Female head, modeled from the Aphrodite of Cnidus at The Louvre, Paris

myminifactory

Among many copies inspired by Aphrodite of Cnidus, this head from the former Kaufmann Collection stands out as a Hellenistic-era creation. Distinguished by its elegance and refinement, it freely adapts Praxiteles' masterpiece from the mid-fourth century BC without altering either its sacred nobility or sensual charm. The goddess performs her ablutions completely naked, an audacious and innovative treatment of the subject. This head of Aphrodite was discovered at Tralles in Asia Minor around 1885. It takes its current name from the Kaufmann Collection, where it remained until purchased by the Louvre in 1951. A fragment from the same statue, depicting the pelvis and upper thighs, is held in the collections of the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. The "Kaufmann Head" is one of many copies made of Aphrodite of Cnidus during the Hellenistic and Imperial periods. The slight tilt to the left, the chignon, and treatment of the hair in waves divided equally on either side of a central part are similar to other Roman heads nearby. The head is distinguished by its elegance and gentleness, with no trepan lines in the working of the hair - these clues allow us to date this work to the Hellenistic period. More than a simple copy, this marble head from the Kaufmann Collection offers an original creation from the second century BC. The sculptor has taken several liberties with Praxiteles' famous statue, altering neither the goddess's sacred nobility nor her sensuality. He or she has accentuated the length of the neck and noticeably lengthened the face's delicate oval. The sculptor has also changed the arrangement of the ribbons holding the hair: here they are parallel, while on other copies they diverge. Aphrodite thus appears more tentative and fragile, yet both the memory of the subject and Praxiteles' style remain, particularly in the sfumato effect emanating from the face. In the fourth century BC, the citizens of Cnidus, a small city-state on the southern coast of Asia Minor, placed Aphrodite of Praxiteles at the heart of the temple dedicated to her. Viewers were struck by the boldness of the subject - the first large-scale Greek statue to depict the female nude - as well as its exceptional execution. The statue depicts the goddess surprised in her bath by an intruder, at a moment when she is completely naked, performing her ritual ablutions. The image has a highly religious meaning and was frequently copied thereafter, perhaps more for decorative purposes than spiritual ones. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)