659:
635:
36:
615:
118:
647:
299:
600:
1236:
361:, and was so lifelike that it even aroused men sexually, as witnessed by the tradition that a young man broke into the temple at night and attempted to copulate with the statue, leaving a stain on it. An attendant priestess told visitors that upon being discovered, he was so ashamed that he hurled himself over a cliff near the edge of the temple. This story is recorded in the dialogue
199:
166:
that restored her purity, discarding her drapery with one hand, while modestly shielding herself with the other. The placement of her hands obscures her pubic area, while simultaneously drawing attention to her exposed upper body. The statue is famed for its beauty, and is designed to be appreciated
186:
figures were clothed. Previously nudity was a heroic uniform assigned only to men. When making the
Aphrodite of Knidos, Spivey argues that her iconography can be attributed to Praxiteles creating the statue for the intent of being viewed by male onlookers. Overwhelming evidence from aggregations
391:; in 475, the palace burned and the statue was lost. It was one of the most widely copied statues in the ancient world, so a general idea of the appearance of the statue can be gleaned from the descriptions and replicas that have survived to the modern day. For a time in 1969, the archaeologist
340:
with a roof but no walls. In the description given by Pseudo-Lucian, on the other hand, the building which housed the statue is described as having two doors, and suggests a more confined space than Pliny's description. In excavations at Knidos between 1969 and 1972,
174:
position, with its weight on the right foot. Most copies show
Aphrodite covering her pubic area with her right hand, while the left holds drapery which, along with a vase, helps support the figure. Almost all copies show the head of the sculpture turning to the left.
97:, which, in turn leaves her breasts exposed. Up until this point, Greek sculpture had been dominated by male nude figures. The original Greek sculpture is no longer in existence; however, many Roman copies survive of this influential work of art. Variants of the
1211:
1042:"The head from Martres Tolosanes and, especially, the so-called Kaufmann appear to me the best extant replicas." (Charles Waldstein, "A Head of Aphrodite, Probably from the Eastern Pediment of the Parthenon, at Holkham Hall",
658:
445:, there is a second-century recreation of the temple at Knidos with a fragmentary replica of the Aphrodite standing at the center of it, generally matching descriptions in ancient accounts of how the original was displayed.
345:
discovered the remains of a round building which she identified as the temple of
Aphrodite. This included a stone inscribed with the letters PRAX, which Love suggested was a statue base for the Knidian Aphrodite.
1005:
Havelock, p. 13. Pliny recounts that
Praxiteles valued most the sculptures of his that were painted by the hand of the Athenian Nikias, although he does not specifically link Nikias to the Knidian Aphrodite
556:
1049:(1913:276–295 ); "general agreement on the genuineness of the Kaufmann Collection Aphrodite as a replica of the Cnidian Aphrodite" (Robert I. Edenbaum, "Panthea: Lucian and Ideal Beauty",
170:
Because the various copies show different body shapes, poses and accessories, the original can only be described in general terms. It depicted a nude woman, the body twisting in a
232:
instead names the model as
Cratina. The statue became so widely known and copied that in a humorous anecdote the goddess Aphrodite herself came to Knidos to see it. A lyric
614:
357:
offered to pay off the enormous debts of the city of Knidos in exchange for the statue, but the
Knidians rejected his offer. The statue would have been
195:. A Roman copy, it is not thought to match the polished beauty of the original, which was destroyed in a disastrous fire at Constantinople in 475.
187:
suggests that the
Knidian sculpture was meant to evoke male responses of sexuality upon viewing the statue. The Aphrodite of Knidos established a
634:
780:
150:, which reports that Praxiteles carved two sculptures of Aphrodite, one clothed and one nude; the clothed one was bought by the people of
646:
578:
1285:
1240:
1252:
543:
330:. According to Pliny, the sculpture was housed in a small building, open on all sides – by which he likely meant a
188:
40:
The
Ludovisi Knidian Aphrodite, Roman marble copy (torso and thighs) with restored head, arms, legs and drapery support
1402:
1201:
Montel, Sophie (2010). "The
Architectural Setting of the Knidian Aphrodite". In Smith, Amy C.; Pickup, Sadie (eds.).
