Torso of a Woman

Even without her head, limbs, or additional attributes, the nudity of this female statuette connects her to Aphrodite, goddess of love, or Venus, her Roman parallel. Female nudity was first realized in large scale in the mid-300s BC by the famous Athenian artist Praxiteles (395-330 BC), whose sculpture of Aphrodite was prominently displayed in a shrine in the city of Knidos (in present-day Turkey). For centuries thereafter, the female nude became a great favorite for Greek and Roman artists. The tradition continued into modern times, leading some to question the ancient origins of this sculpture.

Credit: Gift of Mrs. George D. Pratt