NATURE IN. THE LOUVRE. 257 
not for some time think of inquiring into material par- 
ticulars. But there is a tablet on the pedestal which 
tells all that is known. This statue is called the ‘ Venus 
Accroupie,’ or Stooping Venus, and was found at Vienne, 
France. The term ‘ Venus’ is conveutional, merely 'to 
indicate a female form of remarkable beauty, for there 
is nothing in the figure to answer to what one usually 
understands as the attributes of the goddess. It is simply 
awoman stooping to take a child pick-a-back, the child’s 
little hand remaining upon the back, just as it was 
placed, in the act of clinging. Both arms are missing, 
and there appears to be some dispute as to the exact 
way in which they were bent across the body. The 
right arm looks as if it had passed partly under the left 
breast, the fingers resting on the left knee, which is 
raised ; while the left arm was uplifted to maintain the 
balance. The shoulders are massive rather than broad, 
and do not overshadow the width of the hips. The right 
knee is rounded, because it is bent; the lIcft knee less 
so, because raised. Bending the right knee has the 
effect of slightly widening the right thigh. The right 
knee is very noble, bold in its slow curve, strong and — 
beautiful. 
Known of course to students, this wonderful work 
seems quite overlooked by the mass of visitors to the 
Louvre, and its fame has not spread. Few have even 
heard its name, for it has not been written and lectured 
into the popular mind like the Venus de Medici. While 
I was studying it several hundred visitors went straight 
past, without so much as a casual glance, on their way 
direct to the Venus of Milo, of which they had read in 
their guide-books, and of which they had seen splendid 
photographs in every window. One came along, on the 
contrary, very slowly, carefully examining the inscrip- 
; $ 
