Winged Victory ~ Brescia

The original bronze Winged Victory is in the Santa Giulia Museum in Brescia, Italy. The sculpture, thought to be the Greek goddess Aphrodite, originated in the 3rd century B.C.  The wings were added to transform her into a winged victory in the 1st century B.C.

The Winged Victory, also known as the ‘Nike of Brescia’ was found hidden behind the Capitolium Temple on July 21, 1826. It was an extraordinary discovery. So perfectly preserved!  It immediately became the symbol of the town of Brescia for its beauty and magnificence. The life size statue originated as an Aphrodite in the 3rd century B.C. in the Greek area. Then it probably arrived in Rome as war plunder and later in Brescia, when the town became a Roman colony.

Brescia’s Winged Victory is sometimes mistakenly for the Winged Victory of Samothrace.