Art has always been one of the tools used for different purposes. Creating various artworks, individuals acquired an opportunity to show things that were important to them and make other persons think about the ideas vital for them. A masterpiece belonging to a particular era can highlight the moods, attitudes, and fundamental concepts of that period. For instance, the term classical sculpture refers to the period of ancient Greece and Rome. the traditions of the classical sculpture that emerged during this era presupposed the naturalistic representation of bodies, freedom of expression, and monumental male and female statues (Hughes, 2017, p.10). An ancient Roman copy of the Greek statue, the Aphrodite of Knidos, and the 20th-century installation Venus of the Rags Michelangelo Pistoletto have different contexts; however, they are related to the traditions of classical sculpture because of the anatomic details, naturalistic style, and represent a female nude in art.
The Aphrodite of Knidos is a marble statue representing the classic period with its shapes and visions. It is known as one of the first examples of nudity in art (Barrow, 2018, p. 15). That period’s tradition presupposed the creation of female sculptures with ideal and curvy forms (Hughes, 2017, p. 11). The goddess statue is in contrapposto, where she places her weight on her right leg with the left knee bending forward as she rests the left foot back (Hughes, 2019, p.10). Additionally, the head of the goddess is on a slight turn posture to the left as her gaze remains low and the wavy hair appears to be tied back. Another unique characteristic is the thin band on her left upper arm. Some parts of the body are missing, and only half of the forearm can be seen, which means the pubic area is visible.
The 20th-century installation entitled Venus of the Rags by the Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto is an over-life sized classical statue of the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. The installation is made of marble and textiles to create a complete image and attain the desired effect. The body is also curvy, with soft shapes and specific beauty. The face and front part of the body cannot be seen; they appear to be lightly pressed against the heap of fabrics or clothes in front of the statue. Venus of the Rags shifts the emphasis from the overall attractiveness of the statue to the context and tries to attract viewers’ attention to the backroad full of clothes, which is necessary for understanding the message of the artist.
Analyzing these artworks, it is possible to outline the existence of several similarities. Viewers realize that the statues are related to one another because of the similarity of forms and female figures. Aphrodite of Knidos seems more feminine than Venus of the Rags because of the manners used by artists. However, this relation comes from the similarity of the classical period. Both sculptures embody the concepts of beauty and love. They describe ideal women with perfect shapes of their bodies and figures. Both statues appeal to the goddess known as a symbol of femininity, and this relation can easily be traced. They represent an iconic motif of Western art and appeal to the past characterized by the dominance of such forms and the ideals of beauty, both spiritual and physical one.
There are some more similar features in the statues. First, they are created staying in the same ways. Their postures are often used in classic antique artworks as they help to depict the body with its shapes (Barrow, 2018, p. 29). Additionally, they hold their clothes and look relaxed. Being made of marble, both these sculptures can be viewed as an embodiment of one person or a goddess who represents beauty. The given similarity between the Aphrodite of Knidos and Venus of the Rags is not accidental, as Michelangelo Pistoletto follows the classic forms and approaches used by the creators of the past with the primary goal to create the reference to this epoch and add some new meanings to the composition.
At the same time, there are some differences between these statues. First, the Aphrodite of Knidos stays with her face to viewers, meaning that the sculptor wanted to emphasize the beauty of the goddess. As stated previously, statues of females’ bodies were dedicated to inferior creatures, and their beauty was important. For this reason, the first statue’s face can be seen by viewers. Venus of the Rags stays with her back to people, and they can only guess her face. It is a potent measure to attract attention to the background, which also differs. There are many clothes and rags which become even more notable than the sculpture itself. The given difference is fundamental for understanding the contexts.
The physical differences mentioned above and the overall setting affects the viewers and explain the message of the artworks. The Aphrodite of Knidos is a symbol of beauty, and the central purpose of the sculpture is to show the ideal nature of the goddess, which is typical considering the classic art context. However, it is also one of the first full-size female nude it art (Hughes, 2019, p. 5). Thus, Venus of the Rags has another meaning as it combines the classic masterpiece with worn rags and introduces oppositions such as hard-soft, precious-disregarded, historical-contemporary, something significant and appreciated-inessential (Sanger, 2009, p. 23). Both statues represent a new era in art, which rests on the classic cultural heritage and is combine with contemporary ideas.
Regarding these contexts, it is possible to understand the choice of the classical iconic model. Michelangelo Pistoletto’s decision is linked to the artists of the contemporary era who look for a new space for their thoughts. Using this model, the creator establishes a renowned idea of classic Western art, which helps him to ask people to look back to the past and analyze it in terms of the modern context (Prix Italia, 2016). At the same time, Greek classic sculpture also serves as the source of inspiration for other creators. Christie Brown says that she was inspired by the sensuality of classical masterpieces, the beauty of sculptures, and their shapes (Hughes, 2019, p. 58). These motifs affected her style and the choice of ideas and models for works. Michelangelo Pistoletto’s decision can be explained by similar motifs. Being influenced by the unique style, he wants to use it as the basis for his works and create a new vision resting on the classic Greek art. From this perspective, the Aphrodite of Knidos is the best possible solution.
Altogether, the Aphrodite of Knidos and Venus of the Rags are two sculptures that have multiple similarities and, at the same time, are created in different contexts and convey different messages. However, both these statues represent the traditions of classical art because of the outstanding detail to forms, the anatomy of the body, naturalistic description of a woman, and attractive forms. Devoting much attention to the beauty of the image, the artists followed the classical tradition and created full-size female nudes with postures and features peculiar to the classic period. For this reason, regardless of multiple differences, the sculptures are also related to the discussed period.
References
Barrow, R. (2018) Gender, identity and the body in Greek and Roman sculpture. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Hughes, J. (2017) Votive body parts in Greek and Roman religion. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Hughes, J. (2019). Greek and Roman sculpture. Milton Keynes: The Open University.
Prix Italia (2016) Video message by Michelangelo Pistoletto about the Venus of the Rags on Lampedusa. Web.
Sanger. A. (2009) Michelangelo Pistoletto: Venus of the Rags, 1967, 1974. Web.