F O R E W O R D

the Altoviti e w i HIS monograph on Aphrodit , h ch e e e e the a e of adorns th marbl t mpl in g rd ns Mr . “ ” D R efe e un r e ui ! ohn . ock ll r at his co t y s at Kijk t the e o f on Hudson, has b en c mpiled and edited rom f de of information and notes urnished by Mr . Charles Kay ew Y who was the the N ork City, first to point out artistic ' merit of the Aphrodite and through whose eflorts the statue was brought to the attention of critics in Europe c and Ameri a . WE w ' n LL ES Bos on r .

THE APHRODITE IN THE MARBLE TEMPLE AT “K I! K UIT”

T HE ALT O VIT I AP H RO DIT E

I

W0 e we statu s had long stood, how long do not the of the f u know, in courtyard amo s Palazzo ’ M ontalvo- Altoviti on the Borgo d Albizzi in Flor ’ e e O ne of e the i e the nc . th m, Aphrod t which is of o r e ee e subject this m nog aph, was st med by its own r of e o i e the an as littl w rth, wh l other, attributed to ! di e 1 8 2 Bologna, was highly priz d. In 9 Signor Gustavo er a e e n the Volt r , a deal r in antiqu s, walki g down street, the e t he e noticed two statu s hrough t carriag archway . The Aphrodite stood at the rear of the courtyard against e l ee e e w fi'escoed a stabl wa l, which had b n d corat d ith fruits and flowers as a backgro by some sympathetic ’ per son who may have dimly realized the statue s beauty the of w through many coats thick, rough paint ith which it o f e o e had l ng be or been ign rantly and thoughtlessly cov red . Signor Volterra bought the statue for an insignificant for e e b e its e the e e sum, n ith r nor own r, March sa Matt ucci, e e of the o e e of a d sc ndant M ntalvos , had a tru appr ciation its e e a e he e e b auty and valu . With so p and wat r r moved th e of f f e The D e of he cov ring paint rom its sur ac . ir ctor t Uflizi lle W e to the ue for Ga ry now ish d buy stat , but so ' err e the ofier n low a sum that Signor Volt a, d clining , se t the e e e he e marbl to London . Ther upon it cam into t poss s

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

of er e sion Mr . Fred ick Linton, who subsequ ntly brought ew Y e o of i it to N ork City with a coll cti n old pa ntings . e t r e At that tim the Na ional A ts Club, then on W st

- f was ra hi of Thirty ourth Street, ar nging a loan ex bition a e e old p intings . Hearing that there might be som obj cts ’

r hi . i e wo th ex biting in Mr L nton s collection, Mr. Charl s de Kay went with him to the warehouse in which they were stored and after looking over the canvases learned that he possessed an old marble which some connoisseu rs o e had pron unc d a veritable antique . Mr. de Kay thus describes the impression the statue made upon him

A glance at the fi re made me think it was an old copy of the e c Ve s at orence w e the dim a e ace M di i nu l , but h n light g v pl to full daylight Iwas immediately impressed by its extraordina ry

ea . exa a o I fo a its ar s e the b uty On min ti n und th t m , unlik ’ e e s were an e ra ar ofthe mar e. a so had a ase M di i , int g l p t bl It l b w c ore ar s of ex r e a u e one of its a s hi h b m k t em nti! i th n, h nd , the r a o c i the le reas had o the ight h nd lightly t u h ng b t, up n it remains of a strap decorated with reliefs to represent gold s s osses and cabu chon ewe s a so e ow to an tud , b j l , b lut ly unkn n y f a of V s w a o o u o the marble st tues enu hich h ve c me down t s. s e e fro the ex s e ea of the face and fi re A id th n m ! ui it b uty gu , aside from the extraordin perfection of the dolphin which rears se f as a s or es e the e s ere was a s a e w c it l upp t b i l g , h t tu hi h co not a e ee er e fro an or a so far sco ere uld h v b n d iv d m y igin l di v d, n eas of allfro th V c a er wo a d l t m e enus de Medi i . R th uld it be more reasonable to believe that here was the original by Fru it eles from which K leomenes ofAthens made the famous Venus ” de e c a o 2 0 s . c. a ce r a er . M di i b ut 5 , ntu y l t

o ofhi e Mr . Lint n did not appreciate the value s poss ssion . tt 1 8 e Indeed, he had prized it so li le that in 93he s nt it by

