Roman Leaded Bronze Figure of Venus w/ Apple

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. Finely cast via the lost wax (cire perdue) process, a lovely leaded bronze statue of Venus (Greek Aphrodite), goddess of love, romance, passion, and beauty, standing in contrapposto with a weight shift that shows off her every curve. The goddess is presented for the most part in the nude, wearing only a wrap to cover her lower body, a sandal on her left foot, and a fancy diadem adorning her coiffure which is rolled and curled along her forehead and drawn back to a low chignon. The apple in her right hand is a reference to the beauty contest between she Juno, and Minerva that was judged by Paris. Size: 1.875" W x 5.9" H (4.8 cm x 15 cm)

Venus (Aphrodite in the Greek pantheon) has inspired countless depictions throughout the history of artistic creation. Among the most famous are Greek Attic sculptor Praxiteles' "Aphrodite of Knidos" (ca. 360 to 330 BCE), the equally famous "Lely's Venus" (ca. 100 to 199 CE), Alexandros of Antioch's "Venus de Milo" (ca. 130 to 100 BCE), the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli's masterful painting "Birth of Venus" (1484 to 1486 CE), and Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens' equally masterful painting "Judgement of Paris" (ca. 1636).

This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.

Provenance: ex-private London, England collection, acquired September 2020; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, acquired before 2000

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Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#167015
Condition Report: Slight waviness to the base of the pedestal, but the piece still stands nicely. Minor casting flaw to right wrist, but intact. Expected age wear; however, the form is still strong and presents with nice details and wonderful deep green patina.