Statue with wings and no head. Nike of Samothrace is a sculptural message from the depths of centuries. Nike of Samothrace in Greek mythology

This beautiful lady is very few years old - somewhere in 2204. Compared to many other young ladies of a similar origin, she is still very young. Nika arrived at the Louvre from the island of Samothrace, in the Aegean Sea (according to one of the myths, this island was the residence of Poseidon), where in 1863 she honored the vice-consul of France and amateur archaeologist Charles Champoiseau, appearing before his clear eyes not far from the city of Andrinopol. True, the found statue did not have a head. I wonder if it's at the bottom of the sea or in someone's collection?

History of the find

By the way, the restorers assembled the goddess of victory from the fragments only by 1884. The right hand of the statue was found by German archaeologists only in 1950. Nika Samofrayskaya was in no hurry to greet humanity. La Victoire de Samothrace is one of the greatest treasures of the Louvre. And she is exhibited just like that, standing at the top of the Daru stairs leading down, against the backdrop of a bare wall, to further emphasize the fact that true diamonds are good without a rim. See what Nike of Samothrace looks like. The photo, unfortunately, does not show us the true, slightly golden color of marble, more like slightly tanned skin than a cold stone. Compared to it, the gray marble of the base seems alien.

History of the statue

The Greek sculptor Pythocritus (although not all researchers are sure of just such an interpretation) created it around 190 BC. e. in honor of unnamed Greek naval victories. This was the time when the Romans, under the pretext of "returning freedom to the Greek cities" from the invaders from the Macedonians, quickly spread their political and financial influence over all the policies of Greece. And against this background, this one lands on the Samothrace rocks. Although, again, some historians believe that the statue was created precisely in honor of the victory of Antigonus II Gonat over one of the Ptolemies, who reigned on the ruins of the empire of Alexander in 263 BC. e. And there is also a version that the goddess Nika of Samothrace was “born” in Rhodes, in honor of the victory over the Syrian fleet. But the story of her appearance on Samothrace must then be more complicated. The word Rhodhios (Rhodes) carved on the pedestal speaks in favor of the latest version. The pedestal under the statue is the nose of a combatant and perhaps it really has nothing to do with the goddess and the sanctuary of the Kabirs.

About archeology and geography

At the time when it was found, excavations were carried out on the territory of the sanctuary of the Kabirs. These are gods that were not part of the classical ancient Greek pantheon. In the Hellenistic era, many Greeks gathered for the Samothrace mysteries, dedicated to the aforementioned deities. The sculpture of Nike of Samothrace was brought by the Greeks as a gift to the Kabirs. The archaeologist Charles Champoiseau was the French consul in the East for a long time and managed to win the trust of both the Greek peasants and the Turkish authorities. Only this can explain the fact that the Greeks showed him the place where the statue was hiding, and the Turks allowed it to be transported to France. During World War II, the Nike of Samothrace was removed from the Louvre and hid in the dungeon of one of the medieval castles, Valence, located near the Loire in southeastern France. Interesting choice of castle. In 1803 it was bought by Prince de Talleyrand, one of those historical figures of whom one can only say that he knew more about us than we did about him.

All about her

The unkind Erich-Maria Remarque in the Arc de Triomphe believes that Nika of Samothrace is "a cheap symbol of emigrants and people without a homeland." Let's try to figure out what exactly led him to such a conclusion? At the same time, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, visiting the Louvre, called Nika "an amazing, inhuman creature." With all the difference in epithets, there is something in common in these terms - a shade of alienation of the goddess to this world. It is not for nothing that her mother is an oceanid of the kingdom of death as the mother of Victory - an analogy unexpected for the Greeks, more characteristic of the Egyptian and Hermetic tradition. No wonder sometimes Nika was depicted with the rod of Hermes in her hand.

Nika and traditions of art

According to ancient Greek mythology, Nike of Samothrace is the daughter of an oceanid and a titan. Her figurine was often depicted in her hands. This is almost the only case of the presence of another deity next to the lord of lightning. Another hint at the original foreignness of this particular image of the official Greek religious tradition. But it is interesting how she is the flesh of the flesh of all classical art ... It seems that almost all later angels and archangels were painted with Nike. Whether they could see this particular or a similar statue is unknown. But it is she who causes the greatest hatred among fans of mechanized modern art. Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, in the "Manifesto of Futurism" published in 1908, declared: "... a roaring machine, the engine of which runs like a large buckshot, is more beautiful than the statue of Nike of Samothrace." However, a figurine of Nicky is on the radiator of almost all luxury Rolls-Royces.

