3-044-388 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Statuette of Aphrodite Leaning on a Pillar, 250-200 BC. Venus Leaning on a Pillar. Additional Info: Leaning on a pillar, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, wears a large wreath of flowers and a cloak draped around her hips. The goddess's pose is based on a much earlier, clothed statue of Aphrodite made by the sculptor Pheidias in the 400s BC In accordance with later Hellenistic tastes, the terracotta's artist chose to depict her semi-nude to emphasize her sensuality. The goddess's outstretched left hand originally held an offering, probably either a dove or an offering bowl. The figurine, originally brightly painted, still bears traces of red paint.