Venus Returns to Arles

The Venus of Arles, a Roman marble statue discovered in 1651, has returned to the city of Arles after a 200-year absence. The statue, dating from the 1st century BCE and believed to be a copy of Praxiteles' Aphrodite of Thespiae, was originally housed in the Musée de l'Arles antique but was moved to the Louvre in 1802 by Napoleon. The return is part of a long-term loan agreement between the Louvre and the city of Arles, facilitated by the Musée de l'Arles antique. The statue will be displayed in a new exhibition space dedicated to it, opening on June 12, 2026. The loan is seen as a cultural and touristic boost for Arles, which has been investing in its heritage. The Venus of Arles joins other notable returns of artworks to their places of origin, reflecting a broader trend in cultural heritage repatriation.