Panel of Venus, “Pudica Type”

In contrast to earlier Mediterranean depictions of powerful female deities, post-Christian Mediterranean images of divine femininity were modest. Figures like the one in this panel covered their breasts and vulva, unlike earlier figurines that emphasized sexuality and the female anatomy. The Venus pudica posture, in which the goddess covers her breasts and mons, was heavily adopted and remained popular after the advent of Christianity.

Descriptions of figures like this one often regard them as naked, underscoring the shift towards naturalistic depiction and its tendency to carry morals about the body. For the female form, shame associated with nudity arises in the pudica pose.

Plaque