valkryor | A Little Appropriate Mythology

ATHENS - National Museum. Group of Aphrodite, Pan and Eros. This work was found on Delos in 1904 and was a votive of a Syrian merchant to the gods of his homeland. Aphrodite, naked, holding the sandal from her left foot in her raised right hand, threatens Pan as he tries to embrace her, perhaps surprising her in her bath. She tries to hide her nudity with her left hand. A small, smiling Eros flies above her shoulder and grasps Pan's horn. The naked form of the goddess of beauty with her coquettish expression is in marked contrast to the lustful figure of the goat-hoofed god. A work of high techincal quality and attractive theme but lacking in inner life and warmth. Height 1.32 m. Circa 100BC. From the postcard the image was scanned from. I completely missed this the first time I was at the Museum and only managed to find it when I went on my own later. It is incredibly detailed, but nearly disappears into the walls behind it (which are white and not blue). Worth seeing, should you ever find yourself in Athens.

More on Eros from the Encyclopaedia Mythica.