The bull has been a symbol of virility and male energy since the dawn of civilized and artistic man. The Minoans, the cultural forefathers of the Mycenaean Greeks, adorned their magnificent city of Knossos with more depictions of bulls than any other deity or sacred creature. The bull passed into the hands of Athens, who made it such an overpowering symbol of sexual appeal that Europa was driven into mad lust upon seeing Zeus in its form. As did all art and worship of Greece, the bull was taken into the Roman civilization where the sacrifice of a pure white beast was considered the highest honor one could give to Venus, god of love and lust. It is easy to see why the bull was such an important symbol of power in this vivid and fantastically executed bronze. The shapely muscles of the bull ripple across its powerful back into its stout neck. The frank appearance of his phallus remind us of his masculine vitality and feral purpose. This bull was perhaps a dedication to Venus as thanks for allowing a couple to get pregnant. Or maybe it was a quiet way of commemorating a particularly bullish ability that was seen as a gift from the goddess. Its purpose aside, the artistry and craftsmanship make this bull a joy to behold. In its presence we find ourselves face to face with one of the oldest and most treasured symbols of man at his most basic - (X.0660)

Antiquities
Ancient Roman