Isn’t she lovely? The Venus Sculpture stands here a figure of grace. She offers a glimpse into myths of love and beauty.
This Venus Sculpture is not just a statue. It is a modern echo of ancient stories. The statues known as Mariblanca are female figures of uncertain origin. They may relate to the fertility goddesses Venus or Fortuna.
The name Mariblanca is common in Spanish. It relates to a statue purchased in 1625. A Florentine merchant, Ludovico Turchi, bought it. It was a gift to crown the lost Fountain of Faith in Madrid. The fountain once stood on the church of Good Faith. This church was formerly in the Puerta del Sol. Now, the Venus Sculpture is the only remaining piece of this fountain.
Many copies and similar statues are called Mariblanca. Their origin is uncertain. They might relate to religious anxieties. These anxieties involve idolatry. They concern pagan representations of purity, fertility, and grace. These representations differ from those of the Virgin Mary. Mariblanca is also a female Christian name.
Consider Venus herself, or Aphrodite. She is the goddess of love in Greco-Roman mythology. She was born from the foam of the sea of Cyprus. Uranus’ genitals fertilized the foam. His son Cronus (Saturn) threw them there after castrating him. Aphrodite is the “Mistress of the smile”. She is also the “braider of deceptions”.
During the trial of Paris, goddesses Hera and Athena were powerless. They stood against Venus’ seductive beauty. She protected Troy and Prince Paris. Later, she protected the Trojan hero Aeneas. He was the son of Anchises. He was the symbolic founder of Rome. Venus also represents fecundity in plants and animals. The dove is her bird. Her son is Eros. He is the Latin Cupid. He is a capricious archer. He has two arrows. One is for happy loves. The other is for unhappy ones.
This reproduction is made in lost wax cast bronze. It has an aged patina finish. It stands 24 cm high. It is 12 cm wide and 6 cm deep.
Look closely at the details of the Venus Sculpture. See how the bronze captures a timeless beauty. This statue links us to centuries of art and mythology. It reminds us of Madrid’s rich past. It is a celebration of beauty. It’s a legacy of legends. It’s all captured in bronze.