Statue of the Aphrodite of Knidos

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

This statue was inspired by the most famous Greek sculpture of a goddess, the Aphrodite of Knidos. Carved by the sculptor Praxiteles in the 4th century B.C. from fine marble, it enjoyed great renown as the first devotional statue of a female goddess in the nude. It produced an immediate sensation when it was installed in a sacred precinct on the island of Knidos, and, centuries later, it inspired Roman artists to re-create the celebrated image of the goddess. Although the earlier Greek sculpture no longer exists, Roman statues such as this inform us of its likely appearance. However, the function of these later Roman versions was fundamentally different from that of the earlier Greek work: what had once been an object of veneration among the Greeks became a favorite garden ornament for wealthy Romans. Adapted for such a use, the badly marred surface of the statue is the result of prolonged exposure to the elements.

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