Bust of Minerva

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White marble bust of Roman goddess Minerva, wearing a plumed helmet with chain mail draped over a flowing garment gathered at the neck and clasped with two cords at her waist. Her gaze is directed to her left and slightly upwards, radiating an air of intelligence and strategic acumen. The base, intricately carved in one piece with the bust, boasts inverted volutes and a delicate shell motif. Crafted in Venice, Italy, this masterpiece showcases Minerva's attributes as the Roman goddess of wisdom and warfare, patron deity of arts, trade, and strategy. Born from the head of Jupiter, fully armed and clad in armor, she embodies the fusion of masculinity and femininity. Despite donning a masculine helmet, her figure remains voluptuous and adorned with long hair, characteristic of women from 18th-century Europe. This artwork exemplifies the neoclassical movement, as Minerva is depicted wearing a draped dress reminiscent of ancient styles. Her presence invites us to explore the intersection of art, history, and culture. Tommaso Rues created this stunning piece, titled 'Minerva', circa 1680s. It is now part of the Waddesdon collection at National Trust, where it has been displayed since its allocation in 1963 under accession number 3647. The image is provided courtesy of Eost & Macdonald and is licensed under Creative Commons agreement CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.