ROMAN MARBLE CROUCHING VENUS STATUE

Possibly Roman, Ca. AD 200
A Roman marble copy of a Hellenistic original dating back to 200 BC, capturing the crouching Venus. Venus is presented with her right knee positioned close to the ground, her body gently turned to the right, and her left arm gracefully resting on her left leg. The goddess is presented in a pose of seeming surprise, as if caught during her bath, and wraps her left arm across her body to delicately shield her nudity. This pose likely originated from Praxiteles' famous statue of Aphrodite at Knidos (Ca. 350 BC), who also depicted the goddess nude. However, the Romans preferred poses which seemed to emphasise the shame and seductive nature of the goddesses' nudity. The statue features an integral flat base. Item comes with a professional historical report from Ancient Report Specialists.
Size: 530mm x 260mm; Weight: 100+kg
Provenance: Property of a London gentleman; Ex. French collection, Paris, Parisian Gallery, 1970-90. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.
Estimate: GBP 40000 - 60000