Venus De Milo, 19th-century Grand Tour Bronze Sculpture, B. Pari

Venus de Milo
Bronze
Paris, second half of the 19th century

Height: 40.5 cm. Base: 10 × 12 cm

Mark on the back of the base: B. Pari

Patinated bronze sculpture depicting the Venus de Milo, shown standing with both arms missing, in accordance with the state of preservation of the famous ancient sculpture. The figure has a bare, slightly twisted torso, while a voluminous cloak wraps around her hips and falls to her feet in deep folds. The anatomy is rendered through smooth, delicately modeled surfaces, contrasting with the more pronounced treatment of the hair and the folds of the drapery. The figure is set on a rectangular base, which bears the inscription “B. Pari” on the back.

This model is a scaled-down reproduction of the Venus de Milo housed at the Louvre, a Greek marble sculpture dating from approximately 150–125 B.C. and discovered on the island of Melos in 1820. After its arrival in France and its acquisition by the Louvre in 1821, the sculpture gained extraordinary fame and became one of the most reproduced models of antiquity during the 19th century. This version retains its most recognizable features, notably the twist of the torso, the way the cloak wraps around the hips, and the absence of the arms.

This piece is part of the French tradition of producing reduced-scale bronze castings and reproductions inspired by famous models from antiquity, a tradition that reached its peak in Paris during the second half of the 19th century. Its dimensions, surface treatment, and dark patina are characteristic of this type of production intended for interior decoration. The reverse side of the base bears the inscription “B. Pari,” the meaning of which has not been definitively established and which therefore cannot be identified as either an artist’s signature or a foundry mark.