Eros

The name Eros (which stands for love, desire, lust) and its derivatives (such as the term erotic in the English language) can be traced back to the ancient Greek verb ἐράω -ῶ, translating as “to love, desire, lust”. For the ancient Greeks, Eros was a broad concept, encompassing both sentimental and sexual desire.

It is this god who figures prominently in the exhibition at the Museum of Cycladic Art from 10 December 2009 to 5 April 2010. The exhibition Eros: from Hesiod’s theogony to late Antiquity, is curated by the Director of the Museum of Cycladic Art Professor Nicholas Chr. Stampolidis, in collaboration with Yorgos Tassoulas, curator of the Museum.

The exhibition is realised with the cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Greece), the Department of Antiquities (Cyprus), the Ministry of Culture (Italy), Regione Siciliana, the Louvre Museum and the support of the City of Athens.

Two hundred and seventy-two ancient objects, dating from the 6th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., brought together from 50 museums in Greece, Cyprus, Italy and France (the Louvre) are classified into the nine thematic units of the Exhibition, which presents Eros in all its diversity, as he is perceived by the Greeks: a divine figure, a human value and a daily practice.

Among other masterpieces, the visitor will see the marble statue of Eros from the Museum of Louvre, the marble group of Eros and Psyche who embrace and are about to exchange a passionate kiss from the Musei Capitolini Rome, the bronze figurine of a weeping Eros from the Cyprus Museum Nikosia, the terracotta figurine of Eros who has fallen asleep resting on an inverted torch from the Stoa of Attalos Museum and the marble relief depicting the erotic encounter of Leda and Zeus transformed into a swan from the National Archaeological Museum in Athens

The exhibition is divided into 9 thematic units, encompassing all interpretations and manifestations of Eros throughout his existence in Antiquity, from his very first emergence in Hesiod’s texts until the prevalence of Christianity: Εros and Αphrodite, Qualities and Activities of Eros, Love Affairs and Weddings of Gods and Heroes, Love Affairs and Weddings of Mortals, Love Affairs that changed the course of history, Remunerated Love, Homoerotic Love, Bucolic Love Affairs and Ithyphallic divinities and phallic symbols.

Throughout the duration of the exhibition the Museum will organise guided tours for high-school students, evening tours for the public and lectures on the theme of Eros from ancient to contemporary art, as well as Eros in philosophy. The series of lectures will be given by Stelios Ramfos, Dimitris Plantzos and Katerina Zacharopoulou.

Exhibition catalog which contains comprehensive introductory texts written by distinguished scholars, entries with detailed descriptions and photos of all exhibits and full bibliography.

Chapters:
– Eros and Aphrodite
– Qualities and activities of Eros
– Love affairs and weddings of Gods and Heroes
– Love affairs and weddings of mortals
– Love affairs that changed the course of history
– Remunerated love
– Homoerotic love
– Bucolic love affairs
– Ithyphalic divinities and phallic symbols