Praxiteles Aphrodite of Knidos Scandal

In the 4th century BC, the sculptor Praxiteles carved Aphrodite of Knidos, the first fully nude female statue in Greek art. Its lifelike form drew intense fascination and sexual arousal in men. One ancient account says a young admirer broke into the temple at night and attempted to have sex with the statue. He left a stain on the marble, a scandal that heightened the statue’s fame.

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