Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-19
The COrcOran Art Gallery.
THE vRNUs OF MILO.


In the sculpture hall of the Corcoran Art
Gallery fine cast of the Venus Of Milo Is nOw
TO be seen, and the following particulars Of the
history of this famous statue from the So.
Nicholas for November viii be of interest:
The most beautiful lady ever >sw was born
about two thousand years ago. In all that long
time she has not once turned her head nor ever
moved her lips to answer, though men and wO-
men everywhere have been her lovers; though
artists have worshipped and poets have sung
TO her; though wise men have written learned
ueatses and searched mouldy records TO dis
cover her story.
She has DO color in her face, nor in her eve
or hair. one cannot say that che is blonde
brunette. She stands quiet and majestic in
great room, with a soft, unchanging, lazy smile
uIon her face, reigning like a queen over many
subjects, as cold and silent ana oOlOrless as he
but far less lovely People who love beauty
travel from all parts OF the world, far ann near
10 look upon her; but from out this crowd o.
gazeIs no fairy favored prince has ever stepped
20 give her that magic kiss which would star:
the brushes In the pale face and set the tAir
limbs free from the sleep which has bound the m
through the coming and geing of ages
But can beguile you no longer with this sem
blance OF an old fairy tale. My "Sleepiug
Beauty" will never stir; she is imprisoned in =
block Of defsced and discOlOred marble; nv
beautiful woman is only an antique statue, mi
raculousy preserved for US from the DAYS when
the Greeks were masters of the world, and OF
all arts and knowledge as well.
This statue has been named "Venus OF Milo"
Venus" because il is supposed to represent
the EOuOess venus, aud ''Of MILO be-
cause it was found in garden on the island of
meios, one OF the many islands in the Greeisn
Archipelago.
The garden was probably part OF the pIeasure
grounds of a wealthy Greek. In the midst on
little bill, he built his house of marble. ana
rom the wide open porticoes around IL on every
side lie looked abroad upon terraces, fountains.
marble payements, and statues; upon green
waving fields, long avenues of orange and lemon
trees laden with blossoms aud fruit, filling the
air with sweet odor, vines clustering on the
stones. and In fha A
tance he saw the purple sea fOrey ar curving and
swelling around countless islands set like Jewels
iD its bosom; he watched the ships dipping and
rising before the light wind, stopping at this
port, then at that; here unloading, there tai king
on their cargoes OF sweet nuts, tigs, and wine
Farther beyond still WAS Athens itself, ami the
Acropons shining white and sharp through the
clear, luminous atmosphere against the blue
sky.
But these rare sights passed away; invasio..
and war left only teW broken shafts and col
umns; the beauti ful vineyards ran to waste tn
fountains were chOked up, the statues crum5 5ied
or were carried OFF by the Turks in their msny
lncurslons Into Greece and its islands. The
garden lay thus dGspoiled aud neglected fog
many years, till, in 1925, the owner OF bit OF i
began TO clear hillside for the planting of a
vineyard. AT the foot OF the hill he CHANGED 10
strike his shovel against this statue ef a woman
1t was imb edded in the earth, and had been
entirely covered up by the crumbliBg and wash
ing down of the soil above, and so had lain con.
cealed for hundreds of years.
1t was no uncommon thing At that time for
woTkmen and peasants TO turn up from the
dark earth vases, trinkets, bits of sculpture,
and many fragmentary relics of those ancient
Greeks who, centuries before. lived and
wrought nObly here. To the present race these
tokens had no value that cOnld outweigh the
price they would bring in the market; they were
too poor 10 gratifY expensive tastes even ii they
had had them. Besides, they had grown out Of
the Old faith, and they gave no divinity to the
arms and legs and mutilated bodies of the god
and demigods with which their fathers crowded
the earth and afr and sea. Yet I am sure the
traditions Of his pagan fathers must have stirred
IN the soul Of the man who brought back TO the
light of DAY this matchless figure.
II be had such emotions at all. however, they
were happily so slight that he vas willing 20 sci
the statue TO Monsieur Brest, the French Con
sui, who, recognizing the value Of the prize
bought IL for i've hundred dollars. and sent im
medisteiy for vessel on which II could b,
shipped TO France. Before this vessel arrived
the Turkish government heard of the unearth
ing Of the statue and hastily Dispatched a yesse!
10 bring it away, Offering the owner FIVE timss
more than the French price.
1t was not in human nature 70 resist this. The
Turks were gwen possession of the statue, and
were fmbaTking IL on their VI Gssel when the
French ship arrived on the scene. A dispute
and struggle arose, and later accounts saw that
the arms OF the Venus, which had been detached
for safer transportation, were seized by the
Turks and are still in their possession. The first
account was that the arms were goue when the
bgure was tsken from the ground, also one fOor
broken OFF and several deep scratches about the
shoulders and drapery. However this may be-
the arms are still missing.