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

’ fi'ei ht the E g to World s Columbian xposition at Chicago, the De e The a e consigned to Greek partm nt . st tu arrived e e n of long aft r th exhibition had opened . Hearing nothi g e e h a n . e w o w s his loa , Mr Linton requ sted a r lativ about to visit Chicago to inquire at the Greek Department whether e e was e e the it had arrived . Th r no such d partm nt and investigator by the merest chance lear ned that m the ! apa nese section there was an unaccounted- for case containing

e a ue s the e . a marbl st t . Thi proved to be Aphrodit e de e the ue Lat r Mr . Kay arranged to hav stat exhibited the and s e the by National Arts Club, publi hed an articl in New Y or k Tfilm of w he was art the , hich critic, attributing e e e e e er and statu to Praxit l s . Consid rabl controv sy great e e f we s of public int r st ollo d this publication . Throng art e e and ee the e r lov rs cam again again to s Aphrodit . Flowe s we e fe and e e e e The r laid at its et poets w r moved to v rs . late ! ohn La Farge suggested that it might be the work f Sk o a The u a er e o p s . S nday p p s d dicated special supple e he e ew Y wa e e m nts to t subj ct . N ork s njoying a veritabl art sensation . Meanwhile it became known that the statue might be r for of own the w e pu chased, though reasons his o n r would e e w e e he e not at that tim divulg h r had obtained it. Thos disposed to recommend its purchase to private or public galleries were naturally mystified and made skeptical by hi e fi'ankl e the e of t s attitud . Had Mr . Linton y giv n nam the dealer m Florence who had discovered the statue in the a Altoviti e w e ee al e P lazzo thes suspicions ould hav b n lay d . In 1 90 8 the Aphrodite became the property of two Eng

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

e er r Mr . i lish gentlem n, Sir Alg non Firth , Ba t . and Will am

e k who . he r e H nry Ay royd, took it to London At t ir equ st de we archa olo ists Mr . Kay sho d it to various artists , g and r e re e n of connoisseurs in o d r to procu th ir opi ion its origin . Professor Lanteri of the South Kensington Schools con ’ de the e the firmed Mr . Kay s opinion that statu was work of the same hand which had modeled the Her mes at O lympia . By special favor the statue was then placed in the British e bes ide of the e e er Mus um a cast M dici V nus , in ord that e er e the differences between them might b readily obs v d . Many authorities agreed that the Montalvo- Altoviti might “ ” be the f w K leomenes if the e original rom hich , nam on the e the . plinth can be acc pted, had copied Medici The r er now w n a the B itish own s, ishi g to ascert in judg e of re r e e the ro e m nt F nch autho iti s, s nt Aph dit to Paris e e e e e v ew u e R di wher s v ral arch ologists cam to i it . Aug st o n was f r he pro oundly sti red by its beauty, but, protesting that was not e o i e e e a e an arch ol gist, decl n d to d cid on its g or its

hor O he we e re e . . er e aut ship . t rs r mo xplicit M Potti , h ad of the e me of e erra of the o e d part nt antiqu t cottas L uvr , thought it belonged to the first century before Christ ; none considered it modern or Renaissance or Graeco- Roman there appeared to be a general consensus of opinion how e e was ree the r n era v r that it G k, antedating Ch istia . de e e w e e w ho Finally Mr . Kay went to Flor nc , h r , it ut e the e he e r e fi'om disclosing his int rest in statu , l a n d Signor Volterra the details of his discovery and purchase of the di e Aphro t .

THE VENUS DE MEDICI

AN the marble fi'om which the Aphrodite was carved be identified? Was it cut from a block taken from the old quarries on Mount P entelik os within of n e fi'om sight Athe s, quarri s long ago exhausted, e the t il the t was which cam ma erial to bu d Par henon, or it e f fr the of os a h mad rom marble om Island Par , lso muc used by Praxiteles and other Athenian sculptors ? e of P entelikan t m el It is charact ristic marble hat its war , y lowish tone when fi'eshlyquarried disappears to some degree the e e w t e er e provided block is not xpos d to the ea h r . Wh the u f e as of the sun and rain beat upon its s r ac , in parts a e the e e e due ruined P rth non, y llow ton increas s . This is the e e e of e u f e to pr s nc iron , which at som points in the s r ac e e fine e al e U i becom s visibl in m t lic spicul s . pon exam ning this statue one finds a general warm hue in the color of the e e e e the marbl , and curiously enough, in s v ral plac s ta e e e the u e was me llic spicul s are clearly visibl . Wh n stat exhibited at the National Arts Club there happened to be in New Y ork certain quarrymen fi'om Athens engaged in a the e work on an ltar in Greek Church . They unh sitatingly expressed the opinion that the marble of the Aphrodite was fi'om the ancient but now exhausted P entelik an quarries h the e w ich had been used in building Parth non . The e of an e statu is clearly not Pari marbl . Although hi e e t s is rich r in ton than Carrara, it is whiter than

