Standbeeld van Venus 1636 - 1647

This is Giovanni Luigi Valesio’s "Statue of Venus," made sometime between 1583 and 1633. Here, Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, is depicted in a classical contrapposto pose. The goddess stands partially draped, one arm gracefully gesturing, perhaps in an act of invitation or revelation. The enduring motif of Venus, or Aphrodite as the Greeks knew her, stretches far back into antiquity. We see her emerging from the sea, a symbol of birth and renewal, in Botticelli's famous painting. Here, the goddess embodies a primal force—a wellspring of desire, fertility, and aesthetic pleasure. The gesture of Venus—the hand raised, the gaze averted—echoes through ages of art. Think of the modest Venus Pudica pose. It suggests a dance between revelation and concealment. This reveals not only beauty but also the complex interplay of attraction, desire, and the subconscious acknowledgment of our own mortality. The image of Venus, like a recurring dream, continues to resurface in the collective consciousness. Each time imbued with new layers of meaning, yet forever tethered to its ancient roots.