![]() 204cm), the statue can be described as a larger-than-life-size one. Measuring at 6 meters and a half in height (i.e. ![]() The monument originated from the Greek island of Milos, often spelled Melos. Characteristics of the StatueĪ statue was sculpted out of marble, representing a figure with a nude chest and linen hanging around the legs. Because of the naming dispute between the Greeks and the Romans, the statue is also known as Aphrodite Venus de Milo. Aphrodite de Milos literally means “Aphrodite of Milos,” thus it’s probable that’s how the statue was initially interpreted. However, the Greek name Aphrodite, which is more synonymous with the concept of love, was ultimately favored over its Roman analogue. Since the famous Louvre Museum in Paris wanted to make up for the famous Italian sculptures that had been forced returned to Italy, they gave the statue the Roman name Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty. The answer can be found in the hands of Venus de Milo, which are unfortunately no longer in existence. The statue was unearthed on the island of Milos, hence the name “de Milo,” which translates to “of Milos.” The real mystery lies in determining if the statue represents Venus or not. The question “Who is Venus de Milo?” has a relatively easy answer, but the real story behind the statue sometimes referred to as “the goddess without arms” is much more complicated. The Identity and Meaning of Venus de Milo What else is known about the Venus de Milo? And how did the statue lose its arms?īelow, WHE unravels the mystery surrounding the marble statue’s origin and discovery. There are some scholars that believe that the figure of the statue is rather a depiction of Amphitrite, the Greek goddess of the sea. the Graeco-Egyptian period).Ĭreated sometime between 150 and 125 BC, the Venus de Milo is universally recognized as one of the greatest works of art ever created. The Aphrodite of Milos, often called Venus de Milo or just the Venus statue, is one example of such amazing works created during the Hellenistic period (i.e. Sculpture is the primary medium through which these artists’ legacies have survived. The ancient Greeks laid the groundwork for the creative technique we know today through their detailed anatomical studies and naturalistic representations of the human form. (Also missing now is the metal jewelry scholars say decorated the statue’s arms, head and ears in ancient times, as well as the colored paint on its face, hair and drapery.) Speculation remains about the Venus de Milo’s original pose, although evidence suggests its once held an apple in its left hand.Created sometime between 150 and 125 BC, the Venus de Milo is universally recognized as one of the greatest works of art ever created. But, in fact, most scholars today believe the sculpture’s arms already were missing when it was found by Voutier and the farmer. Originally carved in two blocks of marble then fitted together, the statue stands 6 feet 7 inches from head to toe and is the creation of an artist named Alexandros of Antioch, about whom little is known.Īs for the Venus de Milo’s missing limbs, there long have been claims they were broken off in 1820 during a fight on the shore of Melos, as French and Turkish sailors vied for possession of the artwork. Now, however, the Venus de Milo is thought to have been produced around 100 B.C., during a later period known as the Hellenistic age. The Louvre initially promoted the Venus de Milo as a masterpiece from the Greek classical era. It arrived in France in 1821 and was presented to Louis XVIII, who donated it to the Louvre Museum, where it remains today. Voutier told his superiors about the discovery and the French acquired the artwork, which came to be known as the Venus de Milo, for a relatively modest sum. ![]() Recognizing the statue as potentially significant, the Frenchman, with the farmer’s help, unearthed its lower half not far away. Upon investigating, Voutier learned the farmer had located the top half of a statue of a woman. ![]() While digging near the ruins of an ancient theater, Voutier noticed that a local farmer, who’d been removing stones from a nearby wall for use as building materials, seemed to have found something inside the wall. An ensign in the French navy, Olivier Voutier, whose ship was anchored in the harbor at Melos, decided to kill time one day by going ashore and searching for antiquities. The artwork was discovered in 1820 on the Aegean island of Melos (also called Milos). One of the most famous examples of ancient Greek sculpture, the Venus de Milo is immediately recognizable by its missing arms and popularly believed to represent Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, who was known to the Romans as Venus. ![]()
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