Venus and Cupid with a dolphin

Venus is shown standing on a shell with Cupid at her side. This piece is close in style to the work of Giambologna, in particular Venus's sinuous, twisting pose.The present ivory probably dates however from the mid-nineteenth century, and although inspired by Giambologna, the small proportion of Venus’s head, her facial features, and elongated torso, as well as the somewhat awkward pose of the Cupid, suggest a French or Belgian origin.