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The Dichotomy of Interpretations of Nike in Sculpture

At the edge of Central Park, amid the hustle and bustle of the surrounding metropolis of

New York City, stands the Sherman Monument, an imposing statue of a commanding general

perched on his horse. Positioned in front of the horse and its commander, an angelic figure

strides powerfully and confidently leading the horse and rider, diminishing the muscular form of

the animal with her strength and delicacy. The woman that is presented is Victory, a smaller

rendition located in the Carneige Museum of Art in Pittsburgh of a gilded bronze statue designed

by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The beauty of Victory, depicting Nike, the Greek Goddess of

Victory, stands as an exemplar of the Classical genre, a style of Greek art celebrating the

perfection, order, and balance, of the human figure. Imagine a different scene: atop the grand

steps of the entrance of the Denon Wing in the Louvre Museum appears the Winged Victory of

Samothrace, majestically powering the room with her grace. Although portraying the same

figures, each artists creates a unique masterpiece of Nike. While Saint-Gaudens’ work

encompasses the various aspects of Classical art portrayed through the sculpture’s balance, order,

and perfection, Winged Victory of Samothrace epitomizes Hellenistic Art using asymmetry,

movement, and drapery. Augustus Saint-Gaudens utilizes these elements of the Classical genre

of art to persuade the viewers that Victory is eminent in her dominance yet delicate in her beauty;

conversely, Winged Victory of Samothrace inspires natural beauty because of her imperfection.

The creation of the Classical and Hellenistic art genres dates back to the artistic

movements of ancient Greece and Rome. Following the Archaic period of Greek sculpture that

was inspired by Egyptian art, the Classical genre began in 500 BC. Sculptors began using real

subjects, and as they continued to study these subjects, they noticed that the relaxed, resting

positions of humans is one of shifted weight, cross-balance, and loose limbs. The Classical

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period is characterized by order, balance, and perfection, despite using more human subjects.

Saint-Gauden’s Victory exemplifies this artistic movement. The shift from Classical to

Hellenistic Art began following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence

of the Roman Empire. Hellenism (loosely translated to the Greek term meaning “one who uses

the Greek language”) was not only a period of success for Greece, but also a shift in thought

from the Classical art genre. Artists found beauty in natural objects, movement, individuality,

and drapery. Not only were men appreciated for their bodies, but women began to be sculpted

and draped in dramatic garments to show their natural beauty. Winged Victory of Samothrace is

known as one of the best examples of sculpture to embody the characteristics of the Hellenistic

movement.

Saint-Gaudens’ Victory as a Classical Sculpture

Augustus Saint-Gaudens, an American sculptor known for crafting bronze historical

monuments, built the Central Park statue to honor General Sherman as he led the Union Army

that fought at Bull Run and at Shiloh and was infamous for his trail of destruction as his troops

seized Atlanta during the Civil War while marching to the sea. Sculpted of gilded bronze, the

monotonic gold color of the statue signifies richness, regalness, and superiority that the goddess

Nike bestows on the champion in a contest of combat, athletics, or other competition. Like other

works of the Classical period, the simplicity of the solid gold color entices the patron to focus on

the intricate details of the statue. Instead of infusing Victory with color, Saint-Gaudens relies on

his sculpting abilities to accentuate the figure’s flawless qualities, depending only on shadow and

shape to impart distinctive characteristics in the composition of the work. By not emphasizing

one aspect of the figure over others, the use of a uniform, solid color promotes balance and

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harmony characteristic of the Classical period. The solid gold color of the sculpture emphasizes

Victory’s prominence as the leader of the champion of combat.

Saint-Gaudens’ use of body positioning and facial expressions show firmness and

perfection in his sculpture’s movement. Remaining poised and graceful throughout the hardships

of competition, Victory persuades her viewers to remain composed and confidence during

whatever adversities they may face in their lives. The expressionless yet flawless face of Victory

further categorizes the sculpture in the Classical genre. Victory’s face does not stand out, call

attention to itself, or detract from the overall sculpture. Appearing neither anxious, nor scared,

nor worried, the woman remains confident through her exploits as her unblemished facial

features reveal her poise and grandeur. The slight rigidity in her neck and the softness in her jaw

line contribute to her Classical feminine beauty. Her slim lips frame her slightly perched-open

mouth as she inhales the fresh air. She appears in a trance as her open eyes gaze off into the

distance. The woman is not concerned with her immediate surroundings, as her eyes are fixed on

something outside the realm of her outstretched arm, beyond the tangible. Not completely

satisfied with previous triumphs, she looks forward to the hope of future successes. While it is

possible to define her facial features such as lips, nose, and cheek bones, she has no distinct

characteristics that call attention to any one aspect of her countenance. Thus, her facial features

are in balance and, because they represent the ideal form of the human body, lend an air of

harmony to the figure. The harmony among Victory’s facial features encourages viewers to

believe in her sincerity.