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

h er e f e P entelikan and w e . has a sharper, it r glitt wh n ractur d e a e o f e The two mat ri ls hav been much c n us d . Parian mar ble had attained such a reputation after the great age of sculpture that writers were prone to assume it without r R r of he e of P au disc imination . eco ds t tim Pliny and u f e a of a a w e the e e r if sa ias o t n spe k P ri n h n statu d sc ibed,

one was e P entelik an. ee e an old , r ally Ind d th y can hardly be blamed for ignorance concerning a matter known e s o E e only to quarry mast rs and culpt rs . v n today in such o the e one fte e collecti ns as Louvr and Vatican , o n com s across an old bit described in the catalogue as Parian which on close examination proves to be fi'om the old elik quarry on Mount P ent os . the e e the u of In old statu s , obj cts such as tr nk a tree a e o i w we find the Altoviti or larg jar or d lph n, hich in e the e de are e e all marbl and in V nus Medici, g n r y placed e the e e use fte u er n ar figur . Th ir is o n mis nd stood and fa e er e e of the a e w ls ly int pr ted . Such treatm nt old m rbl s as r e e the e p actical in its origin, being int nded to obviat dang r lest the heavy mass of the torso break the marble at the e of the e ankl s figur . As a familiar instance we have the Lykian Apollo in the

e a r c - R of the Louvr , probably G a co oman copy original by e e e a e of the Praxit l s, m ntioned by Lucian as an orn m nt he The e e one e w gymnasium at At ns . figur r sts lbo on a ee fi'om f w o tr trunk, which, hal way do n , juts a str ng r the eft The b anch as a support to l thigh . sculptor has used the trunk and branch not only for strengthening the u e e e the e e of the stat but to acc ntuat r laxed pos god.

VIEW OF LEFT SIDE OF ALTOVITI APHRODITE

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

n e u u f A oth r stat e in the Lo vre, the amous Apollo the

- if e n Lizard killer, has two, not three, branch s springi g fi'om for r the trunk, all serving as firm supports the ma ble e The e O c figur . Herm s at lympia also has su h a branch fi'om of e e ef the tree trunk, on the top which r pos s his l t arm ; the branch also helps support the infant Bacchus and e e e of er th gath r d mass drap y . In view of the need of support due to the inherent fi'a ilit of r r are e o g y ma ble, sculpto s accustomed to plac a bl ck under the heel of a foot which is partially raised in the tt f e e i fte ee a itu de o susp nded movem nt . Th s is o n s n in e f e of s We ef statu s a t r the manner Praxitele . find it b ore his day in The Athlete by P olykleitos as well as in his Satyr Pouring Wine in the Bu oncampagni M useum at Rome ; also in the Farnese Eros of the Louvre ; and we must suppose it to have been used in the Hermes at O for e of e e one lympia, the movem nt the l gs d mands that of the f w ee o the e . eet, hich has b n lost, sh uld rest on to s This supporting block under the heel of one foot is found

v - Altoviti h di e the in the Montal o Ap ro t , as is also other f of o and principal support, which takes the orm a d lphin d the r of e lts c connecte with figu e the Godd ss, tail tou hing o e n n fu e t ow at an th r poi t, givi g still rther str ng h to the l er of the u e portion stat . Praxiteles also considered carefu lly the character of the in in i wa w c m sett g wh ch a work s to stand . A part hi h re ained out of sight was not finished with the pains lavished upon the O e for the u e ac other parts . ne not s example nfinish d b k of the e e the f cc ar m c H rm s with in ant Ba hus on his , whi h

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

e ce e c n r af e Pausanias , trav ling in Gree in the s cond e tu y t r

r the Heraion O . E e t Ch ist, saw in at lympia vid ntly hat e e was e for c e v mast rpiec originally int nded a ni h , ha ing been subsequently transferred to the Heraion when that e u e temple becam a m s um . The Venus de Milo is another example of a niche statue ' c difierent Altovi i with unfinished ba k . Very is the t Aphro

e c e of t . e e dit , in whi h the back is a marv l beau y H r was ' be d fi om e e the far - f e a goddess to admire all sid s, lik am d r e K nidian Aphrodite by P axitel s .

