Venus de Milo

The Venus de Milo is next to the Laocoön group and the Nike of Samothrace, one of the most famous examples of Hellenistic art.

It was built around 100 BC and was discovered on April 8, 1820 farmers Georgios Kentrotas on the Cycladic island of Milos in the vicinity of the ruins of a Greek theater. He was in search of stones as building material. When he discovered made ​​marble and the statue, he called some French, who were in search of ancient finds. The farmer, the outstanding discovery was not aware of the French gave him some pieces of money.

The Marquis de Rivière, then ambassador in Constantinople Opel, it was possible through his contacts to acquire the statue of France. After some confusion, the statue should be transported first to Constantinople Opel, but this did the French to prevent in time. The marquis gave the Venus then the then French King Louis XVIII. This they had erected in the Louvre in Paris, where the statue is still located.

The sculpture is made of marble from the quarries of the Cycladic island of Paros and symbolizes the ideal of female beauty. Therefore, it was named after the Roman goddess Venus. Since Venus is actually the Roman equivalent of the Greek Aphrodite, the statue is also known as "Aphrodite of Melos (Milos ) ". However, it is only assumed that it is a depiction of a Goddess or other mythological figure.

The name of the artist who created this work of art is not known.