The Classical genre of the sculpture is further evident in the curvature, flow, and

symmetry of Victory’s wings. The wings are folded into her body, creating an aerodynamic form

which does not impede the forward motion of her strides. Attached near her scapula, her wings

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are proportionate to her body and evenly balanced. The curves in the composition of feathers

have a flowing softness further expressing her ethereal beauty and unparalleled perfection.

Viewing the wings of the sculpture enables people to recognize the inability to exactly emulate

the Goddess of Victory; however, it nevertheless encourages people to try to achieve their own

definition of perfection. Throughout his work, Augustus Saint-Gaudens uses qualities of the

Classical genre including balance, flawlessness, and harmony, along with use of medium and

color to portray Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory.

Winged Victory of Samothrace as a Hellenistic Sculpture

While Saint-Gaudens’ Victory is a Classical sculpture because of its harmony, balance,

and perfection of Nike, the same winged figure is Hellenistic in style in Winged Victory of

Samothrace in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Characterized by angularity, drapery of

garments, asymmetry, and dramatic movement that breaks the plane of its space, this Nike is

characterized by her majestic dominance in her natural beauty. Dating back to the first half of

second century BC, Winged Victory is the most famous monument to come out of Samothrace,

an ancient Greek island that was home to the Temple of the Sanctuary of the Greek Gods. The

2.5 meter statue was discovered in pieces in 1863 by the French archaeologist Charles

Champoiseau, and now stands majestically remastered in the Louvre’s Denon Wing.

The angularity of Winged Victory is not only a strong characteristic of the Hellenistic

movement, but also a powerful reminder of the imperfections of all woman, even a great Greek

goddess. Energetic and sensual in her body position, the winged woman strides forward with her

right foot, facing an eminent battle with pride and authority. Unlike Victory’s perfect balance,

this Nike statue is on uneven ground. Despite missing her feet, one can only imagine the way in

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which her hard-wrought, muscular feet traverse the ground and kisses each step along the way.

The Hellenistic element of angularity is exemplified in the placement of the statute within the

staircase. Resting atop a 2 meter marble prow, Winged Victory strides forward and can be seen

from the entire staircase, the side staircases, and the balcony above. Just as it stood in the

Sanctuary of the Greek Gods in Samothrace as a majestic masterpiece, so too does it remain in

the foyer as an unforgettable view in every visitor’s journey through the Louvre. When viewed

from straight-on, one can immediately sense the slight tilt of her shoulders and the asymmetry of

her textured wings, as if her perfection is only second to her resiliency. Though she lacks a face,

she need not prove her perfection or balance in her countenance: each individual viewer of the

sculpture can create their own perception of what her head would be, creating a sense of

individuality that is lacking in the Saint-Gaudens’ Classical sculpture. From all angles, Winged

Victory of Samothrace contains majestic properties of Hellenism. While Saint-Gaudens’

Classical figure is limited to only a 180-degree view, this Hellenistic sculpture is admired from

all angles, making her all the more impressive and definitively Hellenistic.

The most striking Hellenistic element of Nike of Samothrace comes with the dramatic

drapery of the garment across her body. With draping being inherently imperfect in nature – and

therefore a key component to Hellenistic sculpture – one can only conjure up the difficulty of

creating such dramatic folds and angles out of stone in the early 200 BC. The invisible force of

the wind creates a billowing effect in Nike’s garments, as the conflicting forces of the wind and

her body playfully intertwine into a majestic dynamic against her body. Nike’s powerful forward

movement is unrivaled by the forces blowing her back, and the material drapes tightly across the

contracted muscles of her torso and ripples unevenly across her breasts. The majority of her

garment clings to her powerful, muscular thighs and brushes past her angled hips to fly freely

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behind her in rigid crests. The Winged Victory of Samothrace makes no appearance of being

perfect, but simply inspires her viewers to appreciate the grace with which she handles the strong

forces. Contrary to Victory by Saint-Gaudens, Nike is far from perfect in her creation, and the

simplicity of the grey stone contrasts with the regality of the gilded figure crafted by Saint-

Gaudens. The Hellenistic art movement embraces this imperfection, and with it, the universal

theme that everyone faces their own hardships but can power through with persistence.

Saint-Gaudens’ Victory and the Louvre’s Winged Victory of Samothrace are two unique

portrayals of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory that exhibit different artistic elements. Saint-

Gaudens’ gilded masterpiece stands as a figure of perfection with balance and harmony as she

glides forward, leading General Sherman on horseback. Conversely, The Winged Victory of

Samothrace majestically strides forward with billowing drapery and naturalism with a sense of

actuality and urgency. The two figures, while of the same Greek goddess, are stylistically and

thematically different; while Victory is Classical in nature and encourages viewers to strive for

perfection, Winged Victory of Samothrace epitomizes Hellenism and inspires audiences to fight

through the inevitable imperfections of life. Whether crafted in 200 BC or 1903 AD, located in

Paris or in New York, sculpted from grey-marble or gilded, or characteristic of the Hellenistic or

Classical movements, Nike remains a timeless symbol of victory that all humans can strive to

achieve.

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Visual Texts

Victory Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh

Sherman Monument

Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Central Park, New York City

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Winged Victory of Samothrace

Musée du Louvre

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