1172:
942:
904:
800:
723:
696:
456:
As well as more or less faithful copies, the
Aphrodite of Knidos also influenced various variations, which include:
178:
The female nude appeared nearly three centuries after the earliest nude male counterparts in Greek sculpture, the
1334:
1157:
L'Aphrodite de Cnide: Etude typologique des principales répliques antiques de l'Aphrodite de Cnide de Praxitèle
826:"The Hellenization of Ishtar: Nudity, Fetishism, and the Production of Cultural Differentiation in Ancient Art"
1073:[The Cult and Iconography of Goddess Anahit in Armenia and Its Relations with the Hellenistic World].
191:
of the female nude, and inspired many copies, the best of which is considered to be the Colonna Knidia in the
1197:
Cyril Mango, "Antique Statuary and the Byzantine Beholder", Dumbarton Oaks Papers 17 (1963), pp. 53–75.
1422:
395:
thought she had found the only surviving fragments of the original statue, which are now in storage at the
159:
1071:"Անահիտ դիցուհու պաշտամունքն ու պատկերագրությունը Հայաստանում և նրա աղերսները հելլենիստական աշխարհի հետ"
1216:
Atti della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Rendiconti Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche
310:
The temple of Aphrodite in Knidos where the statue was displayed is described by two ancient sources,
1417:
1412:
1407:
1363:
1278:
1075:
585:
354:
316:
146:
70:
599:
1369:
1191:
The Aphrodite of Knidos and Her Successors: A Historical Review of the Female Nude in Greek Art
715:
The Aphrodite of Knidos and her Successors: a Historical Review of the Female Nude in Greek Art
688:
The Aphrodite of Knidos and her Successors: a Historical Review of the Female Nude in Greek Art
934:
1030:
930:
229:
1427:
571:
430:, is thought to be a very faithful Roman reproduction of the head of the Knidian Aphrodite.
399:. The prevailing opinion of archaeologists is that the fragment in question is not of the
8:
1381:
1271:
621:
507:
102:
86:
269:
When Cypris saw Cypris at Cnidus, "Alas!" said she; "where did Praxiteles see me naked?"
1318:
1066:
845:
806:
713:
686:
492:
465:
434:
368:
286:, Praxiteles never saw what he was not meant to see, but instead sculpted Aphrodite as
237:
427:
122:
1323:
1168:
938:
900:
810:
796:
719:
692:
539:
245:
218:
93:. Praxiteles' Aphrodite was shown nude, reaching for a bath towel while covering her
140:
in the middle of the 4th century BC. The earliest text to mention the Aphrodite is
837:
788:
664:
567:
488:
461:
388:
183:
106:
35:
1190:
924:
882:
589:
532:
522:
476:
416:
412:
363:
326:
311:
192:
141:
117:
1347:
1246:
482:
396:
380:
792:
1396:
1341:
1328:
606:
563:
499:
438:
426:, purchased from the C. M. Kaufmann collection, Berlin, and conserved in the
408:
321:
298:
90:
841:
379:
The Knidian Aphrodite has not survived. Possibly the statue was removed to
1126:
1108:
449:
171:
358:
163:
155:
198:
1294:
849:
350:
332:
303:
133:
94:
78:
49:
825:
392:
342:
337:
202:
74:
899:. Translated by Edmonds, J. M. Indianapolis: Hackett. p. 1744.
920:
515:
384:
283:
253:
240:
places a hypothetical question on the lips of the goddess herself:
154:
and the Knidians bought the nude one. The statue was set up as the
1183:
Taste and the Antique: The Lure of Classical Sculpture, 1500–1900
1090:
423:
233:
222:
640:
Back view of the Aphrodite of Knidos, Roman copy, 4th century AD
1375:
1313:
1235:
547:
511:
249:
225:
210:
179:
137:
85:
around the 4th century BC. It was one of the first life-sized
82:
132:
was a marble carving of the goddess Aphrodite by the sculptor
1263:
1070:
442:
274:
162:. It depicted the goddess Aphrodite as she prepared for the
895:
Cooper, John M.; Hutchinson, D S, eds. (1997). "Epigrams".
