The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-02-27
HIST RVS
MYST ERIES
The Arms Of the Venus di Milo

THAT the Venus di Milo. undoubt-
! edly the most beautiful statue In
the world, once had arms is apparent
from the most superficial glance, but
In what position they were sculptured
and what became Of them are mys-
teries which take first rank among the
secrets of the art world.
Some experts, basing their state
ments upon accurate measurements of
the stumps Of the missing arms and
the manner In which the muscles ap-
pear along the back Of the statue.
claim that the right arm was grace
fully posed and attached to the dra-
peries around the waist, while the left
arm was raised at the shoulder and
bent at the elbow-suppositio which
are supported by the meager reports
concerning the statue when it was first
discovered on the Island of Melos in
the Mediterranean.
But the first of the mysteries con-
cerning the Venus Is connected with
the origin of the statue. Who was
the sculptor? 1t Is doubtful II this
will ever be revealed for, while 1t has
evidently been buried for some 1000
years and 1t bears traces Of the char
acteristic handiwork Of any one Of sew
eral famous Greek sculptOrs, the iden-
tity of the man who made 1t will re-
main forever secret unless some
unsupported evidence is discovered,
throwing light upon this question
The modern history Of the Venus
goes back about century when Yor-
COS Bottonia, peasant living on the
Island of Melos, was working In q
field on the side Of mountain. Bot
tonia was Quarrying some stone and
accidentally came across a species OF
vault. Excavating further, he was
amazed to discover the figure OF q
woman, larger than nature and radi-
ant with the beauty of the immortals.
Who had sealed her there? Why,
for some twenty centuries, had that
marvellous form been captive Of the
dark, standing motionless and union
ored? Had the statue been stolen and
secreted or had it been hidden in or
der to save 1t from the hands of van
dals? These questions, like the others
which concern the Venus Of Melos
must also remain unanswered.
When old Yorgos found the statue
} or 80 the story goes-it was complete
and unharmed. What was more, II
was made Of two superimposed blocks
joined at the waist, while the left arm
could be detached from the shoulder
to which 1t was cunningly fixed by an
iron tenon.
Shortly after the discovery, however
French vessel stopped at the Island
, Of Melos and young ensign started
on tour Of discovery for something
out of the ordinary. He heard of the
Venus and at once sought out Yorgos
: A bargain was struck and the statue
, was to pass into the hands of the en-
sign as soon as he could produce the
purchase price agreed upon-a sun
absurdly small when the real value Of
the statue Is considered. The French
vessel then sailed for Constantinoplt
where the French ambassador was In
formed Of the treasure and, In few
days the secretary of the embassy was
sent to Melos to complete the trans
action.
primates of the island had arranged
to present the statue to a certain
Greek prince, whom they desired t.
placate. A French warship had beer
) dispatched to Melos to bring the statue
away with 1t but, when she anchored
III the harbor on May %, 1929, Greel
ship flying the Turkish flag was al
= ready at the dock and a party o.
Greek and Turkish sailors were pre-
pairing to load the statue on the Greel
! boat. Both French and Turkish sail
= ors were landed and fight ensued fol
, possession Of the treasure, the Frencl
being victorious.
When the melee was over and tn,
2 French vessel sailed for Piraens, 1t Il
said that the Venus bore irreparabl,
wounds. But this Is part Of the sc
cret which surrounds the statue for
as the story Of the affair did not com,
! to light until nearly half centur.
later, the details could never be sub
stantiated and there Is more than
: suspicion that the statue was broker
E during it's trip ON the warship an,
that the story Of the fight was con
cocted in order to explain the mishaI
n In fact, the only undisputed point
+ about this famous statue are that
was discovered on the Island Of Melo
and that 1t now stands, broken bu
magnificent, In the place of honor Il
the Louvre at Paris. All the rest
conjecture, rumor and mystery.
(0 by the Wheeler syndicatel