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Bust of the Medici Venus: MAR.C.30-1912

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Current Location: In storage

Titles

Bust of the Medici Venus

Maker(s)

Factory: Turner

Entities

Categories

Description

Off-white stoneware with slight sheen and traces of gilding, supported on a black basalt socle

Off-white stoneware with slight sheen and traces of gilding over much of the surface, supported on a black basalt socle, which is closed underneath and has a large circular ventilation hole in the middle. The name VENUS is impressed into the back and gilded. The rectangular socle is decorated on three sides and plain on the back. The lower edge is decorated in relief with Greek key pattern, with a row of beading above. The upper part of its sides are decorated with downward pointing leaves.The platform on which the bust rests has beading round the top edge, and below, upward pointing leaves, and a border of semi-circular motifs.

Notes

History note: Unknown before C.B. Marlay, St Katherine's Lodge, Regents Park, London

Legal notes

C.B. Marlay Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 47.8 cm
Height: 18 ¾ in

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1912) by Marlay, Charles Brinsley

Dating

18th Century, Late-19th Century, Early
George III
Production date: circa AD 1800

Note

In the 18th and 19th centuries the Medici Venus (Venus de'Medici) in the Uffizi in Florence was probably the best-known and most copied classical marble after the Apollo Belvedere.

School or Style

Neoclassical

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Bust composed of stoneware ( off-white with slight sheen) Width 10 ¾ in
Socle composed of black basalt Depth 11.8 cm Width 18.7 cm

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: VENUS
  • Location: On back of bust
  • Method of creation: Impressed in a rectangular stamp and gilded
  • Type: Inscription
  • Text: TURNER
  • Location: Close to the back edge of base of socle
  • Method of creation: Impressed
  • Type: Mark

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: MAR.C.30-1912
Primary reference Number: 77362

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 30 April 2024

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 (2025) "Bust of the Medici Venus" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/77362 Accessed: 2025-12-05 06:38:35

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/77362 |title=Bust of the Medici Venus |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 06:38:35|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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