PRAXITELES ' “MARBLE FAUN ”

E i e i e d f o the H N th s statu was ch s le r m block, the artist was not disturbed by the fact that the color of the marble did not run evenly and that a lighter tone appeared obliquely r The d across and down the to so. modern sculptor, preclude ' fi om e r c efe rohibi painting his statu s, egards su h a d ct as p e w e R e tiv and seeks a fla l ss block . The enaissanc as a rule d the o e n ow e pursue same c urs , maki g, h ev r, an occasional exception in the case of a portrait bust or religious statue of e o e r the e fe coars r st n and ter a cotta . But anci nts lt the hard cold stone to be unsympathetic and therefore covered it with what the Gr eeks called M and the Latins d r eam/Mo ls of c o d wax , a varnish or po i h ol re and oil u r e w of r bbed into the ma bl , hich took on the appearance es fl h or ivory . To cite one or two examples ! There is in the British Museum a bust which has retained some of its original hue of checks e o of coloring, a rosy lips and , a blu t ne the w the e e w r f O iris . And hen H rm s as fi st ound at lympia f e of r a er it had aint trac s colo in the h ir and drap y, while the r e on sandal the color was very distinct . Colo s hav t e e e survived be ter on many Tanagra figurin s, p rhaps becaus of the ne of the er c f c rough ss t ra otta sur a es . The painting of sculpture was also common during the d e i of e e er mid le ag s, and th s method tr atm nt still p sists in

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

d e of R c r e a the painte imag s the oman Catholic hu ch s tod y. Ancient statues were further ornamented with actu al golden armlets !in our Aphrodite the left arm has a circular depression to hold such an armlet in place) ; with golden gem- set pendants in the ears !the ears of this statue are bored for this purpose) ; and in other ways by realistic e of e e s touch s , such as the placing a gold n fill t acro s the hair he of the d o and t sprinkling tinte locks with powdered g ld. At the time when statu es of gods and goddesses were c r d the e e e a ve by gr at st sculptors the world has produc d, the painter who added the finishing touches of color had be an of o to artist c nsummate skill . It was his task to c e the i i e the the onsid r light which was to llum n figure, n w was the background agai st hich it to stand, distance from which it was to be seen by the worshippers at the a n the or o be outer g tes . He must co sider too dec ati ns to d r r o r e e adde in d ape y, g ld, ivo y or j w ls . Goldsmiths as well as painter s were employed to make e i e ere be or e the ornam nts with wh ch the statu s w to ad n d . e too e e e not No artist was h ld great to r nder such s rvic s, e e the ro P arr hasios e o v n p ud , who, on losing a comp titi n to u of e d he er paint a pict re Ajax, r marke that cared v y e for hi s own efea was for was littl d t, but sorry Ajax who h d efe e t us doome to be d ated a second tim .

THE VENUS DE MILO

IV

E sc r of Altoviti as de H di ove y the Aphrodite, s e in of thi did crib d the first section s narrative, e of loren i e P ro not scape the attention the F t n s . fe m e t of e r asor L . A . Milani ade it the subj c a r po t included in a volume prepared in honor ofthe archaeologist f a e al Strena Helbi iana Wol g ng H lbig, c led g , which was is Teubner m m 1 0 publ hed by Leipzig 89 . On measur ing the arms of the statue Professor Milani found that they coincided exactly with the measurements of the arms added to the Venus de Medici in the sev en teenth e r e was to e c ntu y, wh n that statue brought Flor nce f who R . s E o e rom ome Perhap rc le F rrata , the sculptor e o the di thi u f e him r st red Me ci , had s stat e be or in the l o of co lecti n the Montalvos . Professor Milani thought the decorative strap on the ml t the e the hand was an ar e . Had he examined ends b hind d he r e u l e was han , su ly wo ld have rea iz d that the object not e for a m e fu t u la e e n m ant an r l t, and r her, that the circ r d pr ssio on the upper arm would not have fitted the little strap in e hi e e e o of qu stion . T s l ads us to a mor d tailed c nsideration “ an n e e e k estos of e i t r sting th me, the Aphrodit .

ACH of the divinities of Olympus had his or her e ! ! e t e symbol or attribut us his hund rbolt, Posei e e d don his trid nt, H ra a sceptre en ing in a cuckoo , o l ne her e Ares his sw rd, Pal as Athe sp ar, Hermes

e - e e and n his serp nt entwined caduc us, Herakl s his club lio l bow t r skin, Apo lo his , ci ha a or lyre. d her kestos t e Aphro ite has , hat embroid red strap or e f the fa of little girdl , which, be ore shion the broad girdle, w the r a and w was ran belo b e sts , tapering to ard the ends , ef o fastened right and l t to the brooches on the sh ulders . This was the intimate and decorated object lying half e of r w she the hidd n in the bosom a gi l, hich gave only to he a to r e of the man s loved and me nt mar y . The w aring kes tos was in allprobability out of fashion even in the time of a e v f r the e of r Pr xit les, but itwas ne er o gotten by po ts G eece

