Carved Stone Statue of the Venus de Medici Description: A fine late 19th century carved Italian marble statue of the Venus de Medici. The naked goddess her arms bent modestly in front, is accompanied by a dolphin ridden by two small cherubs playing at her feet. The original, a 1st century BC Greek copy of an earlier bronze, was widely admired in the seventeenth century. The artist Francois Perrier included three renderings of the figure in his 1638 illustrated volume of the finest antique sculpture, and Louis XIV owned at least five copies, one prominently displayed at Versailles. In 1677 the statue was banned from Rome and sent to Florence by Pope Innocent XI because it was thought to stimulate lewd behavior; it remains in the Uffizi today. Well modeled with lovely features and age appropriate weathering she will make a delightful focal point in any garden. Measurements: Price: SOLD Phone: 312-738-9747 E-mail: finnegangallery@sbcglobal.net