Painted sculpture:

Quicktime VR sculpture:

Information:

Nike of Samothrace (Louvre, Paris, ca.190 BCE)

Image Source:

Plaster cast, from the collection of Judith de Luce.

Related Links:

Boston College Nike site

Nike of Samothrace from the Louvre

On the prow of a ship (her original position)

Comments:

If there were only one piece of Hellenistic sculpture to survive, we would want it to be the great Winged Victory from Samothrace. Even in a still photo she is magnificent, but in Quick Time VR you can actually see the principles of Hellenistic composition at work. The shifting shadows of the dense drapery and the arching of the heavy wings imbues the figure with a movement and vigor which we find even more compelling in motion.

For comparison:

Other sculpture in the gallery:

Kouros	Kore	"Geryon"
Wounded Warrior	Apollo (Veii)	Apollo (Olympia)
Parthenon Metope	Athena	Nike
Dying Gaul	Antiochus	Augustus
Flavian Woman	Column of Trajan	Gorgon head