R e c e e e . and om , be aus the Iliad kept it ver in th ir minds The kestos ofAphrodite was used as a symbol ; a whole train of love meanings attached to it long after the Greek e a o k e of e wom n had ce sed t ma it a part th ir attire. Per haps here lies the reason why the k estos had not been seen in a life- size marble statue before the Altoviti Venus was discovered and why even then its meaning was at

first misunderstood . The k estos can be found in certain small bronzes in the British Museum which are catalogued as coming from

HAND OF ALTOVITISTATUE snowmo K ESTOS BEFORE RESTO RATION

LEFT HAND OF THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

The inference seems clear that the fair wrought em br oider ed strap !tartar himar poikilor) instead of being e or r e a zon gi dl as Lang translates it, was a small object whi ch Aphrodite unfastened from her breast and Hera e in her r plac d own bosom . It may have been the p ototype of the e of r d the i w e zon girdle late ays, but at t me h n the was u was r re erfii med Iliad first s ng it a small, emb oide d, p and - re r me gem studded b ast o na nt. Lucian speaks of it as a small object whi ch Aphrodite hardly misses from her breast when the infant Hermes r D e of pu loins it . Apollo says to Hephaistos in ialogu s the Gods

’ Ah and on o ow w a a ou c a er ox he , d n t kn h t glib y h tt b

is and if he has his wa he is to be ou r erra o . Y es er a ; , y, nd y t d y he c a en e ros r e his ee s so e ow and had h ll g d E , t ipp d up h l m h , him on his back in a twink lin Before the applause was over he had taken the opportunity 0?a congratulatory hug from Aphrodite to steal her k estos ; ! eu s had not done laughing before the

- sce re was o e. If the er o had not ee too ea pt g n thund b lt b n h vy, ” and er hot he wo a e a e awa w ha too . v y , uld h v m d y ith t t M in b H ion y . W . and F. G. Fowler. Vol. I.

H e employs it again in an amusing fashion in one of his Dialogues of the Gods in the scene of the judgment of The r e r a e Paris . dramatis pe sona are He a, Pall s Ath ne, r er e er of the e Aph odite, H m s as personal couri godd sses , r the er er r e and Pa is, sheph d prince. H a has dis ob d and has been surveyed “ P ar ir ! ro e w ou a so re are ? Aph dit , ill y l p p “ Adm) ! ar s a e her re o e a k estos ere is O , P i , m k m v th t , th

THE ALTO VITI APHRODITE

Who wo not a e a ha ou were the wor uld im gin , O ! uli , t t y k of the chisel of P heidias or a marv el of the art of Pallas Athene ? Fro the w e L a ar e as if s ea a e and m hit ydi n m bl , p king, liv li! uid ex ress o s es ro sere e face s oo h a p i n hin th ugh thy n . Thy m t h nd o s W h the Acidalian o the k estos w c oor t le t y it kn t ! ) hi h, O p li t C has ee s a c e fro th ec ! or er ha the upid, b n n t h d m y n k In d t t o es of ars and h er o e s a be re ewe u o l v M hig thund ing ! v h ll n d, ! n ” and Ve s f a fr nu hersel m y borrow om thee thy kastos .

T ranslation by C . do K ay. The allusion to snatching the k estos fr om the neck of Cupid may be understood from certain engraved gems which show Eros standing by Aphrodite with the k estos if he e re in his hand, as had stol n and was turning it to his her f fa s e e . mot in a portiv , in antil shion The small bronzes mentioned above as in the British Museum !there is a third in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris) in which the goddess holds the k estos in her e if e eo e are sufli hand doubl d up as to strik som n with it, ’ ciently explained by another epigram of Martial s on the m r e of the oe e Ianthi e a riag p t St lla to s . V nus whispers ear of Ianthis e her e in the , just w dded to St lla O ft have I myself in rage beaten lascivious Mars whilst he wa ere a o 1nconstant efore the orta s o e e to ou r nd d b ut, , b p l n d e a e s ou sa B ce h beeam l gitim t p ls . u t sin e e mine he has never re me ro a r a o w r ha inj u d th ugh iv l . ! un might ell desi e t t ! upiter ” should be so constant ! Thus spake she and struck the husband S e a Wi h the s c ra e k est s ! t ll ) t my ti st p ! th o ) .