In 1863, the archaeologist Charles Champoiseau, returning from Greece, brought to Paris more than two hundred fragments of marble sculpture. Of these, thanks to the efforts of restorers, in 1884 the winged goddess Nika, Victory, was revived. Even devoid of her head and arms, with the right wing made of plaster (an exact copy of the left), she captivated art connoisseurs with her beauty and has since been considered one of the pearls of the Louvre.

It was installed at the top of the Daru marble staircase. “This staircase ... was wonderful in itself, but its main miracle was that all of it, in all the harmony and severity of its rise, in all the festive, bright alternation of light and shadow on the polished planes of its steps, served only as a pedestal standing on the top platform of the figure, - Ariadna Efron, daughter of Marina Tsvetaeva, described in her memoirs the impression of meeting Nika. “It was a statue of the Samothrace victory... This victory was so huge that it was easy, realizing only its foot — the coherent prow of a trireme ship made of stone blocks — to go around it without looking up.

Headless and armless, rudely mutilated by Christian barbarism, upholstered and chipped by the millennia that had passed over her, the jubilant goddess stopped on the run to sound victory, and three hundred years before our era, the raging wind covered her young, triumphant body with folds of clothes, damp and heavy from the spray of the surf , fluttered in her wide and strongly spread wings, ruffling their marble feathers ... "

The statue of Samothrace was named after the island where Champoiseau found it. Samothrace (Samothrace), located in the northern part of the Aegean Sea, shared the fate of many Greek islands: its history is intertwined with legends. According to one of them, "Earth Shaker", the god of the seas Poseidon chose Samothrace as his abode. On Mount Fengari, the highest in the Aegean Sea (1611 m), the god sat, watching the battle under the walls of Troy, says Homer.

Just like that, Poseidon does not let anyone into his island - the unpredictable north wind and sea currents can suddenly turn ships over and drag them to the bottom, and sailing to Samothraki cannot be called safe. Maybe that's why its inhabitants have always sought protection from higher powers. Since ancient times, Kabirs have been worshiped here - the mysterious Great Gods, who were not part of the Greek pantheon. It is known that they granted protection to the initiated in the Samothracian mysteries, especially at sea, and revealed the mysteries of death and rebirth.

The Samothrace sanctuary especially flourished in the Hellenistic era - then almost all the cities of Greece gathered for religious festivities, bringing rich gifts with them, and there were countless those who sought to partake in the mysteries of the Kabirs.

Nike of Samothrace, sculpted by the sculptor Pythokritos, as is believed, in 190-180 BC, was also brought as a gift to the Cabirams - the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes thanked them for their victory in a naval battle.

A furious wind, a furious dance of waves that captured the horizon - the element of the sea threatens to destroy those who fear it. And only he who rushes against the winds and waves, who in the midst of raging water finds support and solid ground in himself, at the most difficult moment will be rewarded with the happiness of hearing the victorious sound of the bugle and the noise of mighty wings above the waves, and behind the veil of salty spray to discern the Samothrace Victory descending on the bow of the ship. Nika is near while the battle lasts, while the tension of internal forces gives rise to the abilities necessary to win. But it flies away from where only the laurels of past achievements remain. Winged Victory cannot be held, but its appearance is all the more desirable! It was this, at the moment of his desired appearance, that the architect Pythocritus depicted the goddess.

For more than a hundred years, the Nike of Samothrace has been in the Louvre. Like a masterpiece of ancient art, a treasure in a museum collection. Resisting the destructive course of time, perhaps in the hope that someone will look at her differently and, as before, turn to her with a request to grant victory.

to the magazine "Man Without Borders"

In April 1863 by the French consul and amateur archaeologist Charles Champoiseau. In the same year she was sent to France.

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✪ Nika of Samothrace, c. 190 BC e.

