2020 IB Extended Essays

14

Analysis on ‘The Winged Victory of Samothrace/Nike of Samothrace’ by Pythokritos

(190BCE)

Figure 10: The Winged Victory of Samothrace/Nike of Samothrace by Pythokritos (190BCE), the Louvre.

The famous sculpture from the Hellenistic period, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, is

created from white Paros marble, with the base featuring marble found on Rhodes. The

statue is commonly believed to be Nike manning the helm of a stone ship, touching

down from flight at Samothrace in the northwest Aegean. The common features of

movement and power seen in the Hellenistic period is evident through the folding lines

of Nike’s chiton. The realistic elements of the nature and environment of the placing of

this statue is evident through the depiction of humid air from the sea, seen by the change

of fluidity and ‘transparency’ of the fabric. Nike’s movement is further emphasised by

the placement of the Goddesses legs and wings, seeming to touchdown from flight.

Although lacking in limbs and a head, we are able to see the power in her stride forward

with her weight mainly distributed on her front foot, known as contrapposto. The

disparity between the right, which lacks detail, and left side of the statue show that due

to its location and placement, the sculpture was intended to be viewed from the front

left.