Crouching Venus

The goddess of love is shown preparing for the bath. Crouched, she turns her head toward the viewer, as if she knows she is being watched, and attempts to cover herself with her arms. This composition, which originated in ancient Greece, has been admired since its inception, as demonstrated by innumerable copies, from ancient Rome and the Renaissance to the neoclassical period. The goddess’s natural pose offered an ingenious way to reveal the physical beauty of the female form, while implying modesty. This small version would have been a fashionable decoration in a private library or gallery.