✪ Artistic engraving with PDR tool

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Subtitles

We are with you in the Louvre, on one of the main stairs. Before us is a statue of Nike of Samothrace, created in the second century BC. e. Yes, during the Hellenistic period. The sculpture is very large - 9 feet high. It got its name because it was found on the island of Samothrace, in the north of the Aegean Sea. The sculpture was found in a sanctuary in the harbor. Its location created the illusion that the wind blowing on the coast fluttered the folds of the goddess's attire. It turns out that she never stood on the bow of the ship? No. She stood at the prow of a stone ship in the temple grounds. Nike is the goddess of victory. Goddess-messenger, announcing the victory. In some reconstructions, the statue of Nike is depicted as a messenger with a bugle. This image had a huge impact on Western art. During the Hellenistic period, the restrained, high classical style becomes a thing of the past. And there is a new style, sensual, dynamic, filled with energy, which literally whips over the edge. This sculpture seems to move in several directions at the same time. Her feet are on the ground, but the body is directed forward. The torso is slightly rotated around its axis, the wings are spread. You can feel how the wind blows towards her, fluttering her clothes, and they fit her body, go in folds. This is reminiscent of the images on the Parthenon frieze, created several centuries earlier. Right. But unlike the calm, relaxed figures of the Olympians, energy is felt in this sculpture. The goddess seems to oppose the forces of nature. Environment. Exactly. And the wind blows over it, just like us if we were standing there. See how the fabric fits her body, wrinkling, and the light plays in the folds. And the texture of the wings is completely different. Marble allows you to create many different textures. The Hellenistic culture explored the human body, admired it and used it to create expressive works of art. Subtitles by the Amara.org community

Time of creation

Description

It was created in honor of the goddess of victory Nike and victory in a sea battle. She stood on a sheer cliff above the sea, her pedestal depicted the prow of a warship. The mighty and majestic Nika, in clothes fluttering from the wind, is presented in an unstoppable movement forward. Through a thin transparent chiton, a beautiful figure shines through, which amazes the viewer with the magnificent plasticity of an elastic and strong body. The confident step of the goddess and the proud flapping of the eagle's wings give rise to a feeling of joyful and triumphant victory.

Currently, the Nike of Samothrace is on the Daru staircase of the Denon Gallery in the Louvre. Code: Ma 2369.

The statue is made of Parian marble, the ship is made of gray Lartian marble (Rhodes), the right wing is a plaster reconstruction. The statue's head and arms are missing. During further excavations, other fragments of the statue were discovered: in 1950, a team of archaeologists led by Carl Lehmann found her right hand, trapped under a large stone, near the place where the statue was discovered.

Mikhail Tskhakaya, who visited the Louvre with Lenin, recalled: “At the foot of the statue of Nike of Samothrace, a Greek sculpture - a symbol of victory, Lenin said in a whisper: “Look, dear Micha, at this miracle of ancient Hellenic culture. An amazing, inhuman creation!’” K.G. Paustovsky, visiting the Louvre for the first time, paid attention to only three exhibits, one of which was this sculpture.

Winged Victoria of Samothrace, which is also called Nike of Samothrace or goddess of victory was discovered in 1883 on the island of Somothraki. Today this marble sculpture is known all over the world. In 1884 it was transported to France, where it was installed in the Louvre and is one of the most famous sculptures.

Estimated, Winged Goddess of Victory was created around 190 BC in honor of the victory of the Greek fleet in a naval battle. Marble Nike conveys not only the triumph of victory, but is a symbol of the ideal beauty that the Greeks valued so much. Modern excavations show that the marble sculpture of Nike was located in the niche of the open-air amphitheater, and it is also assumed that the sculpture was mounted on a pedestal in the form of a ship's prow.

Made from white marble, which was mined on the island of Paros in the Aegean Sea. This marble grade highly valued by the Greeks in the manufacture of sculptures, and he was considered absolutely flawless. The well-known sculpture Venus Medici(Italy, Florence, Uffizi Gallery). Initially, the sculpture of Nike was part of the complex of the Samothrace temple, in the sanctuary of the Great Gods. She stood on a pedestal of gray marble, which was mined on the southeast coast of the island of Rhodes. The marble pedestal is made in the shape of the prow of a warship, most likely a trireme.

It seems that the winged goddess Nike descends from heaven to the triumphal fleet on the victorious ship. It is believed that Nike's lost right hand was raised up and held a wreath of victory or a bugle that announces victory.