T ranslation by C . do l ay.

e io fr r and r i and Th se quotat ns om Home , Lucian Ma t al, e e of e ro e e are the m nacing attitud the littl b nzes m ntion d , enough to warrant one in saying that by the old Greeks the

SIDE VIEW OF ALTO VITI APHRODITE

THE ALTO VITI APHRODITE k estos r the e of r e r was conside ed w apon Aph odit , stronge than the spear of Ares or the club of Herakles because it the e of er e was a magic weapon like caduc us H m s . But if one wishes to see the k estos displayed at full e d of e of l ngth , with in ications its d corations alternate r r s e one m the R r of ci cles and c o s s, ust consult epo ts the r r aeo i e e for 1 8 8 w er Ge man A ch logical Inst tut in Ath ns 7 , h e D M u lonas e r ree K . . has d sc ibed in modern G k an old h bronze with figures engraved upon it . Ap rodite in a long chiton with a girdle about her waist sits in profile at the f er e e r le t ; H m s, nude, sits opposit at the right, in p ofile, ’ i ser in . t e hold ng his pent e herald s wand Be ween th m, but a Er d w t r f above, st nds os, nu e, i h ve y large wings, acing e r w re a e the obs rve . He holds ith sp ad rms the two nds of a strap decorated toward the middle with alternating e and e r e e r circl s cross s , epr senting jew ls and ound gold f r Mu lona e O n o . . s boss s . ne taperi g end hangs tieing Mr ' “ o ' o mv 0 6 mine points out that this 13 the yv o r v d fl p m . . the ” e - w of f arm . w ll kno n symbol love, the A gold ring in the British Museum whi ch Furtwaengler r r e n IX A hro ep oduc s in his Antike Gemme , 47 shows p dite completely nude resting her left elbow on a fluted r d r column which holds he rape y . She wears anklets and the ef arm a bracelet on upper l t . Her weight is supported h H er f e r on the right leg while t e left is flexed . ac is tu ned r h She to the right in the hyt mic way. holds out her right arm w w a e ith palm do nw rd, while a dove r sts on the back of e U er e this extend d hand . nd n ath stands a little winged Er e i kestos n with os, ext nd ng to his mother her orname ted

THE ALTO VITI APHRO DITE

be w or the e how a the k estos also the s an dov , but djust without some drapery? The sculpto r of the Altoviti conceived the innovation of thr owing it over the right n m re e er if 1 t were e re ha d a ca l ss mann , as an obj ct too p o r a er ci ns and impo tant to be put aside with dr p y .

BACK VIEW OF THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

HE episode in the career of Aphrodite which seems to be illustrated by the Altoviti statue can

land- name a e scarcely be other than her , her pp ar ance at Kythera after her magical birth from the f of e sea . t oam the . There is no drapery at all She is at end d

n which thou hw - e was by the dolphi , , g arm blood d, yet a sym bolof sea f o e a ee . the , and abled nc to h ve b n a human being Stories have been told of its return by night in human form to e o e e a e s ek human l v . Aphrodite at her first spl ndid pp ar a o her al of the hertor ance c rries n thing but t isman Love, himar e an e for we or bejew lled b d . It is nough ; have a war rant of its limitless inclusiveness from her own lips

l dao o. m , r etir es Mm r ai; yxdr “Ar g

Lo now take this le d la it u in th bosom , gird an y p y . ‘ - - l r a l This fair wrought ! or many colored) gird e whe ein allthisgr r eforhros e . If-d XIV tu —M of h a Leaf and M ers [ g s, y ! .

Further confirmation of this episode has been found by er of a e for some observ s in one detail the little m rbl plat m, al t of the f w c an integr par original block, rom hi h the o f o U of d lphin rears himsel so joy usly . nlike the plinth one e mto an other surviving marbles, this s e s bear indication of fine waves like the surface of sand under the impulse of

THE ALTOVlTl APHRODITE BEFORE RESTO RATION OF THE FINGERS AND K ES'POS

BACK VIEW OF ALTOVITI APHRODITE SHOWING FACE IN PROFILE

VII

H E sculptor Praxiteles may in his day have been criticised for departing from the severe majesty of P olykleitos ofArgos and P heidias ofAthens in his treatment of religious efligies ; but the sweetness a of e and grace, the easy pose and delicate ch rm his statu s w r e of a soon made his o k the d light the cultiv ted public . He came of a family of sculptors and his sons and e he wa far f o neph ws carried on his art. Though s r m wi w f e thro ng tradition to the inds , and though he o t n ee f w P ol kleitos his s ms to ollo y and own elder brother, K e hisodotos ef ee of his own p , yet he l t a d p stamp indi viduali on ee u ty Gr k sculpt re . ce e of e ea e P r axitelia ea ita Ci ro sp aks Praxit l n h ads, p . was o s a e o of There s mething in the po e, sh pe and expr ssi n the heads of his statues which clearly marked them from of r f e e r those other sculpto s o and n ar his tim . This pe sonal r a ui of o a t ait m kes it possible to disting sh copies lost rigin ls , in which the copyist has utterly failed to approach the fr f er o e master, om other copies a t th r men . d of i of Gab11 The Aphro ite Arles, the Artem s , the

