#Aphrodite of knidos

[artschoolglasses]

Bronze statuette of Aphrodite, a variant of the Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles, Greek, 150-100 BCE

From the Met Museum

[volno]

"A*******E"

first of an ongoing series I'm working on about nudity, censorship, and queer bodies.

[greekmythcomix]

#ClassicsTober23 27: ⚒️Pygmalion❤️

Pygmalion, the Cyprian sculptor who carved such a beautiful statue of Aphrodite that he fell in love with it and the goddess gave it life: it became Galatea (‘milky-white’, presumably because of the marble from which it was carved).

I love this scene of artisans and sculptors making things from bronze, which is on the outside of the Thetis and Hephaestus kylix - the ‘Foundry cup’ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Foundry_Cup

This sculptor seems to be making a statue of an athlete, with the statue leaning on a support while he’s about to put the head on. But Pygmalion carved from marble so I’ve put the head on my statue.

I’ve nicked the statue from Praxiteles, it having been the most successful Aphrodite statue!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodite_of_Knidos

[casskeeps]

aphrodite of knidos

basic information

name: aphrodite of knidos

date: 350 bce

sculptor: praxiteles

height: 1.52 metres (life size)

original, reconstructed, or copy: copy of a marble original

subject matter

anthropomorphisation of gods - aphrodite

everyday action - bathing

more bold depiction of female figures - nude

context

last few decades of the late classical period

naturalistic form has been almost perfected

sculptors more interested in deviating from the norms of draped female and nude male forms - this is the first large-scale female nude

composition

contrapposto again - emphasises and enhances the curves of her body

the hand is positioned carefully over the pubis in order to retain modesty for the otherwise completely exposed figure

the body is sensitively carved, despite it not being the praxitelean original, but it is generally believed that the copies have not been able to capture the same "essence"

the jaw and torso are soft and rounded, creating a much more feminine impression that contrasts greatly with the more harshly muscular male figures

the content of the statue is highly innovative for the time - the female nude had not been depicted in this manner until this statue by praxiteles

the statue, as many classical statues do, has a distinct lack of clear expression in the face; the expression is largely relaxed and impartial, which could be argued to serve as a representation of aphrodite existing outside of our world - the impartiality of her expression despite the vulnerability of her position demonstrates her existence as a non-human goddess

the proportions are very naturalistic and realistic - this serves to make the statue more aesthetically pleasing as the human viewer is able to recognise the human form in a very familiar representation

this is most evident in the softness of the curves of her stomach and thighs - she is not overly muscled like statues such as the artemision zeus, but not flat and simplistic like the archaic korai

the drapery is highly realistic, creating numerous arcs and lines as it falls - this demonstrates an impressive awareness of the effect of gravity on the cloth

stylistic features

the softer features in the face and body

the polished marble, giving an impression of the radiance of skin

the largely stoic face, with an enigmatic expression

preservation of female modesty despite pushing boundaries of the traditions of art

scholars

osborne: "in representing aphrodite naked, praxiteles was breaking with conventional practice"

woodford: "reveals the newly discovered charm of the feminine form"

[phthalo-ocarina]

I'm doing an art project on this and...I've just realized I can't draw

Aphrodite Braschi, Roman copy of the Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles , ca. 350–340 BC

Roman, 1st century BC

[eucanthos]

Aphrodite Knidia

Venus of Martres, ca 1st- 2nd c. AD. Parian marble H: 40 cm. Collection Musée Saint-Raymond, Toulouse

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A9nus_de_Martres

[neomedievalist]

Having classicist friends is great i messaged the groupchat hey what was that one guy who fucked a statue in ancient greece? and it took less than 30 mins to get a link to an article

[everymanpdf]

possessed with urge to paint after looking at museum pictures in my phone and now my hands are fully black

[achromatophoric]

Pre-Wenclair. Students are gathered in the Quad around a marble status.

Ajax: *walks up* Yo Kent! Check this out!

Kent: Huh? Sup?

Ajax proudly shows off a Build-a-Wolf plush.

