France - Paris day 07 - Louvre Greek Section

The Greek section is large and extensive. I have not taken many pictures of pottery because I've been to Greece twice (once with my wife) and Italy where there's a lot more and of superb quality. The objects I've posted are ones I have not seen before or that interest me.

3rd century BCE (Before Common Era or BC) pottery.

4th century BCE Macedonian doors.

Pergamon Funeral Vase, 2nd century BCE

The three muses, from 2nd century BCE, found on the Caelian hill in Rome, of originals done before in Greece. It is one of many made in various forms (sculpture, paintings, frescoes) from 3rd century BCE onwards.

2nd century BCE sculpture of Hercules and Telephus found in Tivoli Italy, from originals made over a hundred years before in Greece.

1st to 2nd century CE (Common Era or AD). This kid looks serious in his battle with the duck which makes it even more hilarious to me.

Centaur battling Eros,1st to 2nd century CE. Centaurs normally represent the beastly nature of man, in Greek art. Having the statement that higher love will win over base instinct is one that was embraced by many since early days.

A statue of the god Hermaphroditus sleeping done in the second century CE. The child of Aphrodite and Hermes, and was represented by the fourth day of the month, was a patron god of weddings because of the union of man and woman in one body.

There's the dude and dudette bits.

Spear points from 1230 to 1050 BCE. I was interested in them because I have one very much like the one on the right that I was told when I bought it that it was from the Turkey. That made me believe that it may have been from Xenophon's march of the ten thousand around 400 BCE, which formed the basis of his war journalism book Anabasis. Awesome book by the way. Instead it seems that it is probably from the early days of Greek colonies on the West and South coastline of Turkey.

Venus di Milo. Made around 120 BCE and found in 1820 on the Greek island of Milo, it caused quite the sensation when discovered. The French government had recently returned the Italian "Medici Venus" to the Italian government and after the purchase of this statue, it was praised as being more beautiful and better sculpted. I'll let you be the judge. I think both are good in their own way.

Looking like she's tearing up the dance floor is Aphrodite, made in the first or second century BCE. It is a copy of the original made by Praxiteles who is regarded as making the first nude Greek statue around 360 BCE.

Mars, a 1st or 2nd century BCE Italian copy of the approximatly 360 BCE original.

Athena, made around 1st century BCE, from the Greek original has remenants of where the paint was applied on her eyes and lips. Statues were painted by the Greeks and Romans but little of this survives today.