Winged Victory of Samothrace discovered (1863)

Charles Champoiseau, acting chief of the French Consulate in Adrianopolis, explored the sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace in 1863. On April 13, he discovered fragments of a white marble statue, including the bust and body, accompanied by drapery and feathers. He sent these pieces to the Louvre, leaving large grey marble blocks on site, which later formed the base of the monument.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a votive monument from the Hellenistic era, dating to approximately 190 BC. It depicts the goddess Nike alighting on the bow of a warship. The statue was originally discovered in pieces on the island of Samothrace, a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea, by French archaeologist Charles Champoiseau in 1863.

Discovery. Champoiseau undertook an exploration of the sanctuary ruins from March 6 to May 7, 1863. On April 13, he found part of the bust and body of a large female statue in white marble, along with numerous fragments of drapery and feathers. He decided to send the statue and fragments to the Louvre Museum, leaving the large blocks of grey marble on site.

People involved

Sources

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