As the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite holds great power over both mortals and immortals. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she is featured in numerous myths, poems and plays; likewise, there are many representations of Aphrodite in sculpture and painting. Aphrodite remained a popular figure for artists through the ages, continuously being reborn in the latest model of female beauty. While several legends of Aphrodite stress themes of love and desire, some of most gripping myths deal with the consequences that the goddess herself suffers as a result of being the victim of love, some of which have found their way public in the form of art. There are numerous accounts depicting her birth or marriage, other images are simply artists renditions of the goddess herself. Perhaps the most interesting way to look at Aphrodite is to compare the depictions of her over time.
             Early depictions of Aphrodite were crude in nature, and limited to the artistic technology of the time. Prior to the 4th century BC, she was already seen on archaic era coins and household items. A vase found in 530 BC (left) shows her and the Judgment of Paris. The image itself is rather anonymous and leaves doubt as to which person on the vase actually is Aphrodite.
             In ancient art, one of the more intriguing images of the goddess Aphrodite is a sculpture known as the Ludovisi Throne. It is one of the first known images of her birth and comes from around 470 BC. It shows Aphrodite being helped up by a pair of females. There is an argument against the accuracy of this sculpture, but the consensus is that it does show her emerging from water. This is one of the earliest nude depictions of Aphrodite as well. There has also been discussion on the artist's ability to create the image of a wet garment draped around her midsection. This later becomes popular among Greek sculptors and a trademark for Aphrodite. ...