The present standing Venus and Cupid is inspired by the Antique, in particular the Hermes with the infant Dionysos of Olympia. This fine miniature group may well have been part of the terracottas Gott produced in Rome, as may have been the case with the Kneeling Nymph. This subject, however, is more probably a creation of Gott's. The subject of animals was very much Gott's favourite speciality. He is recorded to have been making groups of playful dogs in his studio in Rome. As in the above two figural models, Gott's dogs were also dependent upon the Antique, in particular the Antique groups in the Sala degli Animali in the Vatican Museum. Gott appears to have worked these animal works from life and was able to exploit the theme with consumate skill and liveliness. The present two groups of greyhounds may be the ones listed in the Walker Art Gallery catalogue (op. cit., nos. G108 & G109) which were sold at Sotheby's 27 June 1958, but have since been untraced. All the terracotta models included in this sale are interesting additions to Gott's exquisite talent as a modeller in terracotta, and fine examples of English early 19th Century sculpture.