Aphrodite of Melos (Venus Di Milo)
Vera Feng
AP Art History
Thursday, October 2, 2014 Today, the famous Hellenistic sculpture of a goddess half-heartedly holding her garment over her hips sits in the Louvre. Although first thought to be carved by Praxiteles, the beloved Aphrodite of Melos (Venus Di Milo), dated ca. 150-125 BCE, is now understood to have been created by Alexandros of Antioch. This beautiful marble sculpture hails from Melos, Greece. Although a large part of this piece’s fame can be attributed to French propaganda, the mystery of her now missing arms, her unprecedented eroticism, and the energy of her form truly make her an engaging Hellenistic piece. Her predecessor, Praxiteles’ Aphrodite of Knidos from the Late Classical Era marked a turning point in Greek art as one of the first nude sculpture of respectable female figure: the goddess. …show more content…
To start, this sculpture retains a softness in the goddess’ form, her hair, and in her eroticism. The subtleness of her curves, and especially the Classical exaggerated S-curve of her spine, the roundness of her cheeks, and her plump lips give her marble surfaces the illusion of human skin. In addition, the folds near her armpit and the way different parts of her stomach that protrude also show her as if frozen mid-breath. In addition, the drapery’s ruffled texture strongly contrasts with the smooth surfaces of the sculpture’s skin as it bunches up most at her hips. Although not as revealing as the wet drapery found in the Nike Adjusting Her Sandal relief sculpture from the Temple of Athena, Aphrodite’s garment hugs her form and encourages viewers to look at her from all angles with its spiral like lines. However, unlike Aphrodite, the Nike sculpture does not show the same level of eroticism as the Nike does not attempt to conceal herself in
Vera Feng
AP Art History
Thursday, October 2, 2014 Today, the famous Hellenistic sculpture of a goddess half-heartedly holding her garment over her hips sits in the Louvre. Although first thought to be carved by Praxiteles, the beloved Aphrodite of Melos (Venus Di Milo), dated ca. 150-125 BCE, is now understood to have been created by Alexandros of Antioch. This beautiful marble sculpture hails from Melos, Greece. Although a large part of this piece’s fame can be attributed to French propaganda, the mystery of her now missing arms, her unprecedented eroticism, and the energy of her form truly make her an engaging Hellenistic piece. Her predecessor, Praxiteles’ Aphrodite of Knidos from the Late Classical Era marked a turning point in Greek art as one of the first nude sculpture of respectable female figure: the goddess. …show more content…
To start, this sculpture retains a softness in the goddess’ form, her hair, and in her eroticism. The subtleness of her curves, and especially the Classical exaggerated S-curve of her spine, the roundness of her cheeks, and her plump lips give her marble surfaces the illusion of human skin. In addition, the folds near her armpit and the way different parts of her stomach that protrude also show her as if frozen mid-breath. In addition, the drapery’s ruffled texture strongly contrasts with the smooth surfaces of the sculpture’s skin as it bunches up most at her hips. Although not as revealing as the wet drapery found in the Nike Adjusting Her Sandal relief sculpture from the Temple of Athena, Aphrodite’s garment hugs her form and encourages viewers to look at her from all angles with its spiral like lines. However, unlike Aphrodite, the Nike sculpture does not show the same level of eroticism as the Nike does not attempt to conceal herself in