l r - e L kian Apo lo Liza d kill r and y Apollo in the Louvre, i of e e of the Artem s Kition at Vi nna, the h ad Aphrodite at u of K nidos E s ofThes iai To louse, the Aphrodite and the ro p the a R t at V tican , and the Satyr at est in the Capi oline e R are e w owe i n Mus um at ome, copi s hich the r attributio

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE 85 expression reported by the ancients in the Aphrodite of K nidos for a e T he e or w effec 13 , ex mpl . dr amy s imming t r of e o e efo few af e a t ait Praxit les . N n b re him and t r him f fu o of . attained to this subtle rest l gaze, this lo k one aloo

THE CAPITOLINE VENUS AT ROME This sta tu e is in the Mu seu m in t h Ca xtola t om a t r x t on th K ni i e p R e. L e v a an e d an Aphrodi te by Praxiteles

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

P ol kleitos the E r e f n of K e hiso y , in i en and In ant Plo tos p dotos and in the earlier and mid- life works of their follower r e e hi s e e O the P axit l s, in H rm s at lympia, in Satyr Pouring the e e E the E of e i the Wine, in Farn s ros and ros Th spia , in r e of e the emi of Gabii Aph odit Arl s and Art s . Pliny reports that though Praxiteles wrought also in

e his a e u e e e e f . The n bronz , m rbl stat s w r mor amous bro ze e e e one of t i e e work r stands r v aled in part h s statu , nam ly, l The of the the symbo ic Sporting dolphin . tail dolphin is wrought so thin and projects so far from the side of the e the f e goddess that one marv ls at daring o th sculptor . s reverberatin l w t n of Lightly struck, it ings g y i h a sou d as e h e the e e O A hro m tal . And w il H rm s at lympia and the p dite of Milo at Paris are not entirely chiseled from one 1n the Altoviti the the ea the l t the block, arms, h d, p in h,

allof the e of e. dolphin , are sam piece marbl

THE APHRODITE WITH DOLPHIN Another ar iant on the Praxitelean A hrodit at tha i i V p e. L er n the Med c

IX

XTRAO RDINARY indeed is the good fortune that has preserved this statue almost entire for all these years ! It has lost only several of the fingers the e of the k estos and middl section , which Mr . f e Tonetti has skil ully restored . Its excell nt condition indi ' e e e suflered w cat s, we may believe, that it n v r ship reck, and was always admir ed enough to cause its owners to hide it u t e e sun d ring wars and hat it was n v r exposed to , rain and f few e rost. What saved it during the last centuri s was the lucky coatings of paint which dimmed its beauty and led w e tt e its o n rs to think that it had li l or no market value . Do l for of the ubt ess it has long passed a copy Medici. Thatit may have been in Florence when the Medi ci statue wa fr R o le s brought om ome and rest red has been a r ady noted . was in r u e e r e s But that it Florence seve al cent ri s arlie , p rhap fo the Altovitis h be re owned it, is at least hig ly probable, for h e o ! e r and t is r as n B nvenuto da Imola, the fi st person to D e e give readings on ant , commenting on a m ntion which D e of P ol kleitos ante had mad y in his Purgatorio, has a ' e the eflect he e not to that , Benv nuto, had seen in a private house in Florence a wonderful nude statue of Aphrodite e h P ol kleitos e n attribut d to t is same y . Th re are poi ts in the Altoviti es e godd s, as previously mentioned, which prov that the young sculptor Praxiteles was under the influence of P ol kleitos e f e t y , as wer also his ather and eld r bro her,