863:
469:
349:
The statue became a tourist attraction in spite of being a
287:
206:
691:. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. pp. 1, 9.
987:
975:
963:
951:
151:
89:
in Greek history, displaying an alternative idea to male
16:
Sculpture by Praxiteles of Athens from the 4th century BC
1017:"Revealing Aphrodite" from "Understanding Greek Culture"
407:
Probably the most faithful replica of the statue is the
217:
According to Athenaeus and the late-antique rhetorician
718:. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 10.
577:
An example with added figures of Pan and Cupid at the
258:
are all I know of, but how did Praxiteles contrive it?
757:
745:
101:(suggesting an action to cover the breasts) are the
1185:. Yale University Press, New Haven/London, 1981.
1394:
894:
652:Aphrodite of Knidos, Roman copy, 4th century AD
213:showing the Aphrodite of Knidos, by Praxiteles
1279:
1212:"Retrieving the Original Aphrodite of Knidos"
999:
1152:. Walter Dorn Verlag, Bremen/Hannover, 1957.
1109:"Aphrodite & Pan – Ancient Greek Statue"
1051:The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism"
1065:
787:. Cambridge University Press. p. 181.
528:Venus of the Esquiline type (Louvre, Paris)
1286:
1272:
1127:"Venus Felix – Ancient Greco-Roman Statue"
535:(Louvre, Paris and British Museum, London)
491:(British Museum), considered a replica by
367:(section 15), traditionally attributed to
265:A similar epigram is attributed to Plato:
34:
919:
774:
772:
711:
684:
297:
282:According to an epigram from Roman poet
197:
116:
823:
228:as the model for the Aphrodite, though
87:representations of the nude female form
1395:
1209:
1200:
993:
981:
969:
957:
778:
763:
751:
1267:
1181:Francis Haskell and Nicholas Penny.
1162:
869:
769:
712:Havelock, Christine Mitchell (1995).
685:Havelock, Christine Mitchell (1995).
628:type where both hands cover the body.
579:Athens National Archaeological Museum
1159:. Éditions Pillet – Martigny, 1978.
136:, which was bought by the people of
1247:Entry page for the Vatican Museums.
1194:University of Michigan Press, 1995.
592:, a possible variation of the type.
544:Museo Archeologico Nazionale Napoli
293:
13:
1029:See also the Hellenistic story of
1014:
1008:
553:the Venus Victrix (Uffizi Gallery)
14:
1439:
1228:
415:, part of the collections of the
1234:
657:
645:
633:
613:
598:
353:, and a patron of the Knidians.
1167:. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
1119:
1101:
1083:
1059:
1044:The Journal of Hellenic Studies
1036:
1023:
929:. Translated by N. M. Kay. UK:
913:
888:
193:Vatican's Pio-Clementine Museum
1335:Hermes and the Infant Dionysus
1293:
1203:Brill's Companion to Aphrodite
1188:Christine Mitchell Havelock.
875:
817:
732:
705:
678:
387:), where it was housed in the
1:
1141:
1091:"Louvre site des collections"
403:, but of a different statue.
160:Temple of Aphrodite at Knidos
497:the Aphrodite of Melos (the
422:The Kaufmann Head, found at
374:
7:
1165:Phryne: A Life in Fragments
112:
10:
1444:
1356:
1301:
872:, pp. 67, 158, n.53.
793:10.1017/9780521760317.010
525:(Capitoline Museum, Rome)
189:canon for the proportions
121:The Kaufmann Head in the
55:
45:
33:
26:
21:
1403:Sculptures by Praxiteles
1364:Cephisodotus the Younger
1210:Seaman, Kristen (2004).
