25 Pieces That Inspire Me (Nike Alighting on a War Ship)

Nike Alighting on a War Ship; 190 B.C.  Marble. Located in the Louvre in Paris.

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• Nike belongs to the Hellenistic period of Greek art.  Characteristic to the Hellenistic style was a further humanization of figures and ideals.  The visual differences between Hellenistic statues and early Greek statuary are striking and great.
• Nike is the epitome of Hellenistic art.  Her wings still beat in motion, the wind sweeps her drapery, and her himation bunches in thick folds around her right leg.  The statue gives off a very theatrical effect, similar to that of Baroque pieces.  This statue, along with other Hellenistic statues, interacts with its environment and is an intensely dramatic portrayal of human movements.
• I chose this piece because it perfectly illustrates the evolution of Greek art from an Egyptian style of art to a highly emotional expressive style.  Hellenistic art set the precedent for the ideal form, its reach influenced the Renaissance, Baroque, and Enlightenment movements.