FRENCH SCHOOL, CIRCA 1700

The reputation of the Venus de' Medici is such that, today, she is probably the most famous image of all antique marbles. Its composition is drawn from the Aphrodite of Knidos created by the 4th Century B.C. Greek sculptor Praxiteles, as the absolute ideal of feminine beauty both in bodily form and pose. Although first documented in 1638, when she was recorded in a book of engravings of the most beautiful antique statues in Rome, the Venus was almost certainly known in the 16th century (Haskell and Penny, loc. cit.). Originally housed in the Villa Medici, the marble was transferred to Florence in 1677, and by 1688 had taken pride of place in the Tribuna of the Uffizi. When Napoleon's armies were threatening Italy, it was among the treasures moved to the south of Italy for safety, but it was eventually claimed by the French and was shipped to Paris where it remained between 1803 and 1815. After Napoleon's defeat, it was returned to the Tribuna, where it remains today.
The fame and popularity of the sculpture created a high demand for copies to adorn grand houses and gardens. One such admirer was Louis XIV who is recorded as having commissioned at least five versions: four in marble by sculptors Carlier, Clérion, Coysevox and Frémery and one in bronze cast by the Keller brothers. Of the marble versions, the Clérion is now housed in the Château de Versailles (Hoog, loc. cit.) and the Frémery stands in the gardens outside, whereas the other two have yet to be located. Three more currently unlocated versions of the Venus de' Medici were also recorded at the Château de Marly, Louis XIV’s smaller, more private residence close to Versailles. It has been suggested that, given the exceptional quality and finish of the present lot, it may be one of the lost marbles from the group executed for Louis XIV to decorate his royal residences.