Aphrodite: The Lady of Love

== Introduction ==
Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, has been portrayed in many ways over the years. The myths and art dedicated to her portray her as a very sexualized and interesting character who is quick to become jealous. In Greek times though, she was the representation of what a perfect woman would be. Her persona is another characterization that plays to this seductive stereotype. But being the goddess of love isn't all it's cut out to be.
== Origins and Mythology (Brown) ==
Revered for her embodiment of love, fertility, and passion, the goddess Aphrodite captivated the hearts of both mortals and gods, and continues to inspire millions of women across the globe today. The first known recorded appearance of the goddess was in 2223 B.C. when she was birthed from white sea foam after the genitals of Ouranos were cast into the sea.https://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/aphrodite/origins.html This story can already give an impression of what Aphrodite is supposed to idealistically represent, as white is typically associated with purity, meaning the goddess should represent morally virtuous values. However, the age in which the goddess was formed was one of misogyny and cruelty towards women. 
At this time in history, ancient Greece saw women virtually as child-bearers (preferably giving males) and caretakers.https://www.penn.museum/sites/greek_world/women.html#:~:text=Greek%20women%20had%20virtually%20no,and%20to%20run%20the%20household. They lacked any form of political rights and were controlled in a variety of methods, such as being unable to inherit land, to more extreme methods such as locking them up in attics during the night as their sexual drive was so strong they would go after anything if left unchecked. This left women in a position in which they rarely ever had a voice and would instead be spoken on behalf of their husbands. The persistent misogyny even leaked into religion, as Aphrodite represents the twisted idea of what a  woman is and is seen throughout numerous stories as a villain who will attempt to harm or even kill anyone who stands in her way.
Two particular stories come to mind when it comes to the misogynistic representation of not just Aphrodite, but women in general. In the tale of Eros and Psyche, the goddess makes any and all efforts to kill Psyche due to her immense jealousy as the young woman’s beauty was so great that people started to worship her instead of Aphrodite.https://www.greeka.com/greece-myths/eros-psyche/ Even the stereotype of the overbearing mother is seen, with Aphrodite essentially trapping her son within the heavens so that he may not reach his lover and leave his mother. It is only when Psyche is allowed to live in the skies with her new husband that Aphrodite is pleased, but only due to humans forgetting about Psyche and instead worshiping Aphrodite again.
The aforementioned goddess was also known for her tumultuous relationship with Hephaestus, god of the forge. According to Greek legend, Hephaestus only got to have Aphrodite as his wife after making a bargain with Zeus that he would free Hera.https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/10/14/hephaestus-marry-aphrodite/ The god was also cast out of Olympus as a child due to his lameness, only furthering his disfigurement.https://www.thecollector.com/hephaestus-outsider-god/ This physical appearance caused Aphrodite to be so repulsed by her own husband that she consistently cheated on him, with a particularly noteworthy lover being Ares, the Greek god of war. 
Despite the downright immoral origins of Aphrodite, women in Ancient Greece instead changed the goddess into a symbol of sexual freedom and empowerment. This admiration led to the formation of the Cult of Aphrodite, in which the goddess was worshiped by mainly women for her ideal sexuality and procreation.https://www.stairgalleries.com/news-insights/insights/aphrodite/#:~:text=The%20cult%20of%20Aphrodite%20in,the%20patron%20goddess%20of%20prostitutes. Her influence even persisted into the 20th century, with a Church of Aphrodite being created in 1939 by Gleb Botkins.https://www.growkudos.com/publications/10.1558%252Fpome.v14i1.91/reader The religion has Aphrodite take the role of God as it is believed that only a female could bear fruit (humans). Main focuses were on creating a healthy self-image and promoting feminist ideals.https://priestessofaphrodite.com/2020/02/21/modern-pagan-worship-of-aphrodite-where-and-how/ There even is an array of beauty brands today that use Aphrodite’s name as a way to promote being natural and having a positive body.https://aphroditeskin.care/ 
== Art (Elfrink) ==
The most infamous art pieces that feature Aphrodite are as her Roman counterpart, Venus. One such example is The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli. Experts believe that this masterpiece was created sometime between 1482 and 1485 (reference). It is currently located in the Uffizi GalleryThe birth of Venus by Botticelli | Uffizi Galleries in Florence, Italy. This gorgeous piece features Venus, Flora, Zephyr, and Zephyr’s counterpart. However, the exact deities resembled here are highly debated upon, as stated by Farland in her lesson on study.com.The Birth of Venus by Botticelli | History, Analysis & Materials - Lesson | Study.com.
Another piece of artwork by Botticelli features the Greek goddess of love once again in her Roman form. In this painting, Primavera (or Spring in Spanish)Spring by Botticelli | Uffizi Galleries, Botticelli showcases nine figures from mythology, including Zephyrus, Chloris, Flora, Venus, Cupid, the three Graces, and Mercury. This second piece of Botticelli can also be found hanging inside the Uffizi Gallery. Both have been dissected and pieced together by artists to fully comprehend the details and time that went into Botticelli’s works. An example of this would be the 138 different species of plants that have been identified in the background of Primavera. This fact alone makes the intrigue of each of his paintings easy to understand, nonetheless, the countless theories that exist as to who was meant to be portrayed in each of his pieces.
The first of many pots and statues one can find based on Aphrodite is the Attic Red-Figure Dinoid Volute Krater and StandAttic Red-Figure Dinoid Volute Krater and Stand (Getty Museum).  This krater vase is credited to the Meleager Painter, whose real name is unknown, but was active between 420-380 BC. It can be found at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California. It features Adonis, Eros, Aphrodite, and Persephone at the top.
There is a large list of sculptures and statues determined to be inspired by or for Aphrodite. The first of which, the Statuette of Aphrodite and ErosStatuette of Aphrodite and Eros – Works – Toledo Museum of Art., can be found in the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio. While this sculptor is also unknown, Toledo Museum’s website includes that the statuette was discovered by Louis de Clercq in 1896, where he found it in Syria. It goes on to state that the torch in Eros's hand symbolizes the heat of passion, as he is the god of desire along with being Aphrodite’s son.
Although there are many speculations about the true muse of this statue, the Statuette of Aphrodite currently resides at the Getty Museum as well. Aphrodite is commonly found holding apples, which supposedly alludes to her reputation as the most beautiful goddess. However, this statuette’s robes and other decorations show a level of royalty and modesty that is rare to find in other artwork of Aphrodite, shown by the previous examples (specifically Botticelli’s works). It is known under the goddess’ name, but there is still some food for thought on whether it is a portrayal of her, another goddess, or a woman of power during that time.
Not much accurate information can be found for the Aphrodite HeylStatuette of Aphrodite Heyl (Illustration) - World History Encyclopedia, likely due to its location in Berlin, Germany at the Altes Museum. The article about this beautiful terracotta work states its origins to be from Turkey around 1930 CE. Despite what little is known about it, the detail is extraordinary and makes one wonder why she was portrayed without hands (or what happened to the hands she once had).
Here is a direct quote from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston’s web page about the next piece: “Considered the embodiment of female beauty, the so-called Bartlett Head (named for an MFA donor)Head of Aphrodite ("The Bartlett Head" ) – Works – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. is one of the most famous works of Classical art in the United States. The delicate face and intricate, coquettish hairstyle have led to the identification of the head as a representation of Aphrodite, although the goddess appears more girlish than in earlier representations.” The head seems to be sculpted for insertion onto another piece by Praxiteles, a famous sculptor of the time, but the website concludes that it must have been lost to time, despite the head being in relatively good shape. 
 
