It has been almost 200 years since the famous Greek statue known to Greeks as Aphrodite of Milos, or Venus de Milo, was discovered by a farmer on the Greek island of Milos.
The man is said to have discovered the statue while renovating the walls of his property and the Aphrodite of Milos was soon sold to a French naval officer and was to later be gifted to King Louis XVII. The statue of Aphrodite would then end up in the Louvre in Paris and become one of the museum’s most famous items on display.
The Times has reported that as the 200-year anniversary is swiftly approaching, the mayor of Milos, Gerasimos Damoulakis, is echoing the thoughts and sentiments of many Greeks in his request to have the statue returned to its home, on the island.
“Our island’s treasures have been looted and we’re finally ready to fight to win them back,” he said last Friday as he announced the island was making a formal request to have the statue of Aphrodite returned to Milos as well as a petition to the European Union signed by 1 million individuals.
“The claim itself isn’t new,” Mr. Damoulakis said.
“There’s not a Greek out there who hasn’t wondered why Greece’s finest piece of antiquity is sitting in France rather than in its birthplace.”
Author: Kerry Kolasa-Sikiaridi | Source: Greek Reporter [December 01, 2016]