Ajax: Pretty sweet, huh? I even shelled out extra for the custom pink ’n blue hair.

Kent: That’s uh, cool.

Ajax: Just cool? C’mon, Enid will go crazy for this! I’ve got her secret admirer beat for sure this time!

Kent: Bruh, dunno how to tell you this, so uh… *points at statue*

The statue is a stunning rendition of Enid Sinclair from the night of the Crackstone event, in a style reminiscent of the Aphrodite of Knidos. Every detail is captured, from the texture of the oversized coat to the fine goosebumps on exposed skin. Her expression is one of desperate relief. Raw in both beauty and emotion. Undeniably exquisite.

Ajax: 😧

Ajax: Well fuck me, dude. *shoulders droop*

Kent: *under his breath* I wish.

Ajax: What was that?

Kent: I said “let’s ditch.” I just finished downloading that game ya wanted to play. Feeling up for it?

Ajax: Ganja ’n game night?

Kent: Hell yeah! Anything for my dude.

Ajax: 🥹

— On the other side of the statue. —

Bianca: Gee, I wonder who could possibly be behind this.

Bianca squints down at Wednesday, who is suspiciously dusted in white.

Wednesday: Yes, it is a mystery that even I would be hard-pressed to solve. A pity.

Wednesday: *tracks stone powder as she leaves*

Bianca: 😑

[astrogre]

Aphrodite(1388) Beauty Indicators

What counts as Aphrodite(1388) beauty indicators:

Aphrodite in 1st house (YOU are appealing, this asteroid is simply who you are as this house represents you as a whole, physically and personal identity)

Aphrodite in 10th house (this is how you publicly appear to others at large, so if you have an asteroid here it kind of shows those themes come to mind in general when people think of you and what your reputation is associated with, imagine yourself as a concept, you perceived as a brand)

Aphrodite Conjunct Venus (your beauty and the way you style express yourself, you express your love and sense of beauty in similar ways, Venus also shows where we are most beautiful therefore the things that make you most beautiful are like Aphrodites)

VERY Strong indicators:

Aphrodite Conjunct ASC (it further amplifies because you become the physical embodiment of Aphrodite, no longer just a hint but may even be mistaken for her your form of expression and how you come across to all and most importantly yourself is just like Aphrodite)

Aphrodite Conjunct MC (same as 10H however it’s even more prominent, your Aphrodite characteristics may manifest or be needed for the job you do as well)

Aphrodite conjunct is at 0-2 orbs. Closer the orb more exactly like your appearance. 0 orb means Aphrodite is YOU to a T. Your physical appearance/public image/expression of oneself, if described with an adjective would be the asteroid itself.

2 or more of any of the previous Aphrodite indicators this asteroid is far too prominent in your chart to be an adjective to describe your beauty, it’s more like an epithet.

What kind of beauty you have:

- You embody the ideal beauty standards

- You shapeshift to appeal to the senses and pleasures of individuals who look at you

- People may struggle to define you by your appearance because you come across so differently to each person

- The allure (the buzz and positive talk of you) stands out more than what you put out to reality especially for Aphrodite asteroid in 10H/conjunct to MC

- You’re beauty is so rare that it’s unbelievable, people that hear of you described by others who know you may think you’re a myth or not real like a catfish or someone pretending to be real. Eg someone looking at your instagram may think you’re not real or if a guy is explaining you to his friends you sound too good to be true especially from the male gaze. That is until they meet you and realise you live up to their expectations and then the rumours of you further amplify as even MORE talk of you. If you start dating around jumping from man to man, people will gush over you

- You may pretend to be modest, demure and coincidentally sexually attractive yet your sexual attractiveness is purposefully intentional

this is based on aphrodites Greek and Latin scholars who wrote about the famous statue at Knidos on which it is based, says that Aphrodite’s facial expression and gesture show ‘false modesty’. She purposefully displays false modesty to look like her nudity and sexual allure is unintentional and just happens to be on her

- You show your beauty through your clothing perfumes and hair accessories. Aphrodite wore perfumed and silken garments, a crown of gold or flowers in her hair, and had expensive jewellery covering her body

