Chiseled on the forehead of this marble Aphrodite, a first-century A.D. copy of a fourth-century B.C. statue by Praxiteles, is a cross. The cross was likely carved by Christians, who had also damaged the goddess’s face to “close” the eyes and “silence” the mouth. More than just an act of vandalism, Christians may have reused such statues as stand-ins for saints or even the Virgin.1 This statue is part of Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections, now on display at the Getty Villa. Showcasing artwork and objects exclusively from Greek collections, the exhibition highlights the development […]
