Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-03-27
ARMS OF THE VENUS.
AN ENGLISH scULPToRs sol UTloN
or THE MYSTERY.


"
sOhn Beu Thinks that she stood In the
vest Anphirheater az ngelos Typlfyins
. Great Goddess confsrrinE Honors-A
Problem In Ar.
Any number Of attempts have been
made 10 restore 70 her original perfeo-
ton the Venus Of Melos, who has stood
In armiess beauty for the admiration Of
the thousands OF art lovers who visit tho
Louvre, but the original design Is as
problemadoal still "a the meaning Of
The monster that guards the pyramids,
spd 90 accustomed have people become
70 the Venus as II emerged from the
ruins Of the Meios amphitheater that no
sculptor has yet been able to effect a
restoration which satisfies the sense
thus cultivated. John Bell, an Eng
Jsh sculptor, has made the latest resto-
ration.
As no mention appears in ancient rec
ords OF art, there Is no knowing what
parsonage OF deity the 30 called Venus
may have been intended 70 represent.
She has been entitled a Venus Victrix,
I'D one Of her lost hands Is supposed TO
save hold the apple, the award Of Paris,
sile another speculation has been that
she formed part Of a group with Mars.
According 10 another idea, she repre-
5ented a sea nymph, the special protect
ing Nereid Of the isle. By some she has
been said to be q Nemesis, In connection
possibly with the Atheninn massacre Of
~ fnNm@Iman uI..rnN a. N4Wm.@N A.. nj
rpOnnesian war. BY others che has
sen adopted as a Nike OF Victory.
Others have assigned 20 her the names
OF Sappho, Phryne or a mourning Elec-
ira, while yet another version has been
that she was a Tyre playing muse The
most general idea, however, has been
that she was an Aphrodite or Venus,
Dhich is highly probable from the al
most universal worship Of that goddess
throughout tho coasts and islands Of
he Egean archipelago, and it has been
suggested that she had a harp in her left
hand while she played on It with her
right, which the position Of the torso
and the remains Of the arms admit Of.
But the most favored and at the came
time the least dignifed Of the floating
speculations IS that che is coquettishly
1olding and looking IN a mirror. The
assumont IN favor Of this is that q
nZe stAtuette has been discovered In
to-npeil which much resembles It, and
IS holding and gazing in a mirror.
10 very many archRologists this last
seems the most probable solution Of It's
c5 stery. Certainly the pose Is appro-
gr.sioi certainly the demitoileted con.
1I.i-l is In accordance with the theory
,cs Dat Mr.. Bell is incapable Of enter
tanning this notion Of its motive, " and
wing addressed his thoughts to some
l4ission that seemed to him more wor-
by he has decided that a great goddess
comforting honors is more in keeping
With the dignity OF the sculpture.
Though small, the Island Vi Melos
must at n time have been very popu-
i-'is. 1t was famous for its catacombs,
-ous for its c%yclopean ramparts and
its huge a~mphitheater. 1t was In
ruins Of this last, in a cave grotto,
At the figure which from the Paris
.ouvre charms the world was found.
Gr. Bell thinks It's original situation
was in the amphitheater; that 1t posed
as the genius loci Of the structure, and
that at some time OK commotion it wal
removed to the grotto tor protection
and concealment.
"Methinks ! see her there" he says,
lin the vast amphitheator thronged
with adorers Of the great goddess, the
central object at some high festival.
Under this aspect what species Of
lotivo is open to us for the restoration
Il this noble work |consonant with ID
Grand form and majestic presence? Sh,
sands with the utmost frmness anC
4iRuity, and q benign smile Is on hel
ace aa she slightly bends forward. Tn,
principal fractures indicate that heI
oft arm and hand was raised and hel
sight advanced before her. The amphi
sb0stoT IN which / assume her to hav,
t9od was no doubt the accepted sit,
ar the holding Of high public festival
nd for tho bestowal Of the insula.
honors for public services and for liter
ature, philosophy, poetry, music anC
She drama, and for victories in athleti,
2tu.os, which formed 30 integral a par.
81 mo culture Of the Greek race. From
above considerations has sprung ny
ncepton Of what it is possible shI
t.ly hava represented and the mode II
hich the lost arms and hands ma,
ave been held and employed"
il pursuance Of this conception Mr.
ell has invested his attempt at restora
pon with "the character Of a great god
feEs comforting honors." One hand be
lows a wreath Of glory; the other hold
20 in reserve and there you have
f,uus Denatrix Magazine Of Art.