1150:Die Aphrodite von Knidos
1076:Patma-Banasirakan Handes
824:Bahrani, Zainab (1996).
781:"8. Revealing Aphrodite"
671:
1163:Funke, Melissa (2024).
1079:(in Armenian) (1): 128.
1056:.1 (Autumn 1966:65–700
355:Nicomedes I of Bithynia
71:Ancient Greek sculpture
1370:Cephisodotus the Elder
779:Spivey, Nigel (2013).
542:(aka Venus Kalypygos,
307:
280:
263:
221:, Praxiteles used the
214:
125:
1095:collections.louvre.fr
931:Bloomsbury Publishing
897:Plato: Complete Works
842:10.1093/oxartj/19.2.3
302:Aphrodite of Knidos,
301:
267:
242:
230:Clement of Alexandria
201:
120:
1243:at Wikimedia Commons
572:J. Paul Getty Museum
540:Aphrodite Kallipygos
413:Museo Pio-Clementino
1423:Sculptures of Venus
1382:Praxiteles (crater)
1309:Aphrodite of Knidos
1259:Encyclopædia Romana
1254:Aphrodite of Cnidus
1241:Aphrodite of Knidos
1067:Khachatryan, Zhores
1019:. pp. 173–186.
996:, pp. 261–262.
984:, pp. 259–260.
972:, pp. 254–255.
960:, pp. 254–258.
290:would have wanted.
256:saw me naked, Those
130:Aphrodite of Knidos
69:(or Cnidus) was an
67:Aphrodite of Knidos
22:Aphrodite of Knidos
1319:Apollo Sauroctonos
1155:Leonard Closuit.
830:Oxford Art Journal
493:Zhores Khachatryan
466:Capitoline Museums
369:Lucian of Samosata
308:
238:Antipater of Sidon
215:
167:from every angle.
126:
1390:
1389:
1324:Dancers of Delphi
1239:Media related to
923:(March 2, 2015).
624:, of the variant
411:conserved in the
219:Choricius of Gaza
63:
62:
1435:
1288:
1281:
1274:
1265:
1264:
1238:
1223:
1206:
1178:
1135:
1134:
1123:
1117:
1116:
1105:
1099:
1098:
1087:
1081:
1080:
1063:
1057:
1040:
1034:
1027:
1021:
1020:
1012:
1006:
1003:
997:
991:
985:
979:
973:
967:
961:
955:
949:
948:
917:
911:
910:
892:
886:
879:
873:
867:
861:
860:
858:
856:
821:
815:
814:
776:
767:
761:
755:
749:
743:
736:
730:
729:
709:
703:
702:
682:
665:Satala Aphrodite
661:
649:
637:
622:Venus de' Medici
617:
602:
568:Cardinal Mazarin
559:(Uffizi Gallery)
508:Venus de' Medici
503:, Louvre, Paris)
489:Satala Aphrodite
462:Capitoline Venus
389:Palace of Lausus
294:Temple in Knidos
278:
107:Capitoline Venus
103:Venus de' Medici
38:
19:
18:
1443:
1442:
1438:
1437:
1436:
1434:
1433:
1432:
1418:Nude sculptures
1413:Cnidian Venuses
1408:Lost sculptures
1393:
1392:
1391:
1386:
1352:
1297:
1292:
1231:
1226:
1175:
1148:Theodor Kraus.
1144:
1139:
1138:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1089:
1088:
1084:
1064:
1060:
1041:
1037:
1028:
1024:
1015:Spivey, Nigel.
