Venus and Cupid
Unknown · Roman imperial period
Venus stands with her weight on one leg, naked to the hips, a mantle gathered around her lower body and falling in a heavy mass that also serves as a support. Beside her, a small winged Cupid looks up at his mother. The goddess's body is carved in a coarse, sparkling marble, and if you look closely you will see that the little Cupid, the head of Venus and both her arms are of a different, whiter stone. They are modern additions: when the statue came to light, the head, arms and the entire figure of Cupid were missing, and a restorer supplied them so that the group could be displayed as complete.
The ancient core is a Roman work of the imperial period, one of the many variations on the half-draped Venus that decorated villas and baths. Its early history is not recorded. It was seized during the Revolution and arrived at the Louvre in 1801, and it is shown here, in the former riding hall of the palace, among other antiquities whose modern restorations are part of their story.
Did You Know? The whole figure of Cupid is a modern addition; only the draped body of Venus is ancient.
Unlock the Full Guide
Read every room and listen to every work in all museums with premium.