For his Neoclassical sculpture of Pauline Borghese Antonio Canova chose to portray Pauline Borghese as Venus Victorious in his Neoclassical sculpture.
For his Neoclassical sculpture of Pauline Borghese, Antonio Canova chose to portray her as Venus Victorious. The sculpture, titled 'Paolina Borghese as Venus Victorious,' depicts Pauline reclining on a couch in a pose of grace and relaxation. Canova's treatment of the marble surface captures the texture of the skin, and the sculpture includes symbols such as an apple in Pauline's hand, representing the Golden Apple of Discord awarded to Venus in a beauty competition in ancient Greece.