|
by Botticelli (1445-1510) |
 |
 |
|
Bonded White Marble on Marble Base $127 (less Internet discount of $15) = $112 (freight $9) The Birth of Venus 16-3/4" H (left above) Bonded White Marble on Marble Base $194 (less Internet discount of $24) = $170 (freight $14) The Birth of Venus 33-1/2" H (right above) Bonded White Marble $988 (less Internet discount of $148) = $840 (freight $58) |
| Far back in the dawn of creation, Venus was born from the sea. Radiantly she arose from the tossing foam, the goddess of love and beauty, the fairest creature of heaven or earth! Lightly she stepped upon a floating seashell and the glistening drops of water which rolled from her shining limbs and beautiful tresses fell into the shell as splendid pearls. This was the legend chosen by Botticelli as the subject for his famous painting, The Birth of Venus, which now hangs in the Uffizi gallery in Florence. The central figure of that painting has been selected for this sculptural piece. In a sense the return of the Botticelli Venus to a sculptural form completes a cycle. It is obvious that the inspiration for the painting came from a statue known as the Venus dei Medici, although the painter gave the figure his own characteristic style. With that style he carried the viewer far beyond the realm of realism and anatomical accuracy. The enchanting grace of the long neck and sloping shoulders and the rhythmic flow of twining tresses across the adorable body make Botticelli's copy of the Venus dei Medici highly original -- a haunting and poetic work. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |