THE CNIDIAN VENUS OF PRAXITELES.
In the Vatican Museum at Rome.
Greek art that the greatest artists dared to show the goddess of love in perfect nudity. The statues of Phidias still retain the severe expression of her divine character, but Praxiteles endeavors to show her beauty as in primitive times without any dress, in a careless but graceful and artistic pose. So at least appears the most authoritative record of her appearance on the Cnidian coin. Other statues, especially the Vatican marble known as the Venus of Praxiteles, are partly dressed. It is assumed that many replicas of ancient masterpieces did not follow their originals in all details.
THE VENUS OF PRAXITELES ON A CNIDIAN COIN.
From Roscher, Lex., I, col. 416.
This statue of Praxiteles was ordered by the Cnidians from the artist for public worship, and when finished they placed it in the temple of Aphrodite Euploia built especially to serve as a shrine for
HEAD OF THE CROUCHING VENUS.