The irresistible movement forward in the developing clothes demonstrates the harmony and perfection of the form. The naturalness of figure movements and tight-fitting clothes, as if from a strong wind, have delighted connoisseurs and lovers of sculpture for many years. The elastic and strong body, translucent through a thin tunic, amazes the viewer with magnificent plasticity. The proud flapping of the wings and the confident step of the goddess gives rise to a feeling of triumphant victory.

Now Nika is installed on the stairs to the Daru of the Danone Gallery in the Louvre, where she is beautifully exhibited. The Goddess of Victory stands alone on the landing, to which wide steps rise. The sculpture, as it were, soars in space above small people and at the same time is directed towards them. Wind and sea are metaphors for struggle, fate and divine help. It is possible that the strength of the sculpture is enhanced by the very fact that the head and arms are missing.

Became an icon for many artists. Many countries have installed copies of the sculpture as a symbol of struggle and the coming victory. Also, the Goddess of Victory is a symbol of a successful result and a happy outcome. The name of the famous American company: "Nike" (Nike) comes from the name of the goddess Nike.

November 23rd, 2011 08:28 am

The magnificent Nike of Samothrace, an ancient Greek marble sculpture of the goddess of Victory, is one of the most valuable exhibits of the Louvre. It was found on the island of Samothrace on the territory of the sanctuary of the Kabirs in April 1863 by the French consul and amateur archaeologist Charles Champoiseau. In the same year she was sent to France. Currently, the Nike of Samothrace is on the stairs to the Daru of the Denon Gallery in the Louvre. The statue is made of Parian marble, the ship is made of gray Lartian marble (Rhodes), the right wing is a plaster reconstruction. The statue's head and arms are missing.

Winged Nike is one of the most beautiful statues of the Hellenistic era. The sculpture of the goddess of victory was erected on the island of Samothrace in memory of the naval victory of the Greeks over the fleet of the Syrian king. The figure of the goddess stood on a high sheer cliff above the sea on a pedestal in the form of the prow of a warship. The mighty and majestic Nika, in clothes fluttering from the wind, is presented in an unstoppable movement forward. The confident step of the goddess and the proud flapping of wings give rise to a feeling of triumphant victory.

She is different, depending on where you look at her from, but always - flying, winged Nika. Unfortunately, the head and hands of the statue were not found. But how beautiful is what, fortunately, was found! The master makes you feel the stormy sea wind blowing towards Nike, strong gusts of which excite the folds of the goddess's clothes, outline the beautiful forms of her figure and make the edge of her cloak swirl. The sea element, strong wind, vast expanses were embodied in the plastic forms of the statue.

In order to examine the Nika of Samothrace well and correctly, you need to approach it slowly, and, without taking your eyes off, go around to the right and left. If time permits, you should return to it in the evening and admire it again. Under the influence of strong spotlights, marble begins to glow and acquires amazing transparency.

None of the works of ancient sculpture makes a stronger impression. Nike seems to be a wonderful symbol of a person's aspiration for the future. This impression is enhanced by the fact that the statue is beautifully exposed. She stands alone on the landing, against the background of an ascetically bare wall. Measuredly, wide, calm steps rise to it. People near Nika seem small. The goddess hovers above them and at the same time is directed towards them. She heralds victory and is herself its inspired personification.

How did the ancient sculptor depict the goddess of victory? The winged Nike seems to have just landed on the prow of the ship and is still full of impetuous movement. It is especially felt when looking at the statue on the right. Lightweight fabric rises on a high chest, slightly below it almost closely fits the body, emphasizing its harmony. Around the hips, the folds of the tunic begin to round, run into each other and, finally, frantically rush along the leg set back. They are echoed by wings, a fluttering cloak. Another moment, and Nika will fly again - you experience the same feeling when the music gradually begins to grow and freezes at a very high note. When you stand right in front of Nika, the impression changes. There is more peace and balance in the statue, but the dynamics does not disappear - a fresh wind throws back the recalcitrant folds of clothes, sways them. Nika is ready to flap her mighty wings at any moment.

Nike of Samothrace

Location: Paris, Louvre

Time of creation: about 190 BC

Location of detection: Samothraki island (in the north of the Aegean Sea)

Material: statue - Parian marble, ship - gray Latros marble

Statue height: 2.45 m.

Height with ship: 3.28 m