How was the pose of Venus in The Birth of Venus inspired by ancient sculpture?

The pose of Venus in Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus is widely believed to be inspired by classical statuary, which was highly prized in Florence during the Renaissance.12

Specifically, art historians trace the figure's stance to an ancient statue of Venus Pudica (modest Venus). This type of classical sculpture typically depicts the goddess covering her body with her hands in a gesture of modesty. Botticelli’s adaptation of this pose reflects the era's broader humanist interest in reviving the artistic traditions of classical antiquity and the pursuit of the ideal human form. The painting is considered a significant example of how Renaissance artists integrated ancient sculptural influences into their work to create a new mythological language.3