Venus pudica pose Symbolism
The Venus pudica pose is a classical motif in which a nude female figure covers her breasts and pubis with her hands, a gesture of modesty that both reveals and withholds the body. Rooted in Greco-Roman sculpture and revived in later European art, it came to signal ideals of refined beauty and chastity while framing the female nude within accepted decorum.
How This Symbol Appears in Our Collection
At present, no artworks in our collection reference the Venus pudica pose. As new works are added, this entry will be updated to discuss specific examples and to note how artists use the gesture’s hand placement and stance to negotiate themes of modesty, idealized beauty, and allegory in different contexts.
Artworks Featuring This Symbol
No artworks available yet.