Venus Genetrix (sculpture)

The Venus Genetrix is a renowned type of statue that depicts the Roman goddess Venus in her role as Genetrix, or mother. This aspect of Venus was particularly revered by the Julio-Claudian dynasty, which claimed Venus as their ancestor. The original statue was created by a Greek sculptor named Arcesilaus and placed in the Temple of Venus Genetrix in Julius Caesar's newly built forum.

Julius Caesar vowed to construct a temple for Venus before the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, underscoring his belief that he was descended from the goddess through the hero Aeneas. This act significantly influenced Roman religion, emphasizing Caesar's exceptional status toward the end of the Roman Republic.

The initial statue of Venus Genetrix, thought to have been crafted by the Athenian sculptor Callimachus, depicted Venus holding the apple from the Judgement of Paris and wearing a revealing chiton. The statue featured a frontal and monumental style, with many Roman replicas adhering to the artistic standards established by the sculptor Polyclitus.

Today, several Roman copies of the Venus Genetrix statue are housed in major museums worldwide, including the Louvre Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Hermitage Museum. One of the most renowned copies, known as the Aphrodite of Fréjus, is considered the finest Roman reproduction of the lost Greek original and is currently displayed in the Louvre after having undergone restoration.

Another copy, now in the Hermitage Museum, was acquired in 1861. This statue has a head that is not original, suggesting it may have originally featured a portrait head, a common practice in Roman sculpture where a separate head could be added. The hairstyle of the statue dates it to the second quarter of the 1st century AD.