Handbook of archaeology, Egyptian - Greek - Etruscan - Roman . allipygos. On theother hand, ancient art felt itselfchallenged to the observance of thepurest proportions, the most fault-less representation of beautifulforms, when the goddess appearedcompletely unveiled. Althoughthe bath was originally imaginedas the occasion of this unveiling,here all reference to action dis-appears; the statue is entirely asymbol of female loveliness, height-ened by the manifestation of naturalshame, and of womanhood in gene-ral. Of this kind was the cele-brated Venus of Cnidos, by Praxi-teles, of which the Ve
Handbook of archaeology, Egyptian - Greek - Etruscan - Roman . allipygos. On theother hand, ancient art felt itselfchallenged to the observance of thepurest proportions, the most fault-less representation of beautifulforms, when the goddess appearedcompletely unveiled. Althoughthe bath was originally imaginedas the occasion of this unveiling,here all reference to action dis-appears; the statue is entirely asymbol of female loveliness, height-ened by the manifestation of naturalshame, and of womanhood in gene-ral. Of this kind was the cele-brated Venus of Cnidos, by Praxi-teles, of which the Venus de Medici,the Venus of the Capitol, and otherVenuses in a similar position, aresupposed to be either imitations orcopies. Other attitudes which indi-cate more movement and action,notwithstanding the particular charms which they unfold, have not the same pervading and uni-form fulness of beauty as the chief statues before described. Tothis class belong those crouching in the bath, girding themselveswith the cestus, putting on a shoulder-belt or sandals. N. VENUS OF THE CAPITOL. 178 HANDBOOK OF ARCHAEOLOGY. In groups Aphrodite frequently appears with her child Eros infondling representations, and with the Charites (Graces), when sheis adorned by them. There are also numerous representations ofAphrodite as a sea deity, in which the loveliest product of thewatery deep is usually combined and placed in contrast with thegrotesque beings which are destined to express the wild andchangeable nature of the ocean. Among the proper love intriguesof Aphrodite, her amour with Ares and the legend of Adonis gavenot a little occupation to Greek art in the good times. More worksof art relate to the Trojan mythus; the competition for the prize ofbeauty gave to artists of different kinds occasion for manifoldrepresentations. A very excellent work of sculpture—Aphrodite per-suading Helen to fulfil her promise to Paris—forms the basis ofnumerous reliefs still preserved. The goddess is freque
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