 
Nike, Whose name in Greek means "Victory", is the ancient Greek Goddess of winning, whether in battle or other kinds of contests, such as musical or athletic ones. She is much associated with Athena, as a (political) statement that Athens is Her home. This composition of this piece is after a type of Archaic bronze statuette of Nike, where She is shown running in the so-called knielauf or "knee-running" position to indicate swiftness; the Gorgones, the three monstrous sisters Sthenno, Euryale, and Medusa, are also often shown in this same pose. In Nike's case She also wears winged sandals, like Hermes; Her running or flying pose implies that victory will be swift (and one assumes, easy) in coming. I have put Her in the energetic colors of yellow and red; Her wings (and the wings on Her sandals) are after those of the peregrine falcon, the fastest animal on Earth. I have done another Nike, this time with Athena, here. |