_The Louvre, Paris_]
The figure is in an erect poise with the chest held high. You will
notice that a walker making his way against the wind bends the body
forward to resist its force, while one who is borne along on some
vehicle in the face of the wind steadies himself upright. So with Nike;
the attitude expresses the sense of exhilaration from the rush of wind
in the face of one borne along on a moving vessel. The breeze beats the
thin drapery back upon her, outlining the beautiful curves of bust and
limb, and fluttering behind her in the air. The broad pinions which
would retard the ship's motion if spread open are folded to cut the air
like the prow.
When the statue was set up and the colossal figure in white marble was
seen against the blue sky of a southern land, what an inspiration it
must have been as a symbol of success! What discouraged heart could look
at such a figure and not be thrilled with new ambition! The statue of
Nike was not the only tribute to the victory of Demetrius. Some special
coins were struck in honor of the event, including gold staters and
silver tetradrachms, specimens of which still exist. The design on the
obverse of these coins represented the statue of Nike.
Years passed, and at length the independence of the Greeks was crushed
under the heel of the Roman conqueror. Many places were laid waste
throughout the peninsula and the Greek islands. Temples were destroyed
and pillaged, and statues were thrown from their pedestals and buried
beneath the soil and d['e]bris. Our statue of Nike shared the sad fate
which befell so many other great works of art. For centuries it lay in
fragments in the ruins surrounding a temple in Samothrace. Then came the
explorer with pickaxe and shovel, some of the precious bits were
recovered, and learned men set to work to put them together again. The
coins of Demetrius were their guide, and the tiny figure of Nike
engraved thereon was the model after which the great statue was
reconstructed.
The head and arms are still missing, and a fanciful conceit might
suggest that these losses were the marks of a hard-fought battle.
Success has been dearly bought, but the goddess emerges, erect and
undaunted, her tattered wings beating the air victoriously. As we look
at the statue we think less of what it lacks than of what it is. Perhaps
if head and arms were there we should not have eyes for the glorious
lines in the figure itself. One particularly fine line is the continuous
curve running across the bust and the arched top of the wings.
The figure gives us a sense of motion which fairly quickens the blood in
our veins. We, too, seem to feel the strong salt breeze in our faces,
speeding through the air with courage high, and hope steadily set toward
victory.