Description

Only the upper part of the statuette has been preserved. The goddess is depicted with a naked upper body. The facial expression is determined by large almond-shaped eyes under curved brow arches. The long parted hair is gathered into a bun at the nape of the neck. She wears a tiara over her forehead. In her right hand she holds the end of a breast band, which she presses under her armpit and over her back to her left breast.

In Roman mythology, the goddess Venus embodies female beauty and grace. Her sphere of influence therefore also includes the love that her assistant Armor brings to people by shooting an arrow. The motif of Venus putting on a breast band can be interpreted in an erotic context.

The terracotta was probably created in the important Cologne workshop of Servandus.