A Marble Figure of the Capitoline Aphrodite, Roman Imperial, 1st/2nd Century A.D.

after a late Hellenistic work ultimately inspired by the Aphrodite of Knidos, the goddess standing on an oval base with the weight on her left leg, her hair falling in long wavy curls over the shoulders, the support in the form of Eros riding a dolphin atop a rocky outcrop, the young god grasping the dorsal fin with his left hand, the neck carved for insertion.

French private collection ("Ancienne collection X")
Hôtel Drouot, Paris, Maître Albinet - André Le Véel Expert, Argenterie ancienne du XVIIIe siècle. Faïences anciennes de Delft. Sièges et Meubles du XVIIIe. Importante Commode en laque d'époque Louis XV estampillée de Dubois. Sculpture antiques. Céramique de la Chine. Pierres dures de la Chine, May 4th-5th, 1965, no. 97)
Pierre (1927-2002) and Denise Lévy, Troyes, acquired at the above sale (Boisseau-Pomez SARL, Troyes, Vente Succession Pierre Lévy: Arts Primitifs, Archéologie, Tableaux, February 1st, 2007, no. 362, illus.)

As shown and described, details of feet and support weathered, repaired stress crack through proper right ankle, puntello below breasts restored, area of loss where fingers touched proper left thigh now filled, chip above buttocks now filled, remains of bonding material on broken surface of proper left arm and neck, scattered chips and abrasions with significant chips to edges of base.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Alsatian-born industrialist Pierre Lévy and his wife Denise were known as major art patrons in France in general, and in the city of Troyes in particular, close to which their textile factory (Devanlay) was and still is located. Through a gift of more than 2000 works of art, they made it possible for the city to build a Museum of Modern Art, which opened in 1982. Their collection was exhibited in Paris prior to the opening: Donation Pierre Lévy: February 16th - April 16th, 1978, Orangerie des Tuileries, Paris, 1978. Pierre Lévy published several books on art collecting, among which are Des artistes et un collectionneur (Paris, 1976) et L’art ou l’argent (Paris, 1982).