The statue of Aphrodite
This statue in Parian marble, discovered in 1878 at the Palatine Stadium, has been associated with the “Hera Borghese” sculpture type, which generally indicates a female figure leaning forward with the left leg, wearing a long chiton and himation wrapped around the left shoulder. In this statue type scholars have often recognized Aphrodite, or Venus to the Romans.
This statue in particular is renowned for the fine modelling of its drapery, which creates depth and produces strong contrasts between areas of light and shadow. An example is the multitudes of folds created by the chiton, worn as an undergarment, as it falls between the goddess’s feet, and the way that it clings to her legs. Replicated numerous times, the figure held a dish in her left hand and a sceptre in the right. On display at the Palatine Museum.