The Crouching Venus With A Turtle, An Elegant 19th-century Neoclassical Bronze Sculpture

A superb bronze sculpture depicting the Crouching Venus with a Tortoise, one of the most alluring variations on the famous ancient model of the Crouching Venus (Venus Crouching), attributed to the Greek sculptor Doidalsas of Bithynia (6th century B.C.).

Directly inspired by the masterpieces of Greco-Roman antiquity, this elegant figure depicts Venus caught in the act of bathing. Crouching, the goddess delicately turns her head while bringing her right arm toward her left shoulder in a gesture of modesty that has become iconic.

Our specimen features a particularly sought-after variant in which the goddess is accompanied by a turtle, an iconographic detail far rarer than in the usual versions. This animal, associated in antiquity with Aphrodite according to certain traditions, adds an extra symbolic dimension while enriching the composition.

The quality of the casting is remarkable. The chiseling is exceptionally fine: the face with its idealized features, the delicacy of the hands, the sensual modeling of the body, and the supple folds of the drapery all attest to the bronze castor’s excellent craftsmanship.

The antique patina, a beautiful medal-brown hue with slightly golden-brown highlights, is perfectly preserved and admirably highlights the sculpture’s volumes.

The figure rests on an elegant marble base.

Sienna yellow, accented by a bronze frieze decorated with ovals, giving the piece as a whole a particularly refined appearance.

There are only a few very slight chips on one corner of the marble, which do not affect the quality of the presentation.

A beautiful decorative and collectible bronze, representative of the neoclassical taste of the second half of the 19th century, intended for connoisseurs of antiquity, sculpture, and art bronzes.

Dimensions

• Height: 36 cm
• Base: 25 x 15 cm

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