The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-16
The Lost Arms of Venus.

| In 1921 French mdshipman named Won.
tier, while cruising in the Grecian Archipel.
ago, landed on the island of Milo in search Of
antiquities. In the course of his rambles he
happened to see peasant digging for stones
among the ruins of an old chapel. The peas
ant had just unearthed portion of statue,
which not being suited TO his purpose he was
about covering up again, when Nontier inter.
fered and paid him literally to complete the
excavation The figure thus resurrected after
sleep of centuries is the now world-famous
Venus of Milo the most precious gem in the
gallery of the Louvre. Its diScoverer died a
few weeks ago, and simultaneously with the
announcement OF bis death comes the intell.
gence that the arms of the Venus have been
found within thirty feet of the spot where
Vonter eXhumed the remainder of the body
forly.six years ago. Our charge d'atiaires at
Athens, Gen. Meredith Read, writing to the
state department, says:
The arms are exquistely modelled. One
hand holds kind of disc or shield. The
workmanship and the locality compel even
the sceptical to acknowledge the authenticity
OF these wonderful relics.
The peculiar position of the figure, taken
IN connection with the STYLE and expression
of the face, long since convinced classical an.
tIquarlaHs that the fair stranger from Milo
"
embodiment of a stronger IDEAL and so she
has been christeRed "Venus Victrix" THIS
opinion would seem 10 be fully verified by
the relies recently unearthed. The mother OF
Cupid and the mistress of Mars would have
held in her hand mirror, or some other de.
vice 10 reflect the matchless beauty of her
countenance; bat, according to Gen. Read, a
disc or shield supplies the place of the mirror
the emblem Of war instead Of the emblem
of softer passions
II the arms can be joined to their owner
the statue will then be perfect, except the left
foot, which is modern addition and not a
very good one. But we doubt whether the
effect can be materially heightened by the
union OF the long-separated member; and i'll
il is, visit TO the Louvre Will be worth a
goyage across the ocean. In spite of the mis-
cradle location Of the s,atue-in badly
lighted lowerroom, with dingy walls for Il
background-the Venus of Milo, even in Its
mutilauon, impresses the spectator as no 9th.
er Venus does or can. The marble woman
at Florence, who has been the object Of ST
much aesthetic idolatry, is Il mere toy when
compared with her sister at Paris. The one
looks like the tavOrite concubire Of an Ori- !
entail prince. The other looks the goddess
"neU.lighted on heaven-kissing hill" The
one excites admiration. The other provokes |
soutlHlHE AKIN 10 worship. Inc Que IS Oh
the earth, earthly. The other is clothed in &c.
lesual garments. There is not a trace Of the
sensual, nor even Of the sensuous in Venus
NiciriX; while in the Venus dc Stedicl there |
is great deal OF both. a man entering the |
presence OF the former could not insult her
with voluptuUus thought, while volup'u |
Gus thoughts constitute a very considerable |
portion Of the homage paid 10 the latter. The |
lie Medlcl soon pals upon the eye aud leaves |
no impression upon the heart. a single glance |
al the 'NIctFiX fills the soul with an eternal |
memory. The low, broad forehead, from |
which the wavy hair is drawn carelessly away; |
the flnely-pencilled bTows, shading the clear.
cut lids beneath; the straight, strongly.mould- |
&c nose; the rounded cheeks and chm, melt |
ing into The frmly.set jaws; the soft, sweet,
lips, so full of mingled tenderness and over
all combine to form picture which once
seen becomes part of sight
The name of the artist who called this i'm.
age of intellectual grace and loveiEess from
the dun stone, is lost beyond all hope of re-
cOvery; but the unknown sculptor can afford
10 be forgotten, since he has left behind him
an immortal child--the pure and perfect of
spring of a pure and perfect genius.-.St
Lous Republican.