According to the Getty Museum’s website, the Statuette of Aphrodite Leaning on a PillarStatuette of Aphrodite Leaning on a Pillar (Getty Museum) was originally brightly painted and likely used to hold a dove or a bowl in her otherwise strangely posed hand. The sculptor behind this piece remains unknown, but the article mentions that it is similar to the work of Pheidias, another famous sculptor of the time. It was made somewhere between 250 and 200 BC.
 
In almost every art piece Aphrodite appears in, she is wearing next to nothing to embrace her sensuality as the goddess of love. This goes back not to the male gaze, but rather to the standard of ancient Greek portraits and artworks, especially in the Hellenistic period. 
== Appearance, Persona, and Characteristics ==
Aphrodite’s appearance can be described as a key figure of beauty. Although no one has strict requirements or specifications of what beauty is, everyone can attest to her allure. She was normally shown as a blonde or black-haired woman with straight or wavy hair, and light blue eyes were more likely than green or brown. Her lashes were always curved to show her eyes. She was naked often and men were very attracted to her because of her “shockingly sexy body”. When she was dressed, she wore graceful outfits with a handful of jewelry that she enjoyed wearing. Since she is known as the representation of major beauty, she has a delicate curving shape to her body and a lovely neck. Another way her body was beautiful was the girdle she wore nicely accentuated her breasts. Early Greek representations of Aphrodite pictured her fully clothed and don’t include the distinguishing features that she is known for. Later, they did the first full nude sculpture that became an example for Hellenistic masterpieces like the Venus de Milo.
Being the goddessuum of beauty and love, Aphrodite had a lot of weight on her shoulders. From an outside perspective, it’s not wrong to think she could have been conceited. I think of her the way I think of the Means Girls movie. Obviously, if a girl is beautiful she is going to uuumuUuu other men. She was very self-absorbed and believed that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. With these other qualities, she was also smart. She had to tell lies and persuade the men to sleep with her somehow and that’s her motif. She loved to scheme in order to sleep with others and manipulated them with her powers so that they would fall in love with her. Sometimes, this power didn’t work on individuals. When a person did not adore her and fall in love with her she got really angry and became vengeful against them like a child throwing a tantrum. 
In today’s world, women are not as often referred to as goddesses or have beautiful necks as they said about Aphrodite. In terms of Greek Mythology, there is still a huge influence on how we live in our modern-day society. It is especially common to hear these references in conversations about science, arts, literature, language, and names of brands. Compared to now, beauty standards are a lot different. In modern society, straight blonde hair and blue eyes can be considered a beauty standard. Also, slut shaming is a common idea now among men and public spaces like schools. There’s a dress code that has to be followed or you get detention or sent home for the day. Some schools have overruled it completely so that they just have uniforms where the girl wears a skirt and the guy gets pants. Women get hate for a lot of things now and we aren’t normally described as goddesses. If Aphrodite was alive right now, she would be disappointed in women and how they think of themselves. She was an advocate for self-love and loving your own body because you live in it. She was known for embracing her flaws and living through them. 
While Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Venus is the Roman counterpart for love and beauty. Since Venus did not have any myths of her own, she took over Aphrodite’s legends. Since they are both associated with femininity and beauty, they have both been idetifid and associated with ancient art. An important representation of Venus includes the statue known as the Venus de Milo as well as The Birth of Venus created by Sandro Botticelli. 
== Links and Resources ==
Aphrodite Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty - Facts & Information
Miscellaneous Myths: Aphrodite
GreekMythologyTours - Aphrodite Symbol: Unveiling the Power and Meaning Behind It
RINI - Aphrodite (Audio)
20 Romantic Movies for Greek Mythology Fans
== References ==