The Venus of Arles

A full-size statue of the 1st century Greek Venus which was discovered in 1651 in the Roman Theatre at Arles made by the 'Ateliers du Louvre'  (the Louvre Museum's workshops), the reinforced plaster statue with an encaustic wax patination made to closely resemble pure white, antique marble. In 1681 the city of Arles gifted this statue to King Louis XIV for display in his Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. The king had it restored to its present state and it is now on permanent display inside the Louvre Museum. The rear of this statue is stamped by the "Ateliers du Louvre". Area of Paris, circa 1950.