Aphrodite
The Making of a Goddess
- A global and historical journey through mythology: The catalogue doesn’t just show pretty statues — it traces Aphrodite’s entire history, from her ancient cult beginnings in Cyprus over 3,000 years ago through her evolution in Greek and Roman religions and into Renaissance and modern art. You’ll see how her story and image transformed and why she remains culturally influential today
- Extensive and rare objects spanning millennia: Featuring more than 200 objects, the catalogue brings together an extraordinary range of material — including sculptures, bronzes, gems and terracottas — from Cyprus, Greece and Italy, with pieces dating from c.1400 BCE to the 21st century. Many of these are rarely exhibited outside their home countries and reveal diverse artistic traditions tied to Aphrodite’s mythos
- Loans from world-class collections: The catalogue will include prestigious loans — such as celebrated classical statues and masterpieces on loan from institutions like the Royal Collection and the Louvre — offering visitors the chance to see icons of Aphrodite/Venus alongside ancient cult objects
- A fresh perspective on love, beauty and desire: By bringing together myth, religion and art, the catalogue prompts readers to think about how ideas of love, beauty and desire have been constructed and re-interpreted across cultures — making it both visually captivating and intellectually engaging
Step into the world of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and desire – later worshipped by the Romans as Venus. Today she is thought of as a symbol of passion and beauty, but her story is far older and more complex. This catalogue explores Aphrodite’s beginnings on the island of Cyprus, where she was worshipped as an all-powerful goddess over 3,000 years ago, and traces her journey through the Greek and into the Roman world, where she became Venus.
This book reveals how, over the centuries, Aphrodite evolved into an iconic figure symbolising love and beauty as her myths and images flourished – inspiring art, literature, and imagination from the Renaissance to the present day. Illustrated with more than 200 extraordinary objects – from sculpture and bronzes to gems and terracottas from Cyprus, Greece, and Italy, dating back from around 1400 BCE to the 21st century – this catalogue uncovers the making of a goddess whose legacy still shapes our ideas of love and beauty today.
- Publisher
- Ashmolean Museum
- ISBN
- 9781910807750
- Publish date
- 12th Oct 2026
- Binding
- Paperback / softback
- Territory
- World excluding Australasia
- Size
- 280 mm x 220 mm
- Pages
- 224 Pages
- Illustrations
- 200 colour, 20 b&w
Distributed by ACC Art Books
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