1013:
1009:
1004:
1000:
992:
988:
980:
976:
968:
964:
956:
952:
945:
918:
914:
907:
893:
889:
883:Greek Anthology
880:
876:
868:
864:
854:
852:
822:
818:
803:
785:Greek Sculpture
777:
770:
762:
758:
750:
746:
740:Natural History
737:
733:
726:
710:
706:
699:
683:
679:
674:
667:
662:
653:
650:
641:
638:
629:
618:
609:
603:
590:Vatican Museums
533:Crouching Venus
523:Esquiline Venus
477:Barberini Venus
435:Hadrian's Villa
428:Musée du Louvre
417:Vatican Museums
377:
317:Natural History
312:Pliny the Elder
296:
279:
273:
262:
257:
147:Natural History
142:Pliny the Elder
123:Musée du Louvre
115:
73:of the goddess
41:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1441:
1431:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1388:
1387:
1385:
1384:
1379:
1373:
1367:
1360:
1358:
1354:
1353:
1351:
1350:
1348:Venus of Arles
1345:
1338:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1305:
1303:
1299:
1298:
1291:
1290:
1283:
1276:
1268:
1262:
1261:
1257:, part of the
1249:
1244:
1230:
1229:External links
1227:
1225:
1224:
1207:
1198:
1195:
1186:
1179:
1173:
1160:
1153:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1137:
1136:
1118:
1100:
1082:
1058:
1035:
1022:
1007:
998:
986:
974:
962:
950:
943:
912:
905:
887:
874:
862:
816:
801:
768:
766:, p. 542.
756:
754:, p. 538.
744:
731:
724:
704:
697:
676:
675:
673:
670:
669:
668:
663:
656:
654:
651:
644:
642:
639:
632:
630:
619:
612:
610:
604:
597:
594:
593:
582:
575:
566:, named after
560:
554:
551:
536:
529:
526:
519:
504:
495:
485:
483:Borghese Venus
479:
473:
454:
453:
446:
431:
420:
397:British Museum
381:Constantinople
376:
373:
295:
292:
277:, Epigram XVII
271:
243:
114:
111:
61:
60:
59:4th century BC
57:
53:
52:
47:
43:
42:
39:
31:
30:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1440:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1400:
1398:
1383:
1380:
1377:
1374:
1371:
1368:
1365:
1362:
1361:
1359:
1355:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1343:
1342:Resting Satyr
1339:
1337:
1336:
1332:
1330:
1329:Despinis Head
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1314:Apollo Lyceus
1312:
1310:
1307:
1306:
1304:
1300:
1296:
1289:
1284:
1282:
1277:
1275:
1270:
1269:
1266:
1260:
1256:
1255:
1251:James Grout:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1242:
1237:
1233:
1232:
1221:
1217:
1213:
1208:
1204:
1199:
1196:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1184:
1180:
1176:
1174:9781350371873
1170:
1166:
1161:
1158:
1154:
1151:
1147:
1146:
1132:
1131:www.theoi.com
1128:
1122:
1114:
1113:www.theoi.com
1110:
1104:
1096:
1092:
1086:
1078:
1077:
1072:
1068:
1062:
1055:
1052:
1048:
1045:
1039:
1032:
1026:
1018:
1011:
1002:
995:
990:
983:
978:
971:
966:
959:
954:
946:
944:9780715631058
940:
936:
932:
928:
927:
922:
916:
908:
906:9780872203495
902:
898:
891:
884:
878:
871:
866:
851:
847:
843:
839:
835:
831:
827:
820:
812:
808:
804:
802:9781316179628
798:
794:
790:
786:
782:
775:
773:
765:
760:
753:
748:
741:
735:
727:
725:0-472-10585-X
721:
717:
716:
708:
700:
698:0-472-10585-X
694:
690:
689:
681:
677:
666:
660:
655:
648:
643:
636:
631:
627:
623:
616:
611:
608:
607:Colonna Venus
601:
596:
595:
591:
587:
583:
580:
576:
573:
569:
565:
564:Mazarin Venus
561:
558:
555:
552:
549:
545:
541:
537:
534:
