Winged Victory of Samothrace
The monumental marble sculpture of Nike alighting on a ship's prow, created around 190 BC and now the most visited sculpture in the Louvre after the Venus de Milo.
The Meaning of Winged Victory of Samothrace
The Winged Victory of Samothrace depicts Nike, the goddess of victory, landing on the prow of a warship. Carved from Parian marble around 190 BC, it was erected in the sanctuary of the Great Gods on the island of Samothrace, possibly by the Rhodians to celebrate a naval victory. The figure stands over 5 metres tall including its base. Nike's wings are spread in triumph, her drapery pressed against her body by sea wind, revealing her form beneath. The sculpture was discovered in 1863 by Charles Champoiseau, the French vice-consul, and shipped to Paris in fragments. The right wing is a plaster reconstruction; the head and arms have never been found. The statue was placed at the top of the Daru Staircase in the Louvre, where its dramatic position recreates the impact of seeing victory descend from the sky — the same effect the original achieved in its hilltop sanctuary overlooking the Aegean.
Parents
Nike (goddess)
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Nike sportswear brand was named directly after this goddess, and the "swoosh" logo represents her wing. Phil Knight paid a design student $35 for the swoosh in 1971 — making it the cheapest licensing of a 2,200-year-old goddess in commercial history. Nike, Inc. is now worth over $100 billion, meaning the winged goddess of Samothrace is arguably the most commercially valuable figure in Greek mythology, beating out every hero, god, and monster.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Nike of Samothrace
💭 conceptHellenistic sculpture
A monumental winged marble sculpture of Nike, the goddess of victory, carved around 190 BCE and displayed at the Louvre since 1884
Venus de Milo
💭 conceptClassical sculpture
An ancient Greek marble statue believed to depict Aphrodite, discovered on the island of Melos in 1820 and now among the most famous works of antiquity
Goddess of Victory
💭 conceptVictory, triumph, speed, strength
Nike personifies victory in both war and peaceful competition, flying above battlefields to crown the worthy.
Victoria
⚡ godVictory, triumph, success
Roman goddess of victory, equivalent to the Greek Nike
Nike
⚡ godGoddess of victory
Nike was the winged goddess of victory in all domains — war, athletics, art.
Nike
⚡ godGoddess of victory
The winged goddess of victory who flew across battlefields crowning the victors and who stood beside Zeus as his constant companion.
Dying Gaul
💭 conceptHellenistic sculpture
A Roman marble copy of a lost Hellenistic bronze depicting a wounded Gallic warrior in his final moments, celebrated for its dignified portrayal of a defeated enemy
Aphrodite of Cnidus
💭 conceptClassical sculpture
A marble sculpture by Praxiteles created around 350 BCE, celebrated as the first life-sized female nude in Greek art and one of the most copied statues of antiquity
Peplos Kore
💭 conceptArchaic sculpture
An Archaic Greek marble statue of a young woman wearing a peplos garment, dated to around 530 BCE and found on the Athenian Acropolis
Delphi Treasury of Athens
🏛 placevictory, piety
The marble treasury built by Athens at Delphi from Marathon spoils, the best-preserved building on the Sacred Way and a permanent advertisement of Athenian victory over Persia.
Parthenon Frieze
💭 conceptClassical relief sculpture
A continuous low-relief marble band running around the inner chamber of the Parthenon, depicting the grand Panathenaic procession in honour of Athena
Laocoön and His Sons
💭 conceptHellenistic sculpture
A monumental marble sculpture depicting the Trojan priest Laocoön and his two sons being strangled by sea serpents sent by the gods