- As time goes on you are more sexualised, no joke if you guys made a sex tape in your elder years you’d be like a trending milf dilf, especially with Capricorn, Saturn and 10H Aphrodite

Aphrodites depictions were always fully clothed until as centuries progressed the men that idolised her wanted to make her wear less and less, become sexier and sexier, they project their lustful thoughts on her and Aphrodite viewed it as compliments

- No matter what people may say about you, they cannot shake or change the fact that you are beautiful, they may also bring that up when talking about you behind your back if in 12H conjunct ascendant

- You have feminine curves which are shown best through draped clothing, you look best in clothes that drape to your skin and hug your curves

- No matter what you wear people will always see you nude or want to, they may sexualise you and you may subconsciously enjoy it because you feel desired and it feels good to know you’re making others feel pleasure just from looking at you

- You look best naked, your breast and hips may be most prominent and something men recognise you for and what garners admiration from women too. Women may look up to you as the standard and what they wished the looked like

Source: the idealization of womanhood in all her femininity; the Aphrodite sculpture, Praxiteles was mainly responsible for establishing the type-sensuous in its soft curves and voluptuousness.” (Morford 180). As told by Morford, the exaggeration of body parts, breasts mostly, became Aphrodite’s spotting mark in art

- You could have long hair, or your hair can be styled in a different way to other women, very distinct, it can be different from what others expect, your hair may be “immodest” like it looks like it’s uncovered, not domestic, you may put a lot accessories on it or do something specifically that makes it stand out and look better, it’s kind of “unintentionally” erotic.

- You look best in bodies of water, playing with your hair in water, when you’re showering, wringing your hair dry, you may get a lot of stares when you go to the beach just relaxing, or if you’re swimming. It’s something people could watch for a long time

- You love to accessorise excessively

- Men change the way they see you physically from your body to your face and hair, all just to fit their imagined ideal beauty standards. For an example: say a man may prefer brunettes, if you’re blonde, that man will imagine you with brown dark hair and romanticise it, from that point onward he can no longer see you as blonde no matter how blonde you are because the fantasy of an idolised you is so overwhelming

- Men fantasise about you a lot, women too. You invoke fear/admiration into women because of your appearance

- You represent the most ideal physical traits, you can be compared as the standard for others and people may put you on a pedestal so high that makes others want to be where you are but knowing they simply cannot as it’s not in their nature. Because competing against you would destroy them and they do not compare

- You may make people feel ashamed of themselves because you’re so uplifted and idealised by many

- You can adapt to the taste of the target/person you’re trying to seduce

- Your clothes and the way you style yourself enhance your features and make you look like someone who is wealthy and important of high status/nobility

- You are one of the most physically desired people to others

- Your physical appearance isn’t the only thing that makes you so beautiful, it’s the fact that everyone finds you desireable no matter who is looking.

Honestly when I think of Aphrodite I think of someone who is overly sexualised by men. Like they collectively came together and said THIS is what we like. She is the image of sex and desire because they put her there. And she likes it, which is probably why she is labelled as the god of sex, pleasure, love and beauty, it’s because she accepts all kinds of admiration from anyone. No matter how degrading or intensely it manifests. Do you too also accept love no matter how sexually degrading or intense it is? Do you have a tendency to expect to be glorified?

Source:

Link to the historical study of Aphrodites physical appearance

Homer, for example, said that the goddess could be recognized by her shining eyes and “desirable breasts.” Other writers gave her the epithet “Smile-Loving,” indicating that she often had a happy expression. More often, writers described Aphrodite’s beauty through her clothing. She wore perfumed and silken garments, a crown of gold or flowers in her hair, and had expensive jewelry covering her body. most of what we know about Aphrodite’s looks must be drawn from the art of the period.

gain, the representations leave much room for interpretation. The one aspect they have in common is that, fittingly, Aphrodite was shown as beautiful.

This usually meant that she had feminine curves, which were often accentuated by closely-draped clothing. When she was dressed it was often only partially, but the goddess was just as often shown in the nude.

