Minneapolis Institute of Art
Crouching Venus
FranceLinkedCulture matchlcp-b9a04028db62
- Date
- c. 1780–1800
- Medium
- Bronze
- Department
- European Art
- Institution
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Object ID
- 11712
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. France, Europe
The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Get printable QR codesHide QR codes
Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.
Provenance & credit
As published by the source institution. Coverage varies — not every institution's open-data feed includes ownership history.
- Credit line
- Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Minneapolis Institute of Art and other institutions.