Praxiteles' Statue of Aprhodite, 4th Century B.C.E.

Chapter 4: From the Classical to the Hellenistic World (400 -30 B.C.E)

"The fourth century B.C.E. Athenian sculptor Praxiteles excelled at carving stone to resemble flesh and producing perfect surfaces, which he had a painter make lively with color. His masterpiece was the Aphrodite made for the city-state of Cnidos in Southwestern Anatolia; the original is lost, but many Hellenistic-era copies like this one were made. Praxiteles was the first to show the goddess of love nude, and rumor said his lover was the model. Given that there was a long tradition of nude male statues, why do you think it took until the Hellenistic era period for Greek sculptors to produce female nudes?" - Pg. 130

This particular sculpture of Aphrodite, shows a great deal of realism of the female body. She has curves, and folds that a normal person would have. Praxiteles was known for creating pieces that showed realistic portrayals. Many Greek artists during this time showcased this skill, which is something other time periods hadn't been able to achieve before. In the Greek time period, art started to become less realistic, and focus instead on ideal body types. These types included highly defined muscles of the legs, arms, and chest, but were mostly found in sculptures of men. Women were still idolized for having a "womanly body," with curves, breasts, and a less muscular form. Women were seen as mothers, and wives, not athletes, or having a position of power like a man would. Aphrodite was the goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, and before this sculpture had been made, was never picture nude. Praxiteles portrayed her nude, which only furthered the allure of this particular female deity.

#Aphrodite #GreekEmpire #Praxiteles #NudeStatue