Roman, Imperial Period, 1st to first half of 3rd century CE. An exquisite statuette, cast from a silver-copper alloy, depicting Venus (Greek Aphrodite), the goddess of love, romance, and passion who magically rose from the sea on a giant scallop. Venus stands with her left leg extended and wears a luxurious chiton that is draped across her left shoulder. Her right hand is held atop her thigh and her left hand grasps her breast to keep her flowing garment from falling. Her classic visage is defined by sensitive almond-shaped eyes under heavy brows, a petite nose above full lips, rounded cheeks, and a scallop-adorned fillet, all beneath a wavy, centrally-parted coiffure which culminates in a bun on the verso. The importance of this piece stems from the large size - similar examples are typically smaller - and how it is made from silver rather than simply bronze. An exceedingly rare and exemplary statuette of Venus! Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 1.25" W x 4.7" H (3.2 cm x 11.9 cm); 7.25" H (18.4 cm) on included custom stand; quality of silver: 56%.

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).

For a stylistically-similar example with less clothing, please see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1995.539.14: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/256241

For another stylistically-similar example with gilded details, please see The J. Paul Getty Museum, object number 76.AM.4: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/7297/unknown-maker-statuette-of-venus-roman-ad-100-250/?dz=0.4183,0.3116,2.55

Provenance: private Davis collection, Houston, Texas, USA

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#132957

Losses to areas of base, some stable hairline fissures, softening to some finer details, with some areas of pitting, and some areas of stabilization on back of legs and front of right leg. Light earthen deposits and wonderful green, gold, and russet patina throughout.