Winged Victory Of Samothrace

In reading more about the Winged Victory of Samothrace, I was able to learn about the Greek goddess after which the statue is created. Victory was a goddess that would appear after a great triumph, whether it be athletic or war based. Upon her arrival she would bear a wreath, trumpet, or fillet to the conquerors. In return, wine, or milk would be offered to the goddess as a libation. This statue is extremely complex, and in reading about it I learned a great deal about how difficult it would be to create such a piece. The Victory goddess was made of several pieces of Parian marble. The wings were inserted into the back of the statue using cantilevering, a method which allowed the wings, being large and heavy, to be balanced by the body of the
angel using no visible supports. This in itself proves the artistic merit of this piece, considering this method had only been used primarily for brass works. The pedestal, made of a darker gray Rhodian marble, on which the goddess is composed upon, is astounding in itself. I am amazed at how mathematically complex it is.
Each of the blocks that establish this piece had to be placed just so in order to create balance so the entire statue does not topple over. At the same time, by using counterbalancing weight, the blocks in the back of the statue were able to lift the front of the prow so it appeared more realistic. The drapery created upon this figure is so realistic. It is crafted to make the pieces look nearly transparent over the navel and the left thigh, but billowing at the hips and over the right leg; I believe this is another artistic feat. This depiction of Victory seems to be as though she is landing on the ship, with her body gliding forward and her wings pulling backward. This beautiful, monumental statue is believed to represent the goddess Victory coming down from the heavens to congratulate the conquerors in a naval battle, often times Victory is depicted bringing an offering of a wreath, trumpet, or a fillet, but discoveries of her right hand prove that she simply had her hand outstretched. Recreating this piece was not an easy task either; with so many pieces missing it is amazing that the statue is as beautiful as it is today. The statue was discovered in April 1863 by Charles Champoiseau on the island of Samothrace, outside of
Greece. The pieces of the statue he found were shipped to the Louvre and arrived a year later. In 1866 the statue was put on display for the first time, and consisted of only legs and a torso. In 1879 the blocks which composed the prow of the ship base were sent to Louvre as well, and in 1884 the restoration was complete. That is quite a long time to excavate a statue, but I think it is really great they kept trying because the Winged Victory at Samothrace is so elegant, yet majestic and such an astounding work of art in every aspect possible.