The Venus Callipyge at The Louvre, Paris

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The Venus Callipyge, also known as Aphrodite Kallipygos or the Callipygian Venus, literally meaning "Venus of the beautiful buttocks", is an Ancient Roman marble statue thought to be a copy of an older Greek original. In an example of anasyrma, it depicts a partially draped woman raising her light peplos to uncover her hips and buttocks and looking back over her shoulder, perhaps evaluating them. The subject is conventionally identified as Venus, though equally could be a portrait of a mortal woman. The marble statue existing today dates to the late 1st century BC. The lost Greek original on which it is based is thought to have been bronze, executed around 300 BC at the beginning of the Hellenistic era. The provenance of the marble copy is unknown but it was rediscovered in the early modern era missing its head. The head was restored first in the 16th century and again in the 18th century with the sculptor following the earlier restoration closely; the restored head looks over the shoulder drawing further attention to the statue's bare buttocks, contributing to its popularity. In the 17th and 18th centuries the statue was identified as Venus associated with a temple to Aphrodite Kallipygos at Syracuse discussed by Athenaeus in his Deipnosophists. The statue was copied several times including by Jean-Jacques Clérion and François Barois which was made during his residence at the French Academy in Rome, 1683-86. It was sent to Versailles then to Marly-le-Roi in 1695 where it was provided with additional marble draperies by Jean Thierry not to offend an increasingly prudish public taste; it remained at Marly until the original when it found its way to the Jardin des Truileries and Louvre. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for public access free. Scan the World is an open source community effort if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.