An exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford offers a comprehensive exploration of the goddess Aphrodite, tracing her evolution from ancient mythology to contemporary culture. Titled "Aphrodite: The Making of a Goddess," the exhibit runs from October 8 to April 11 and presents a blend of scholarly analysis and artistic interpretation.
Visitors enter the show with a striking image of a crouching, naked Aphrodite, depicted as if caught in a moment of private vulnerability. This iconic portrayal sets the tone for an exhibition that spans millennia and mediums, examining the shifting representations of the Greek goddess of love and beauty and her Roman counterpart, Venus.
The display begins with mythological origins, focusing on Aphrodite’s birth from the sea foam and her emergence onto land, often portrayed riding a seashell or dolphins. Key artifacts such as vases, cameos, and engravings illustrate Aphrodite alongside figures from myth, including her son Eros and the love triangle involving Mars and Vulcan. A 4th-century BC vase evokes the famous Judgment of Paris, with Hera and other goddesses vying for the prize of beauty, highlighting Aphrodite’s everlasting allure and status as a patron of fertility, beauty, and seafaring.
Moving beyond canonical images, the exhibition examines Aphrodite’s cult worship on Cyprus, exploring a more enigmatic and less idealized aspect of the goddess. This section features terracotta figures representing fertility and childbirth, depicting women in various stages of pregnancy and labor, suggesting rituals aimed at safe delivery and abundant offspring. These votive offerings provide insight into ancient devotional practices, contrasting with the classical depictions of divine perfection.
The journey continues through the Renaissance, where Aphrodite—or Venus—was revived as a subject of artistic innovation. Notably, the exhibit includes a loan of Botticelli’s Venus from the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. This painting, distinct from the more familiar Venus in the Uffizi, presents the goddess against a stark dark background, emphasizing her ethereal, almost spectral presence.
The exhibition culminates in a contemporary section that reflects Aphrodite’s ongoing cultural resonance. It features works like Michelangelo Pistoletto’s "Venus of the Rags," fashion inspired by the goddess from Jonathan Anderson’s collections, and references to pop culture icons such as Beyoncé. Throughout, the exhibition demonstrates how Aphrodite remains a powerful symbol, continually reinterpreted across time, bridging ancient mythology and modern identity.