roughness across most surfaces. Verso is roughly hewn, suggesting that the piece was possibly part of a frieze or larger panel carving.
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