Aphrodite of Knidos: Critical and Theoretical Interpretation
The Aphrodite of Knidos was a great historical work that has proven to be of high socio-political relevance. The work presents a sculpture of a nude woman; however, it is interesting to learn the rich message communicated by this simple work. The Aphrodite of Knidos marked a clear change from the perspective and assumptions conservatively promoted in relation to Kore of the archaic period. The work pioneered the idea of including sensual female sculptures in Art. From a critical viewpoint, this can be viewed as a breakthrough for the women. This classical Greek artwork can be viewed as portrayal of real and ideal situation that characterized the society during this period. In essence, it reflects while challenging prominent socio-political ideologies during this time. Although from layman’s view one may dismiss the work by only focusing on it esthetic appeal, this artwork is of great conceptual relevance. The Aphrodite of Knidos reflects the conservative gender roles and assumptions that characterized the Ancient Greek culture. Furthermore, it contributes substantially to the development and enforcement of the culture of the involved community. The sculpture challenges the powerful norm of men as portrayed in earlier Ancient Greek artistic works. This is through breaking through the perceived shy sensuality of women; the assumption that undermined their position and value in the society.
The Aphrodite of Knidos is one of the most significant and magnificent work of Praxiteles. The sculpture has controversially been debated following the use of the woman’s nude body. The sculpture was supposed to show woman true beauty. The sculpture was fully nude apart from the vulva that had been hidden by her hand that is placed right on top of her vulva. The sculpture was symbolizing the female goddess of as she was getting ready for a ritual in which she had to take a bath and purify herself. The whole point of placing the right had on the female goddess sculpture was in order to draw more attention to her nude body. There, however, existed two sculptures of Aphrodite the female goddess in which one was fully sculptured and the other one nude. However, following the commission of the two sculptures, the citizens of kos then rejected the nude sculpture since they were not in support of the of the way the goddess had been portrayed in the nude sculpture. However, despite the commissioning of the more appropriate sculpture that the citizens wanted, the sculpture did not gain much recognition. This is because the nude sculpture had drawn too much attention and gaining too much popularity that has made the sculpture known up to date.
The image that is portrayed about the politics of the time through this sculpture is that there are too much critics regarding the way the people during this period viewed their leaders. This is because the extent at which the artist went through making a nude image of the sculpture. In a normal society, it would be unethical if an artist would make a sculpture of a leader or a goddess in such a way. This is because such a sculpture would be socially unacceptable as it would be portraying a bad image about the society. The politics at this time also seen to have been with no limitation, this is through the extent that the artist who was commissioned to make the sculpture went. This is made evident through the efforts that he made in trying to make the nude sculpture be commissioned for public viewing yet he had another version of the sculpture that was not nude. This clearly illustrates the lack of authority the politics of this time has. The lack of authority is made clear through the little say that the politics of the time had to comment on regarding the Aphrodite of Knidos sculpture. If there was a bit of strictness and authority during the politics of this time, the sculpture could have been destroyed due to the image that it portrayed. It is also clear that the there would be great critics that would have made the made sure that such attempts would have been heavily restrained and put to trial for having made such an image that made a wrong impression against women. The sculpture also made a bad image portraying the goddess who was highly valued during the time. Through it would be correct to state that the politics of the time may not have been strict due to the way the nude sculpture that wanted to be commissioned in the city.
