Bone Statuette of Venus Pudica
A finely carved bone statuette of Venus in the classic Pudica pose, a modest stance with the figure standing in contrapposto with her weight on her left leg, and her right knie slightly forward. The goddess modestly shields her nudity with her hands—right hand covering her breasts and left hand drawing drapery to cover the genital area—exemplifying classical ideals of feminine modesty and beauty. Her gently turned head and serene expression convey a sense of introspection and grace. Her hair is pulled back, and she wears a diadem. Details of the face are rendered naturalistically.
Note
This iconic posture derives from a celebrated ancient Greek prototype attributed to Praxiteles and was widely copied in Roman art. The statuette reflects the cultural and artistic values of the Roman Imperial period, embodying themes of chastity, virtue, and divine beauty. The elegant rendering of anatomy and drapery illustrates skilled craftsmanship and reverence for classical artistic traditions.
Period
Late hellenistic - early roman, 1st century B.C.-1st century A.D.
Dimension
H.
3.3 cm (1 19⁄64 in)
Ars Antiqua AG, Lucerne, inventory list 1968
Private collection, Switzerland, from the above
