Venus de Milo

Discovered in 1820 on the island of Milo in Greece, this divine effigy fascinates by its grace and the mystery surrounding its interpretation. Is it Amphitrite, goddess of the sea worshipped on this island?

She is associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and sexuality (Venus, in Latin mythology). She is often depicted naked and anadyomena, i.e. "surprised out of the bath".

In 1820, a Greek peasant came across several pieces of ancient marble that the French state bought from him. Once assembled, the pieces formed the Venus of Milo, a splendid work without arms.

To find out why her arms have never been restored, listen to the audio guide!

This lack of arms is a problem. Without those, it is impossible to establish the identity of this woman. Was she holding a bow like Diane the huntress? Or a child, a jug, a fruit?

An enigmatic Aphrodite Aphrodite's attributes are the dove, the swan and the myrtle, a tree dedicated to her. The goddess is usually depicted naked. In the absence of any evidence other than her semi-nudity, this marble woman was named the Venus de Milo.

In 1826, historian James Millingen compared the Venus of Milo with the Venus of Capua (Naples Museum). He found similarities between the Venus of Capua and a coin from the city of Corinth representing a goddess holding a shield at arm's length.

Another historian, Furtwängler, later demonstrated that the posture of the outstretched arms is characteristic of the cult statues created in the 4th century BC for the temple of Aphrodite on the acropolis of Corinth, relying on a Greek poem mentioning Aphrodite using the shield of Ares to look at herself.

A delicate beauty The nakedness of this goddess contrasts with the shadow and light effects of the drape. She is a goddess who touches nothing and remains untouchable forever. But did you know that Venus was hiding a message in her bosom? Listen to the audio guide to unlock this secret!

Text: Smartify