Ossip Zadkine - Vénus

1938

97 x 32 x 20 cm

Polished bronze partially patinated

Foundry: Lamy Fondeur, Paris

Provenance:

Mr. Inocente Palacios Caspers, Caracas, Venezuela (acquired directly from the artist)

Private collection, Belgium

This Ossip Zadkine - Vénus sculpture was conceived by Zadkine in 1938 and cast by the Lamy Foundry in Paris.

Ossip Zadkine’s polished bronze Vénus reimagines the classical goddess through a modernist, sculptural language. Rather than presenting the smooth, anatomically precise beauty associated with ancient representations of Venus, Zadkine constructs the figure from angular, interlocking forms influenced by Cubism.

The body appears simultaneously assembled and fragmented, with elongated limbs, faceted planes, and occasional openings that integrate surrounding space into the composition.

The polished bronze surface plays a crucial role in the sculpture’s impact. Its reflective quality catches and diffuses light, lending the figure a sense of warmth and vitality. This smooth finish contrasts with the geometric fragmentation, softening the abstraction and evoking a tactile, almost sensuous presence. The result is a balance between structure and fluidity, where the figure feels both solid and in motion.

Zadkine’s Venus is less about idealized beauty and more about expressing inner energy and transformation. The sculpture suggests that beauty is dynamic and evolving rather than fixed.

By merging classical subject matter with modernist form, Ossip Zadkine creates a work that bridges tradition and innovation, offering a deeply expressive interpretation of the human figure.