Victory of Samothrace

Nike of Samothrace or Winged Victory of Samothrace is a votive monument originally found on the island of Samothrace, north of the Aegean Sea. It was created circa. 200–190 B.C.E. Greece is seeking the return of this sculpture.

Quotes about the Winged Victory of Samothrace:

 * The wind, the fresh sea breeze, which excites, exalts and inebriates, whips the triumphant, proud figure of the goddess and, having the chiton modeled on the body, collects and shakes the edges while detaching, either inflating high, or knocking down to the ground, the himation. And a very effective means for achieving a grandiose effect is the swelling of the himation between the leg and the leg, which, greatly enriching the lower part of the figure and giving it a solid base, prepares the passage to the torso, to the chest, to the wings widely extended. Everything in this sculpture seems to make us sensitive to the capricious breeze of the sea, so that it almost seems to inhale the salty smell of the wide surface of the waters. (Pericle Ducati)


 * For the invincible impetus and the conquering energy, for the thrill of life transfused in marble, for the happy contrast between the tumultuous fluttering of the mantle and the adherence of the tunic to the belly and thighs}}, this statue is the most beautiful expression of the movement, which ancient art has transmitted to us. The sculptor has not only translated muscular strength and triumphant elegance, but the intensity of the sea breeze, of that breeze that Sully-Prudhomme makes us hear in an equally winged verse: Un peu du grand zéphir qui souffle à Salamine.... (Salomon Reinach)


 * For nothing in the world would I want to see the Colosseum rebuilt, with all the walls and steps in perfect condition, or a Parthenon painted in bright colors, or a Victory of Samothrace with her head. (Matilde Asensi)
 * A roaring automobile, which seems to run on machine guns, is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace. (Filippo Tommaso Marinetti)