The Nike of Samothrace, also known as the Winged Victory of Samothrace, is a Hellenistic sculpture of Nike (the Greek goddess of victory), that was created about the 2nd century BC. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Hellenistic art.
The Nike of Samothrace was discovered in 1863 by Charles Champoiseau, the French consul general in Istanbul. It was excavated from the site of ancient Samothrace, an island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, and brought to the Louvre Museum in 1884.
The statue is made of white Parian marble and stands 2.74 meters (9 feet) high on a travertine pedestal. It depicts Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, in a flowing himation (a type of cloak or shawl) with her right-wing outstretched and her left-wing folded against her side. Her head is turned to her left, looking back over her shoulder.
