Venus in a shell

A sculpture in white Carrara marble depicting naked Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, reclining in a shell supported by a dolphin. Her posture is both sensual and calm, her supple body leaning back while her head rests gently on her shoulder, expressing a natural elegance imbued with serenity.

The shell, symbolic of the birth of Venus, is carefully sculpted to evoke the legend of the goddess rising from the waves. The dolphin, a marine creature, supports the shell, symbolising its link with the sea. This detail further anchors the work in classical iconography of Venus, often associated with the sea and aquatic elements.

The sculpture rests on a twisted, pivoting column of green serpentine marble, giving an impression of upward movement. The composition of the work is in keeping with a neo-classical aesthetic.

French work from the late 19th century, circa 1880-1890.