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Bust after the Medici Venus: M.2-2021

Object information

Current Location: Gallery 7 (Courtauld)

Titles

Bust after the Medici Venus

Maker(s)

Sculptor: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Bronze, cast, chased nad patinated

Bronze, cast, chased and patinated. Bust of a woman, facing left, with drapery, after the Medici Venus.

Legal notes

From the collection of Martin and Katharine Brunt. Accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Fitzwilliam, 2021.

Measurements and weight

Depth: 27 cm
Height: 68 cm
Width: 50 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Florence ⪼ Italy

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Allocated (2021-05-10) by H.M. Government

Dating

Circa 1700 - Circa 1750

Note

Probably made for a collector interested in classical antiquities, this bust is based on the Medici Venus, a 1st-century BCE life-size marble statue of Aphrodite, goddess of love. Considered from the later 1500s as the epitome of female beauty, the Medici Venus was frequently copied, normally as full-length reductions. Unusual in being full-size and incorporating drapery, this bust may have been displayed alongside some genuine ancient bronze or marble statues, in a grandiose entrance hall or library.

Materials used in production

Bronze

Techniques used in production

Patinated
Cast (process)
Chased

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.2-2021
Primary reference Number: 288397
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Wednesday 2 June 2021 Updated: Thursday 12 October 2023 Last processed: Thursday 12 October 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Bust after the Medici Venus" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/288397 Accessed: 2024-11-22 00:27:27

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/288397 |title=Bust after the Medici Venus |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 00:27:27|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-288397

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