Comparing The Greek Bronze Statue Of Aphrodite With Silver Eyes

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The Greek “Bronze Statue of Aphrodite with Silver Eyes” was originally created in the 3rd to 1st century B.C.E., during the Hellenistic period, by an unknown artist. It was cast in bronze and can now be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, New York. The statue is only 8 ¼” tall, or 20.9 cm. The Goddess is shown as nude, as was typical for the Hellenistic period for the Greek Goddesses. Aphrodite is shown holding an apple in her hand with her body in contrapposto and the same side the weight is shifted towards the head is turned looking at the apple in her right hand as she seems to be contemplating the gift she has just received. The apple that Aphrodite is holding in her hand was given to her by the Trojan Prince, Paris, for being the most beautiful Goddess. In exchange for Paris claiming her to be the most beautiful Goddess, Aphrodite gave Paris the most beautiful woman in the world, Hellen of Sparta, daughter of Zeus, who was married to King Menelaus (Martin). Aphrodite holding and looking at the apple presented in her hand is very common of the Hellenistic period because she is interacting with her environment. By looking down at the apple the artist wanted to portray that she is thinking about the gift that she has just been given. The sculpture is freestanding, as you can …show more content…

For the Hellenistic period this image is exceptionally idealized, as it represents the perfect female figure in society at the time. Because Aphrodite was the Goddess of love and beauty the way that she is portrayed in this piece is a representation of the qualities which she is the patron for – curves, nudity (beauty), and the pubic triangle (fertility). While her right hand is holding the apple she is using her other hand to reach for the piece of cloth that appears to be falling or sliding off of her, which can be a portrayal of

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