The Winged Victory of Samothrace

The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a marble Hellenistic sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike, which means Victory. It was created in the 2nd century BC. Since 1884, it has been prominently displayed at the Louvre and is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world. In the summer of 2019, I was able to view The Winged Victory of Samothrace in person at the Louvre in Paris, France. To say this felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity is an understatement. First of all, just to be in the Louvre was fascinating. Second of all, walking to the end of a naturally lighted corridor, where I just passed Greek statue after Greek statue, then to walk up the Daru staircase, only to gaze upon this magnificent sculpture, was like something out of this world. It was lighted by the natural afternoon sunlight shining through the glass window nearby that almost gave it a glow. The attention to detail and the smooth lines of her dress made it look like she could step off of the bow of the ship at any moment. I had no idea that the sports brand, Nike, used this sculpture as a basis for the brand. When the sculpture is viewed from the side, you can see the resemblance to the Nike swoosh. I think that the sculpture was built to honor the goddess of Nike and also to commemorate a naval victory. When looking at the sculpture, I definitely felt a sense of pride over a victory won; as if she represents a victory in battle. <a href="https://medium.com/@mavisandmargot/the-winged-victory-of-samothrace-54d0c894f140">Website</a>