Inspiring Vision: The Winged Victory of Samothrace

“Beauty is perfect in its imperfections, so you just have to go with the imperfections.” – Diane von Furstenberg

If you have been to the Louvre Museum in Paris, you might have noticed one statue that stands out. The Winged Victory of Samothrace stands majestically at the end of a long staircase. Have you ever wondered what the story was about this statue? Well, the exact origins are not known. However, archaeologists and art historians have extensively studied the sculpture for more than a century. According to experts, the piece was likely crafted by the people of Rhodes, a Greek island, in the early second century BC. The 18-foot sculpture depicts the Greek goddess of victory, Nike. She triumphantly steps toward the front of the ship, leading historians to conclude that it was created to commemorate a victorious sea battle.

What is remarkable about this statue is that the details, the movement, and the power of the sculpture continue to inspire people even though she is armless and headless. Perhaps this sparks our imagination even more as we wonder about the missing components. What is she holding? What is her expression? The power lies in our own imagination as we replace the missing reality with our own version that fits our own vision.