Venus de Milo

The statue is in the Louvre Museum in Paris, displayed in the Galerie des statues, also known as the Salle des Caryatides. It has been part of the Louvre's collection since shortly after its discovery. It occupies a dedicated alcove facing the museum's Rotonde d'Apollon.

The arms were already missing when the statue was discovered on the island of Melos in 1820, though fragments of a hand holding an apple were reportedly found nearby. Some restorers proposed the left arm rested on a pillar; others held an apple. Debate over the pose continues today.

A Greek farmer named Yorgos Kentrotas reportedly found the statue in April 1820 in the ruins of the ancient city of Melos. French naval officer Olivier Voutier recognized its importance and arranged its purchase for France. It was a gift to King Louis XVIII, who placed it in the Louvre.

Art historians generally date it to around 100 BC, placing it in the late Hellenistic period, based on an inscription on the base mentioning the sculptor Alexandros of Antioch. Some earlier scholars attributed it to Praxiteles. It was originally mistaken for a depiction of Amphitrite, a sea goddess.