| Year | 150 – 125 BC |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Where is displayed | Louvre Museum |
| When to visit? | The Louvre is open every day (except Tuesday) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Night opening until 9:45 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. Free admission on the first Saturday of each month from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. as of January 2019. Closed on the following holidays: January 1, May 1, May 8, December 25 You need to book your ticket online before you visit the Louvre. |
| Louvre Ticket price | 17E |
| Getting there | Metro: Louvre – Rivoli Station |
| Location | Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France, Europe |
Venus de Milo or Aphrodite of Milos
It is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek.
Venus de Milo also is known as Aphrodite of Milos.
The Venus de Milo was found on the Greek island of Melos (also called Milos) in the Cyclades in 1820.
Venus de Milo is immediately recognizable by missing arms. Nobody knows exactly what happened to the arms but it is believed that the statue once occupied a niche in the wall of a gymnasium; one hand most likely held the drapery about her waist, while the other held an apple out in front of her for contemplation.
The statue is thought to be the work of Alexandros of Antioch.
It is believed that it was created sometime between 130 and 100 BC.
The statue is made from Parian marble, slightly larger than life-size at 203 cm high.
Theories of missing hands:
- It is believed that the statue sat with her left hand on the shoulder of a warrior: Mars or Theseus
- It was illustrated holding an apple, a mirror, or a laurel wreath
- Another theory says that it would be a mother holding her child
- Another theory assumes that she actually held a shield
The statue is believed to depict Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty; however, some scholars claim it is Amphitrite, goddess of the sea, venerated on Milos.
The name Venus de Milo comes from Venus, the Roman name for Aphrodite, and Milos, the Greek island where the statue was discovered in 1820.
To see the Venus de Milo at the Louvre, head to Gallery 16 on the ground floor of the Sully wing.
