God-dess Art of Ancient Rome —
Venus
This gallery features the famous Venus de Milo, a sculpture that has captivated world attention
ever since its discovery on the Greek island of Mêlos in 1820 (the statue's name means Venus of Mêlos).
What you may not know is that while its artistic beauty is undisputed, the story behind its origin is.
Part of that must include why a Greek statue bears the name of a Roman goddess and not Aphrodite
(Venus's Greek counterpart). The rest of the controversy centers around date, name of sculptor, and even ownership
of the beloved statue, now on display in the Louvre, in Paris, France.
Whatever the truth behind this masterwork, one thing is certain: France, which purchased the statue for
1,000 francs, or in the words of a Smithsonian Magazine article,
"about the cost, in those days, of a nice herd of goats", got the steal of the century.
Not bad for a woman with no arms.
For more on the controversy, visit
Smithsonian Magazine
and Greek Works.
Some items courtesy of:
http://vroma.org
The last item is a modern reproduction courtesy of and ©:
Sculpture Gallery
(item may be available for purchase — visit the link above)
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