In Ancient Roman religion and mythology, Venus, her Greek counterpart Aphrodite, was the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. Known as one of the most beautiful goddesses, she was unwillingly married to Vulcan, a god of lesser beauty. This position led her to have had many secret affairs with gods and mortals including with Mars explained in the Greek literature of Homer’s Odyssey were they ‘made love secretly in her husbands Hephaestus’ palace’ (Book 8.265-270). Venus’ imagery first started to show in 200 BC with temples constructed in her honour. Julius Caesar claimed to have explicit links with the goddess as he believed his family to be descendants of her son, Aeneas. She became a symbol of power across the Roman empire along with her well-known attributes. The idea of Venus wringing her hair out comes from the famous Venus Anadyomene. The belief that she was born as an adult from the sea and therefore trying to dry herself.
Roman Provincial Bronze Statuette of Mercury
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Romano-British Bronze Venus Statuette
$1,350.89
A fine Romano-British Venus statuette cast from bronze. The goddess is displayed nude in a contrapposto pose with her right leg slightly bent carrying her weight. Her right arm is out-stretched downwards with an abnormally large hand open to accept a patera. She is wringing out a lock of her hair, an action repeatedly displayed across the Greek and Roman periods, with her left hand whilst looking right.
Out of stock
Additional information
| Weight | 230.3 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5.5 × 13.5 cm |
| Culture | Ancient Roman |
| Metal | Bronze |
| Roman mythology | Venus |
| Region | Southern Europe, Western Europe |
