A Roman Marble Crouching Venus

Circa 1st Century A.D.

Height 15 3/4 inches (40 cm).

Property from a Private Collection, Chicago, Illinois

Provenance:

Galerie Simone de Monbrison, Paris, 1969 (Arts Antiques Arts Primities, no. 29); where acquired by the present owner, 23 October 1969.

This striking marble sculpture, known as the Crouching Venus, is a Roman interpretation of the famed creation by Doidalsas of Bithynia, a third-century B.C. sculptor celebrated for his depictions of Venus, the goddess of love. Originally commissioned by King Nicomedes I, the form of Venus bathing became widely admired in Rome, noted for its graceful and intimate portrayal of the goddess.

This statue captures Venus in a moment of modesty and introspection, crouching with her right knee nearly touching the ground, her head (now missing) turned to the right. She is depicted nude, her form leaning forward with arms crossed in front of her, despite the absence of her head, arms, and feet. Pliny the Elder praises such artistic endeavors in his Natural History, noting the ability of art to capture the viewer's admiration and provoke contemplation, which can be aptly applied to this piece: "Indeed, what is there that does not invite our learning and our gaze in these subjects, our wonder and our praise?"

The pose, suggesting vulnerability, highlights the sculptural ability to convey deep emotional and aesthetic resonance from the early Roman empire. Even in its incomplete state, the sculpture profoundly communicates the timeless themes of divine femininity and human beauty.

Height with stand 18 1/2 inches (46.99 cm). Inspected under UV light and 10x loupe. Large gouge at underside of proper right upper thigh. Large areas of surface with encrustation and varying patina, notably at proper right mid side. Portion of arm preserved at proper right upper thigh, otherwise both arms missing along with head and feet. Break at neck may have been partially smoothed in modern times. Small portion of finely cared hair preserved at shoulders. Overall in fine and stable condition. Rests loosely on stand.

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Jacob Coley

Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Antiquities and Ancient Art

[email protected]312 280 1212

Mr. Coley joined the Antiquities department in 2021 after working as Managing Director in the Ancient Art department at Colnaghi, the world’s oldest commercial art gallery, where he helped to establish the Ancient Art department and launched Colnaghi New York in 2017. Prior to Colnaghi, Mr. Coley was in the Greek and Roman Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Coley holds a B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.A. in Art Market from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and he earned an art-appraisal certificate from New York University.

Antiquities and Ancient Art

A Roman Marble Crouching Venus

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