Despite the fame that the sculpture has gotten and the thousands of tourist who have travelled all over the world to view the sculpture, there have been a lot of critics surrounding the sculpture. The critics have mostly been from feminists who are not happy about the way women are portrayed through the sculpture. This is evident through the way the female body is exposed for the world to see. This is from a perspective that nudity should be sacred and not for the publics’ viewing. There are also claims; that the females are defiled through the act, the author puts across. The way that the body is exposed leaving her body exposed with only her right hand covering her vulva is an injustice against women. It is expected that women should be respected and this would only be made possible if the sculpture was destroyed. This is because the sculpture is seen to having carried shame for women around the world for years. Feminist see that if the sculpture would be destroyed it would be a great a great achievement since there would be justice. Through this, there would be a change in how women are viewed, and their dignity would be restored. Women’s dignity is seen to have been lost through the way that their naked body has been viewed to exhibition for the world to see. However, the Marxists see the work by the great Athens sculpture as a magnificent work of art that need to be appreciated. This is made clear through how the sculpture is valued and to the extent at which numerous international tourists have travelled in order to have a glance at the sculpture. The Marxists point of view is also evident through the value that has been placed on the sculpture and the famous places that the sculpture has been continuously put for exhibition.
Historian and other scholars have uncovered varied meanings in relation to this work. In particular, the work has been interpreted in relation to the real implication of the idea of the female nudity which is prominently featured in the sculpture. The meanings uncovered from the work have embraced the persistence controversy of the concept of female sexuality. Some scholars argue that Aphrodite of Knidos’ main motive was to confront a traditional belief that felt that women should remain modestly covered to keep their sexuality from the eyes of the society. People in support of this interpretation argue that Aphrodite provides a direct conflict towards this perspective as the author portrays the women nudity openly. Importantly, the sculptor takes pride in the beauty and high potential of the woman nudity, which conflict the society’s assumption that woman nudity presented as a weakness. Other scholars make positive deductions from this work by acknowledging the potential that characterized the idea of woman nudity/sexuality. These scholars believe that an intelligent woman has the birth given privilege to utilize her sexuality to attain power and control over the male dominated society. In this perspective, these scholars interpret the Aphrodite of Knidos’ to mean the woman’s high potential as she is equipped with tools that she can utilize strategically to command her society. The right to express one’s sexually is in some cases regarded as a vital aspect of liberty. Praxiteles explored this controversial concern by designing the first female sculpture in the late classical period. The work earned great attention—developing the entire idea of the new and unique position of the women in the early Greek community.
The Aphrodite of Knidos is iconographic in nature. The sculpture has various traits that carry symbolic or hidden meaning. The Havelock presented in the work makes the viewers develop a notion that the nudity of a woman symbolizes her heavenly birth from the sea. In essence, the goodness of woman’s goodness is iconic to the precious godly gift that is granted to the world. Through acknowledging woman’s beauty, the sculptor develops the idea of the unique and prestigious position of the women in the society. Furthermore, the gesture of the Aphrodite’s covering her genitalia is symbolic. This gesture should not be mistakenly interpreted to mean shame or shyness; instead, the feature represents the woman’s fertility. In particular, it depicts woman’s high ability and potential through reproduction. The sculptor further features the hydria and drapery that helps the sculpture stand. These not only act as compositional proportions, but they symbolize the eternal youth following ritual cleansing and renewal. It is also worth acknowledging that the bracelet that decorates Aphrodite’s arm is symbolic as it represents the idea of courtesan. The iconographic depiction in the work supports the fact of the existence of deep and intelligent meaning in the concept of the goodness of the women nudity.
As described in the paper, I support the sentiments that the Aphrodite of Knidos is a great work that challenged various conservative assumptions in society, thus empowering the women by portraying them as prestigious objects of high significance and potential in the society. The work successfully challenged the practice by the Greek community that covered women from the outside world limited them to household chores. This barrier could have been aimed at protecting men from being challenged from their socially given responsibility of creating and sustaining an ordered society. Through presenting a contrasting perspective that identifies women as heavenly gifted individuals of high potential, the Aphrodite of knidos empowered women to walk proud and take up responsibilities in the society, just like their male counterparts.
Bibliography
Havelock, Christine Mitchell. The Aphrodite of Knidos and Her Successors: A Historical Review of the Female Nude in Greek Art. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2007.
Morris, Ian. Classical Greece: Ancient Histories and Modern Archaeologies. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1994.
