Medici Venus

The Medici Venus is the common name applied to the Aphrodite statue that has been essentially copied from the Praxiteles form. The Aphrodite housed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is a famous example of the form: armless (because they have broken off, not because the statue was designed that way), Aphrodite is depicted as emerging from the sea which is symbolized by the small dolphin at her feet (the sea creature also doubles as a support for the standing Aphrodite). The marble statue of Aphrodite in the Met hails from the Imperial Roman period and was likely chiseled in the 1st or 2nd century AD. Standing at a height of 62 ½ inches (including the plinth upon which the Aphrodite is situated), the statue is a life-size replica of the Greek statue by Praxiteles, who was the first artist of antiquity to depict the goddess in the nude form (The Met). Because of its iconic imagery and recognizable features throughout the world, the marble statue of Aphrodite was selected for this analysis so as to provide an opportunity to examine this well-known piece more closely.
The marble statue of Aphrodite is of a light color: its material is of white stone all the way around, from head to toe, the entire composition being of one piece. The body of the Aphrodite is erect, with the right leg slightly bent on the knee, giving the Aphrodite its sensuous appeal in much the same way a model of today might bend the knee and incline the leg slightly inward. As the goddess of love, it is highly appropriate that the statue of Venus should be show the goddess exhibiting this sort of profile.
The head of the Aphrodite is turned to her left, giving the viewer a perfect side profile of the face. While the nose has been lost, the face’s smooth, curved, rounded and soft features give the impression of a goddess is so kind, loving, graceful, delicate, and content: her mirthful lips are slightly pursed and turned upwards and the tilt of her body is forward so that if one views the statue from the side, one sees what appears to be Aphrodite hunched at the shoulders as though stepping out of the water where she has been bathing. The expression on her face and the turn of her head suggests that she has been spied by someone. Though the Aphrodite’s arms are missing in the Met’s copy, the Medici Venus is typically depicted as covering her breasts and mons pubis out of a sense of modesty—though her face gives not the least subtle suggestion of embarrassment at being caught in the middle of her bath. On the contrary, the eyes, cheeks and upward lift of the lips, which indicate a self-possessed smile give the viewer the impression that, as the goddess of love, she is perfectly happy and content to inspire adoration from those who have the pleasure of seeing her. For modesty’s sake, however, the Medici Venus is shown to at least be making an effort to cover herself.
The statue is also significant for the realistic form that is given to Aphrodite. Everything is depicted with realistic, life-like precision, from the feet to the calves the legs, thighs, rear, back, torso (with the soft belly of the Venus bunching ever so slightly to give an indication of the goddess’s own delicate love handle), breasts, neck, spine, hair and face. Leaning forward as she is, it is obvious the goddess is depicted in mid-step, caught unawares and now in the act of giving a quick modest maneuver. As Von Bothmer notes, the Greek statue here represented by an unknown Roman artist, is clearly indicative of a beloved goddess of antiquity, one whose beauty was said to be unparalleled by mere mortals—and the statue depicts that quality very well with every line of the Aphrodite accentuating a perfect feminine form and sensual curve.
The object does fit its function. The contrapposto position of the body is meant to win praise for its realistic reflection of the human form; the marble statue of Aphrodite is thus meant to represent the human body in its most perfect, sublime, and supple qualities. The subject of the form—Aphrodite herself—is meant to excite the viewer’s senses. What else would the goddess of love be for? However, Aphrodite was also not one to allow just any stranger to indulge in her beauteous sight. Thus, the statue executes this function perfectly: she is both showing her form and intending to hide it—a perfect illustration of sensuality, flirtatiousness, and charm.
The nude form of the Aphrodite helps to give the viewer a sense of beauty the human form as well: the proportion of the body is perfect and the features of the statue depict a gracious manner that would support the mythological qualities of the goddess. Therefore, the statue could also be said to reinforce the positive themes associated with Aphrodite in the culture of antiquity. The goddess of love is depicted in all her glory but at the same time the statue really represents the human female form, indicating that every woman is like a goddess, as every woman has the same qualities as Aphrodite.
The marble statue of Aphrodite also known as the Medici Venus thus represents the realistic artistic style of the Praxiteles form and heightens the artistic quality and expectations of the master sculptor from that point forward. The purpose of the statue is both to regale and surprise the viewer while also highlighting the skill and talent of the sculptor by showing off how well the human anatomy can be conveyed in stone. The movement of the Aphrodite also helps to convey a narrative—a brief story that depicts a simple moment in time and which also tells a small moral—that of modesty and the need for even goddesses of love to hide themselves from prying eyes, though they may secretly appreciate the attention.


Works Cited
The Met. “Marble statue of Aphrodite.”
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/254697
Von Bothmer, Dietrich. “Greek Marble Sculptures.” Bulletin of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 16.6 (1958): pp. 187, 192.