Nike of Paionios
5th-century BC sculpture by Paeonius of Mende / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Nike of Paionios is an ancient statue of the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, made by sculptor Paionios (Paeonius of Mende) between 425 BC and 420 BC. Made of Parian marble, the medium gives the statue a translucent and pure white look to it. Found in pieces, the statue was restored from many fragments but is lacking face, neck, forearms, part of left leg, toes, and some fragments of drapery. It also had wings. The goddess is shown landing gently on her left foot, with the drapery blown against her body.[1]
Nike of Paionios | |
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Artist | Paionios |
Year | 425–420 BC |
Medium | Parian marble |
Dimensions | 198 cm (78 in) |
Location | Archaeological Museum of Olympia |
The statue was installed to commemorate the victory of a land battle between Athens and Sparta[1] in efforts to recapture the small island of Sphacteria from the Spartans in 425 BC, and then erected in 420 BC a few years after the victory. It was common for statues of Nike to be commissioned and put up after significant victories and achievements. The sculpture's location, on top of a tall plinth directly outside the Temple of Zeus would have ensured that it was seen by all Greeks who visited the sanctuary.[2] It has the inscription:
Μεσσάνιοι καὶ Ναυπάκτιοι ἀνέθεν Διὶ |
The Messenians and the Naupaktians dedicated this to Zeus |
—Inschriften von Olympia 259 | —James Whitley[3] |
Vermeule et al. propose that in this competition, the winner would be the one to carve the sculpture of Nike, and it went to Paeonius. His victory in the competition was likely the result of devising not only the most aesthetically pleasing option but also the most financially feasible.[4] The second century AD travel writer Pausanias mentions the work in his description of Olympia, noting that it was "by Paeonius, a native of Mende in Thrace".[5]