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

of the e a e w the Altoviti e part figur , as comp r d ith marbl f e f e o e e the o th w h . seen rom sid d lphin , h r not ing is lost Contrary to the habit of many workmen in the early the u o of hi e was not e e wh times , sc lpt r t s statu car l ss en o e or c The o e e m d ling a minor part an adj un t. d lphin h r has of own e o e an individuality its . It might hav been d n by the fa o e e r here e th c e . m us animalist Myron , so aliv is r atu T e e o h of the ro e h w is v n a t uc humo us in its yes . And o exquisite is the sense of proportion ! The tail reaches just the e es e e e the to right h ight, b id and a littl b hind upper ef le of e re T e l t g th figu . he whole mass of th dolphin is so contrived as to give breadth and bulk to the lower part ofthe o o w o e c d a e e o a c mpositi n as a h l , su h as r p d statu s bt in the f f a o e We o ne the by all o r b . sh uld imagi dolphin as f e o e e e o es o . onc ornam nt d in t n silv r, green and g ld It is noteworthy that this dolphin was never saddled with one o e e e the sea e e or m r littl Cupids , lik b ast that a com ani one e the p es the Medici . Note also that when r gards Medici fi'om the back there is a tree trunk and a dolphin which destroy that beautiful view from the rear so greatly r admired in this ma ble . The simplicity of the Altoviti compared with the crowded e fe e e o er e the e c e o e for int r r nc bs v d in M di i, sp aks el qu ntly wh e c ef o r its originality . Critics o hav ar ully c mpa ed the two marbles concur in placing the Montalvo- Altoviti far ea of the e e o o ah d M dici in r gard to c mpositi n , grace and o of e n bility asp ct.

X

HE slight suggestion of P olykleitos in the pose of the Altoviti marble and the archaic traits already of mentioned, the ripple marks on the tol the nt r u liffed pli h , the squa e block under the p right r a of a heel, the extrao dinary be uty the dolphin, the ch nnel the ft for k estos on upper le arm a bracelet, the on the right the r for ! he c t the hand, ears pie ced earrings t se indi ate hat sculptor consulted tradition and arranged his statue for dec

r of - o ation to suit the demands idol worshippers, and sug gest that it is an early wor k belonging somewhere between 0 6 B c 37 and 3 5 . . It may Well be that the famous Phryne was the model for the r e r r statue . We know that P axitel s p omised Ph yne whichever of his statues she might choose and likewise the w w that she, having wit to kno that his choice ould t r h r of be be te t an hers, employed stratagem to make su e the Er r e e w he a e obtaining best . An os by P axit l s hich s g v to the temple at Thespiai was still there in the time of if fr r e e e Pausanias . Since g ts om Ph yn were there in th sam e e r r of r e f t mpl , an Aphrodite and a po t ait statue he s l , r E w the two hr wa p obably the ros stood bet een . As P yne s er e e of r was consid ed a pri st ss Aph odite, there nothing extraordinary in the collocation of the goddess and her e e w ee pri st ss . It ould have b n natural that the first attempt ’ by Praxiteles under the inspiration of Phryne s beauty

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

’ should go to Phryne s birthplace and that Phryne herself ’ ffe e fe her e n should o r it . Phryn s li and r latio s with Praxi are we teles ll known . The clean cut legs of the Altoviti seem to fit the story ’ of r e t s e the e f are Ph yn s you h pa s d in op n air . The eet not e are e e too small ; th y made to carry an athl tic maid n . Noticeable are the small size of the little toes and the length of the e e are fe t we e s cond toe . Thes e that r not constrained . The r was e e n to so n v r distorted by any restraining ba ds .

She f - w w e w h is a ull gro n oman and y t girlish it al . It is not impossible that the Aphrodite at Thespiai may have been this particular marble of the Altovitis which found wa u e its y to Italy, as did so many h ndred oth rs . The suave lines of the shoulders of the Altoviti marble e ee e t dm r e e the hav b n gr a ly a i ed, and, ev n mor , exquisite e of the e e e mod ling low r back . Indeed th r can be no back more beautiful ; the Melos and the Medici are not com e hi parabl to it in t s respect. The gesture of the two hands has been the source of f e w f the of requent rrors . To orshippers, rom days Homer to of x e h e e of er those Pra it les, Ap rodit was a godd ss gen ation . She f er f the had no alse modesty to pres ve. The expression o e e e f e n en u M dici V nus sugg sts bash uln ss and co cealm t . ! ite the e . e e contrary, this statu The goddess gaz s ser ne and e of e ea e s f unabashed, a d ity generation, r v ling h r el to her i f h le the two mankind at b rth rom the sea, w i hands indicate by their sovereign sweep inward the two great r ofmaternit w he e the o gans y, the omb w r man is created and e w er he 13 the u e of e br ast h e nourished, majestic gest r V nus

F SHOWING K ES'IO S IN HAND OF WOMAN

THE ALTOVITI APHRODITE

fe ho t as es. eac case the w s he k estos her ha dyn ti In h i ld in nd . I do not believe that a scu lptor of this early period in Egypt wou ld have dared to put that p1ece of feminine attire in the hands of a woman unless the obj ect had been one of some hi h religious r S o we fin the or of the a a th impo t . d igin m gic ! u lity 0 e K estos in Egypt very early ; and as late as the Ptolemies we see the idea ” s till alive.