530:
527:
524:
520:
517:
513:
509:
505:
502:
501:
500:Venus de Milo
496:
494:
490:
486:
484:
480:
478:
474:
471:
467:
463:
459:
458:
457:
451:
447:
444:
440:
436:
432:
429:
425:
421:
418:
414:
410:
409:Colonna Venus
406:
405:
404:
402:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
372:
370:
366:
365:
360:
356:
352:
347:
344:
339:
335:
334:
329:
328:
323:
322:Pseudo-Lucian
319:
318:
313:
305:
300:
291:
289:
285:
276:
270:
266:
261:
260:
255:
251:
247:
241:
239:
235:
231:
227:
224:
220:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
194:
190:
185:
182:; the female
181:
176:
173:
168:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
148:
143:
139:
135:
131:
124:
119:
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
91:heroic nudity
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
58:
54:
51:
48:
44:
37:
32:
29:
25:
20:
1340:
1333:
1308:
1258:
1253:
1219:
1215:
1202:
1189:
1182:
1164:
1156:
1149:
1130:
1121:
1112:
1103:
1094:
1085:
1074:
1061:
1053:
1050:
1046:
1043:
1038:
1025:
1016:
1010:
1001:
989:
977:
965:
953:
925:
915:
896:
890:
877:
865:
853:. Retrieved
833:
829:
819:
784:
759:
747:
739:
734:
714:
707:
687:
680:
626:Venus Pudica
625:
570:(now in the
557:Venus Urania
498:
455:
450:Prado Museum
400:
378:
362:
348:
331:
325:
315:
309:
281:
268:
264:
259:
244:
216:
177:
172:contrapposto
169:
145:
129:
127:
99:Venus Pudica
98:
66:
64:
28:Venus pudica
27:
1428:Cult images
994:Montel 2010
982:Montel 2010
970:Montel 2010
958:Montel 2010
881:Antipater,
764:Seaman 2004
752:Seaman 2004
586:Venus Felix
359:polychromed
164:ritual bath
156:cult statue
77:created by
1397:Categories
1302:Sculptures
1295:Praxiteles
1142:References
933:. p.
870:Funke 2024
351:cult image
333:monopteros
304:Glyptothek
134:Praxiteles
79:Praxiteles
50:Praxiteles
1031:Pygmalion
811:239158305
514:Gallery,
393:Iris Love
375:Influence
343:Iris Love
338:colonnade
223:courtesan
203:Engraving
75:Aphrodite
1372:(father)
1069:(1985).
926:Epigrams
921:Ausonius
885:XVI.168
836:(2): 4.
516:Florence
385:Istanbul
383:(modern
284:Ausonius
272:—
254:Anchises
158:for the
113:Original
105:and the
1378:(model)
1357:Related
855:4 April
850:1360725
738:Pliny,
588:at the
448:At the
424:Tralles
324:in his
314:in his
234:epigram
1376:Phryne
1171:
941:
903:
848:
809:
799:
722:
695:
548:Naples
512:Uffizi
439:Tivoli
401:Knidia
364:Erotes
327:Amores
306:Munich
252:, and
250:Adonis
226:Phryne
211:Knidos
180:kouros
138:Knidos
83:Athens
46:Artist
1366:(son)
1218:. 9.
846:JSTOR
807:S2CID
742:36.20
672:Notes
443:Italy
437:near
275:Plato
246:Paris
209:from
205:of a
95:pubis
1222:(3).
1169:ISBN
939:ISBN
901:ISBN
857:2021
797:ISBN
720:ISBN
693:ISBN
620:The
605:The
584:The
562:The
538:the
531:the
521:the
506:the
487:the
481:the
475:the
470:Rome
460:the
336:, a
320:and
288:Ares
207:coin
184:kore
128:The
65:The
56:Year
935:122
838:doi
789:doi
441:in
433:At
236:of
152:Kos
144:'s
81:of
1399::
1220:15
1214:.
1129:.
1111:.
1093:.
1054:25
1047:33
937:.
844:.
834:19
832:.
828:.
805:.
795:.
783:.
771:^
546:,
468:,
371:.
248:,
109:.
1287:e
1280:t
1273:v
1205:.
1177:.
1133:.
1115:.
1097:.
1033:.
947:.
909:.
859:.
840::
813:.
791::
728:.
701:.
581:.
574:)
550:)
518:)
510:(
472:)
464:(
452:.
419:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
