"The Aphrodite of Knidos and Her Successors: A Historical Review of ..." by Christine Mitchell Havelock

This book takes a much- needed new look at some of the most famous icons of Western art: the nude statues that the Greeks produced to represent Aphrodite. The book is a highly readable, broad-based volume of interest to anyone familiar with classical art and the ancient world.

The Aphrodite of Knidos, by master sculptor Praxiteles, is the leading example of this form. Other statues include the Capitoline and Medici Venuses, the Crouching Aphrodite and the Aphrodite of Melos–all of them indebted to Praxiteles.
The author analyzes the meaning of the pose of the Aphrodite of Knidos, the significance of her nudity, and her architectural setting. A survey of the statue's reception and interpretation in Greek, Roman, and modern times offers an entirely new perspective on this major work of art.
Among topics examined are Praxiteles' reported use of his mistress Phryne as his model, the "pudica gesture," and the importance of small-scale versions of statues for dating the larger sculptures. The author also considers the function and religious significance of the small statues, and she includes the cultural context offered by the erotic poetry of Propertius and Ovid, two Roman poets who were fascinated by the robing and disrobing of their mistresses.

Contents
Illustrations
Introduction
1. The Aphrodite of Knidos
2. Praxiteles' Place in the History of Greek Art
3. The Late Hellenistic Period: The Rediscovery of the Knidia
4. Aftermath: Works Inspired by the Knidia
5. Aphrodite in Context
Conclusion
Works Cited
Index
Plates