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Limestone statue of Aphrodite holding winged Eros

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Eros, God of Love

Eros, God of Love
(00:49:32) 820 views

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Limestone statue of Aphrodite holding winged Eros

Period:
Classical
Date:
late 4th century B.C.
Culture:
Cypriot
Medium:
Limestone
Dimensions:
H. 49 3/4 in. (126.4 cm)
Classification:
Stone Sculpture
Credit Line:
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number:
74.51.2464

This artwork is not on display

  • Description

    From the eighth century B.C. the Greek poets associated the goddess Aphrodite with Cyprus, but on the island itself the local Great Goddess did not become assimilated with Aphrodite until the fourth century B.C., when the worship of many Greek divinities was introduced. In this work the goddess is clearly identified as Aphrodite by the small figure of her son Eros, winged god of love, who perches on her shoulder. The Cypriots did not adopt a conventional Greek way to represent Aphrodite but transferred their own iconography for the Great Goddess of the island to their images of Aphrodite. From the ninth to the sixth century B.C. images of the Cypriot Great Goddess were inspired by Eastern art, especially that of the Syro-Phoenician goddess Astarte, who appeared nude. From the fifth century the local goddess was shown with a high round headdress decorated with vegetal and floral motifs, as befits a fertility goddess. Here Aphrodite wears such a crown decorated with palmettes alternating with nude females—recalling the figures of Astarte. She has long locks falling over her shoulders, a motif taken from early Greek sculpture, and she wears a chiton with himation (cloak) drawn up over the back of the headdress.

  • Provenance

    Sanctuary of Golgoi–Ayios Photios

  • References

    Karageorghis, Vassos. 2000. Ancient Art from Cyprus. The Cesnola Collection. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, no. 341, p. 212.

    Picón, Carlos A., et al. 2007. Art of the Classical World in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, no. 299, pp. 259, 465.

    Ulbrich, Anja. 2010. "Images of Cypriot Aphrodite in Her Sanctuaries During the Age of the City-Kingdoms." In Brill's Companion to Aphrodite, edited by Amy C. Smith and Sadie Pickup. Leiden: Brill, pp. 189, 191-92, fig. 9.9

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