Nike of Samothrace (Winged Victory)

(gentle piano music)

- [Beth] We're standing in the Louvre,

looking at the very
famous Nike of Samothrace.

Now a Nike personifies victory.

- [Steven] And was the
goddess of victory as well.

This sculpture is 18
feet tall if you include

the ship that she stands on.

And it's placed at the top of
one of the grand staircases,

so it is incredibly dramatic.

- [Beth] She was found in pieces.

She wasn't found whole the
way that we see her today,

and she's been reconstructed.

The pieces that were
missing have been filled in.

And she was recently restored.

- [Steven] Originally, this was placed

in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods

on the Island of Samothrace in
the northeastern Aegean Sea.

But we should say that we
have very little information

about this particular cult.

What we do have is a
magnificent sculpture.

It was carved during
the Hellenistic period.

This is after the classical period,

after Alexander the Great created
one of the largest empires

the world had known to that date.

And it was a period when Greek
art was extremely expressive.

And in fact, art historians
often pair this sculpture

in its style with a sculpture that we find

on the great frieze at the
Altar of Zeus at Pergamon.

- [Beth] In both cases, there's a sense

of energy, and drama, and power.

And although we can compare
the drapery that clings

in these complex folds to
the body, to the sculptures

on the earlier Parthenon,
there's so much more drama here.

- [Steven] I love the
way in which the drape

seems to be whipped by the wind.

And it's interesting to note

that the way that this
ship would have originally

been oriented, it would have been facing

towards the coast with the
wind coming off the sea.

And so the actual wind on
Samothrace would have functioned

as a collaborator with the
illusion of the sculpture.

- [Beth] Now Nike figures are not unusual

in ancient Greek art.

To me, what's so special about
this figure is the tension

between the lower half of
the body and the upper half.

She's clearly alighting,
landing on this ship,

but with the lower part of her body,

I feel that pull downward.

But the upper part of her body
seems to still be held aloft,

and so her torso stretches up

and twists slightly in the
opposite direction of her legs.

So there's this upward movement,

but downward movement at the same time

- [Steven] The sense of
naturalism is so extraordinary

that there seems to be nothing improbable

about the wings attached to
the shoulders of this figure.

It just seems completely natural.

- [Beth] It used to be
thought that perhaps

this figure stood within a fountain

and perhaps was blowing a trumpet

or offering a crown of victory,

but we now think that her
hand was simply outstretched.

Either she was in an open sanctuary

or a slightly enclosed sanctuary.

I love the pinkish white,
almost golden color

of the marble that she's carved from

and the grayish color of the ship.

- [Steven] There's a wonderful contrast

between those two materials.

Although she's lost her
head, and both of her arms,

and other bits and pieces as well,

we are so lucky to have
this sculpture this intact.

- [Beth] Well think about
all that's been lost

that didn't survive and
the incredible achievements

of ancient Greek and
specifically Hellenistic art.

(gentle piano music)