On This Day In History: Statue Of Venus de Milo Is Discovered On The Aegean Island Of Milos – On Apr 8, 1820

MessageToEagle.com – On April 8, 1820, the Greek farmer Yorgos Kentrotas stumbled across a damaged statue inside a buried niche within the ancient city ruins of Milos, the current village of Tripiti, on the island of Milos (also Melos, or Milo) in the Aegean, which was then a part of the Ottoman Empire.

The statue was found in pieces but it was identified as a representation of Venus and in 1821, it became a gift of the Marquis de Rivière to Louis XVIII (1755–1824, king of France and the first ruler of the restored monarchy following the French Revolution.

The king donated it to the Louvre Museum in 1821.

Today, Venus de Milo (also known as Aphrodite of Milos) represents one of the most iconic works of art in the world.

It was carved from marble by Alexandros, a sculptor of Antioch on the Maeander River between 130 and 100 BC.

An inscription that is not displayed with the statue states that “Alexandros, son of Menides, citizen of Antioch of Maeander made the statue.”

In spite of lacking attributes, the size and the attitude of this marble statue allow its identification as a goddess Aphrodite, often represented half nude.

However, the fact that the statue was discovered on the island of Melos, has led some to think she may be Amphitrite, the Greek goddess of the sea, venerated on the island of Melos.

Though it was reconstructed to a standing posture, the statue’s arms were never found.

The general composition derives from a 4th-century-BC Corinthian statue and the artifact is an example of the Hellenistic sculptural tradition.

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