Day 17 - An Art Piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)

I'll post my about my favorite sculpture since I was actually lucky enough to see it in person: 

The Winged Victory of Samothrace, one of my favorite pieces! Very Hellenistic! If anyone has a chance to see it, it's definitely " a must " exhibit in the Louvre!

 

 

This exceptional monument was unearthed in 1863 on the small island of Samothrace in the northwest Aegean. It was discovered by Charles Champoiseau, French Vice-Consul to Adrianople (Turkey). The goddess of Victory (Nike, in Greek) is shown in the form of a winged woman standing on the prow of a ship, braced against the strong wind blowing through her garments. With her right hand cupped around her mouth, she announced the event she was dedicated to commemorate. The colossal work was placed in a rock niche that had been dug into a hill; it overlooked the theater of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. This niche may also have contained a pool filled with water in which the ship appeared to float. Given its placement, the work was meant to be viewed from the front left-hand side; this explains the disparity in sculpting technique, the right side of the body being much less detailed. The highly theatrical presentation-combined with the goddess's monumental, wide wingspan, and the vigor of her forward-thrusting body-reinforces the reality of the scene.