She usually had long hair that was left at least partially down, in contrast to the more demure, covered hair of matronly and domestic goddesses. A favorite subject of classical artists was the emergence of Aphrodite from the sea, in which she was sometimes shown wringing the water out of her long hair.

Sculptors had more freedom than painters to imagine the goddess in different poses and situations. Often these poses emphasized her feminine shape and attractiveness to the male gaze. As the goddess of beauty, she represented the most desirable female form possible.

She often changed her appearances to suit her purposes.

This shape-shifting also allowed artists to portray her in a way that reflected the physical idea of their own time and place. Aphrodite could have dark hair in one place and be blonde in another.

Thus, our modern interpretation of Aphrodite has been filtered through the ideals of female beauty from not only Greece and Rome, but long after as well. Medieval artists gave her a high forehead and Renaissance painters showed her with flowing blonde hair because those were the ideals of their times. The written descriptions of Aphrodite were open-ended enough to allow artists to show her in a way they thought was beautiful for centuries. While later artists were influenced by the paintings and sculptures of Rome and Greece, they had the license to show the goddess of beauty in a way that made sense within their own cultures.

Most often, Aphrodite’s clothing and jewelry were described in greater detail than her body or facial features. The richness of her garments and adornments both enhanced her features and signalled her nobility.

The lack of written detail meant that artists were able to portray Aphrodite in a way they felt was beautiful. While these typically followed certain conventions, these conventions could vary between regions and time periods. Aphrodite/Venus was therefore shown with certain marks of beauty that had persisted from the ancient world, but also with the features and clothing considered ideal in the artists’ own times. She could be recognized not by a specific feature, but by her desirabilithy.

[lunarforager]

Who Is Aphrodite?

Welcome to the first of my "Introductions to the Hellenic Gods" post series! I thought it wise to start with Aphrodite as she is the deity I have been working with the longest and is also one of my favourites of the 12 Olympians. Now, onto the introduction!

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Aphrodite is the name given to the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, passion, pleasure and sexuality. Her Roman equivalent is the goddess Venus.

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There are multiple myths that speak of Aphrodite's birth/creation.

Hesiod, in his Theogony, said that Aphrodite was brought into being when Cronus cut off the genitals of his father, Uranus, and threw them into the sea. Out of the sea foam created by the mixing of blood and water emerged the beautiful goddess.

Homer, on the other hand, in the Iliad, says that Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione (who is either an Oceanid or a Titan, depending on the author).

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Aphrodite also has many different epithets, or versions of herself that were worshipped in different places across Greece. I suggest looking into all the different versions of her that are out there, they are all so fascinating!

But my favourite of all of her forms, is Aphrodite Areia, translated as Aphrodite the Warlike. This form of Aphrodite was worshipped by the Spartans and she was seen in a similar light to Ares or Athena, as a goddess of war and battle, often depicted in a full armor.

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Aphrodite was worshiped by many across Greece and throughout both the Classical and Hellenistic periods. In the Classical period the festival of Aphrodisia was held in her honor and in the Hellenistic period, Aphrodite had many temples and was particulary worshipped in Alexandria.

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To wrap up this post, I wanted to share my favourite stories and art pieces that mention or depict Aphrodite.

The Aeneid, by Virgil --> Venus (the Roman equivalent to Aphrodite) appears often as she is the mother of the main character, Aeneas

Venus de Milo --> Statue of Venus carved during the Hellenistic period, currently in the Louvre

The Birth of Venus painted by Sandro Botticelli --> A beautiful work of art depicting the birth of Venus as she rose from the sea

Aphrodite of Knidos sculpted by Praxiteles of Athens --> My favourite statue of Aphrodite, marks an important shift in art at the time as typically only men were depicted nude as a display of heroism

Aphrodite and Anchises by Homer --> Aphrodite annoyed the god Zeus by causing gods to fall in love with mortals, so he made her fall in love with a mortal named Anchises who later would be the father of her son, Aeneas of the Aeneid

