Fun fact: whenever marble displays yellow/brown-colored stains like those above, it’s the result of the marble absorbing oils.
From human hands.
Meaning that over the centuries, people have been grabbing this statue’s boobs.
Oh.
Gross. Although I can’t help thinking of bongo drums.
it’s actually mostly women who touch the breasts! i’d hardly say it’s #bad people like your tag alludes… many of them cannot conceive children, and touching the breasts of a statue is a custom that is believed to grant fertility, along with other things. it is not a sexual act, it is almost a form of prayer or worship, especially in statues of saints.
i suck at IDing statues, so i can’t name this one specifically, but there are many other statues with wear and beliefs centered around them. the statue of a knight, guidarello guidarelli, is often kissed on the lips under the belief that it will allow a woman to be lucky in love or find a husband that year. there’s a statue of juliet where touching her right breast will give someone good luck in their love life, as well.
one of the most famous statues for this is the statue at victor noir’s grave:
i mean, the dude’s dead and shot but people rub his dick and kiss his lips for good sex lives, it’s not exactly for the statue itself being sexy or hot or irresistible. it’s just a custom/tradition found in a few cultures.
