I spied this statue in the courtyard of a palazzo in the Jewish Ghetto area of Rome one afternoon as we were walking back from Isola Tiberina. The gate to the courtyard was open, so we just walked in - no idea what the etiquette is, but there was no one around, and the building, like many other palazzi, seems to have been converted into flats, so I guess it's like wandering into the common area of any similar area of housing. Not really encouraged, but as long as you don't cause any trouble it's probably not of much concern to anyone.
She looks like a Venus to me - reminiscent of Boticelli's Venus, especially with the shell motif above her head and her long, flowing hair. I've no idea whose work she is, and a Google search hasn't shed any light. There are many courtyards like this in Rome, mostly hidden behind massive wooden doors, and next time I visit I'm going to take more time to peek in through the shadows wherever I can.
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