Head of Aphrodite of the Aspremont-Lynden/Arles type 

The Head of Aphrodite of the Aspremont-Lynden/Arles type, housed in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, offers a compelling glimpse into the classical ideals of beauty and divinity shaped by the legacy of Praxiteles. As a copy of a lost 4th-century BC original, possibly the first known depiction of Aphrodite with a nude upper body, this sculptural type reflects the evolving representation of the goddess, bridging the serene sensuality of the Aphrodite of Knidos with the more voluptuous forms of later works like the Aphrodite of Melos. The surviving head, now divorced from its torso, carries echoes of a refined, yet idealized femininity that would influence Roman and Renaissance aesthetics alike. Its later restoration by François Girardon, under the patronage of Louis XIV, introduced symbolic elements like the mirror and apple, both deeply charged with mythological meaning, underscoring not just Aphrodite’s divine allure, but also the enduring power of classical art to adapt to new cultural narratives. An incised cross on her forehead, likely added in the early Christian era, marks a moment when pagan imagery was recontextualized within a new religious worldview.

Carved from Parian marble, the Head of Aphrodite once belonged to an over-life-size statue of a clothed Aphrodite, though some scholars have suggested it may instead portray the famed courtesan Phryne due to its individualized features. The face, turned slightly to the right, is serene and harmonious, with soft, fleshy contours and delicately incised features: a smooth triangular forehead framed by parted curls, a broad nose (now broken), full lips, and a rounded chin. A thick bun gathers the hair at the nape, secured by a wide band. The eyes, beneath gently curved brows, show signs of deliberate Christian-era defacement, likely part of an effort to “close” the eyes and “silence” the mouth. A small, incised cross on the forehead reinforces this reinterpretation of pagan art within a Christian context, suggesting the statue may have been reused as a sacred image. Despite the damage, most notably to the nose and facial extremities, the head remains in relatively good condition and serves as a compelling testament to both the endurance of classical ideals and their transformation in later religious and cultural landscapes.

The statue’s discovery near the Clock of Andronikos Kyrrhestes in the Roman Agora of Athens further grounds it in the layered urban fabric of ancient Athens, where temples, markets, and later churches coexisted and often repurposed one another’s remains. This setting, close to the sanctuary of Aphrodite and Eros on the north slope of the Acropolis, reinforces the likelihood that the statue originally served a votive or cultic function. The artistic style—marked by its naturalistic modeling, graceful asymmetry, and subtle anatomical details like the “Venus rings” on the neck—embodies the Praxitelian ideal of ethereal beauty softened by human warmth. In this way, the head is not only a remnant of a once-complete devotional image but also a rare survivor of artistic transitions: from Classical to Hellenistic, pagan to Christian, and ultimately, from sacred object to museum artifact.

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Bibliography: https://blogs.getty.edu/iris/the-christian-empire-that-grew-from-classical-roots/ and https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010277986