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Word List: Aphrodite

to include in your next poem/story

Appetency - a fixed and strong desire

Avidity - an urgent desire or interest

Effulgence - the state of looking very beautiful or being full of goodness

Grandeur - a quality of great beauty and size which attracts admiration

Luster - a very special, attractive quality that people admire

Radiance - happiness, beauty, or good health that you can see in someone's face

Resplendence - a very bright or beautiful appearance

Uxorious - excessively fond of or submissive to a wife

Venerate - to regard with reverential respect or with admiring deference

Venusberg - the court of Venus; in German, literally ‘mountain of Venus’

Writing Notes: Aphrodite

Aphrodite - the Greek goddess of love and beauty

Also known as: Pandemos, Urania

Identified with Venus by the Romans

From the Greek word aphros means “foam”

Hesiod relates in his Theogony that Aphrodite was born from the white foam produced by the severed genitals of Uranus (Heaven), after his son Cronus threw them into the sea

The essence of Aphrodite's power was her ability to provoke desire

One of the earliest evidence for Aphrodite is from around 1658, in the writing of John Cleveland, the poet

The goddess's body was not fully revealed in Greek art, however, until about 350 B.C., when a sensational cult statue in her temple at Knidos (in present-day Turkey), carved by the sculptor Praxiteles, represented her naked for the first time

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 ⚜ More: Word Lists

If these notes are helpful in your writing, do tag me or send me a link. I'd love to read your work!

[starsthewitch]

More Aphrodite facts!! ^ ^

⭑ The Aphrodite of Knidos was sculpted during the 4th century BCE.

⭑ Aphrodite has 17 known children based on ancient literature and text! These children include Eros, Phobos, Peitho, Priapus, the Three Graces, Aeneas, Hermaphroditus, and more.

⭑ Some of her symbols include but are not limited to: Golden apples, the evening star, the number 5, eggs, and the triangle.

⭑ There is a flower named after Aphrodite! The Calycanthus Aphrodite, or also known as the sweetshrub, is greatly valued for its sweet and fruity floral fragrance.

⭑ There are actually more artworks of Aphrodite than any other classical mythological creature!

⭑ Aphrodite’s name has been spelled and officially recognized in many different ways! Some of these alternative names include Afrodite and Afroditi. In Greece, she is also known as Acida’lia which is derived from the well of Acidalius located near Orchomenos. This place is also known to be a place where Aphrodite used to bathe with the Three Graces. She is also known as Acraea in other temples and Ambologe-ra in Sparta.

⭑ Pomegranates were also once associated with Aphrodite!

⭑ When Aphrodite was created, she was immediately in her adult form. There are no records of Aphrodite in her infancy or childhood, nor are there any mentions of such in ancient Greek texts and mythologies.

[milksockets]

'a roman copy of praxiteles's aphrodite of knidos, restored by ippolito buzzi, 17th century' in harlots, whores + hackabouts: a history of sex for sale - kate lister (2021)

[gardenofafterthoughts]

16/11/24

Marble statue of Aphrodite

Roman, Imperial period, 1st or 2nd century A.D. Copy or adaptation of a Greek statue of the 3rd or 2nd century B.C.

The goddess of love is shown as though surprised at her bath. Originally, her arms reached forward to shield her breasts and pubis in a gesture that both concealed and accentuated her sexuality.

Statues of Aphrodite in the nude proliferated during the Hellenistic period. All were inspired to some degree by the Aphrodite of Knidos, created in the fourth century B.C. by the famous Greek sculptor Praxiteles. That statue, the first major Greek work to show the goddess nude, was celebrated throughout antiquity. This work has the same gesture of modesty and is similar to another Roman copy, the so-called Medici Venus, which has stood in the Tribuna of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence since 1688.

[yourdailyqueer]

Iris Love (deceased)

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Lesbian

DOB: 1 August 1933  

DOD: 17 April 2020

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Nationality: American

Occupation: Archaeologist, art historian

Note 1: Related to Guggenheim family and distantly related to Alexander Hamilton and Captain Cook.

Note 2: Best known for the rediscovery of the Temple of Aphrodite in Knidos.