Roman Venus Statuette

2nd century AD. A bronze statuette of standing nude Venus (Greek Aphrodite) modelled in the round, the head slightly turned to the right, wearing a diadem, hands raised to hold her hair dressed with ringlets; mounted on a custom-made display stand. Cf. Rolland, H., Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, item 78. 105 grams total, 95mm including stand (3 3/4"). From the private collection of Antony John Scammell (1937-2019); acquired from John Cummings Ltd, Grantham, UK, in 1992; accompanied by the original invoice. Venus was one of the most popular deities and one of the most common to be found in household shrines. The goddess was not only associated with love, but also with fertility and was regarded as a protector of the crops under her Etruscan name of Turan. She was also considered to be a mother goddess who protected her devotees under the name of Venus Genetrix and the mother of Aeneas, from whom Julius Caesar claimed descent from. Antony John Scammell (1937-2019) was born, and lived his entire life, in the city of Bristol, England. Already from an early age he was enthralled by history and the heroes that it created. While serving overseas with the British Army, Antony began collecting coins and banknotes and this led to collecting a variety of different items throughout his life. From the early 1960s onward, Antony invested in acquiring ancient artefacts. Antony's vast collections started with Egyptian antiquities, but soon branched into Greek and Roman civilisations. The Roman civilisation fascinated him most and, when family commitments allowed, archaeological digs were coordinated in the west of England. These digs uncovered numerous artefacts, many of which were donated to local museums. In retirement, the collecting continued apace, branching into UK coins, British Empire banknotes and fossils.
Condition Report: Fine condition.