In what year was the Winged Victory of Samothrace discovered? It was discovered in 1863.
French diplomat and amateur archaeologist Charles Champoiseau discovered the statue on 13 April 1863 while exploring the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the Greek island of Samothrace. He found parts of the marble body, drapery, wings, and other fragments among the ancient sanctuary’s ruins. The sculpture represents Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.
The monument was created during the Hellenistic period, probably around 190 BC. Nike is shown alighting on the prow of a ship, a dramatic design that links military victory with the sea. The figure’s head and arms are missing, but the wind-swept clothing and spread wings still create a powerful sense of movement.
Champoiseau sent the principal fragments to France. They reached Toulon in 1863 and Paris in 1864, where Louvre curators undertook an initial restoration. The ship’s-bow base was reconstructed later, after archaeologists studied the sanctuary and connected the grey marble blocks with the statue. Today the monument is famously displayed at the top of the Daru staircase in the Louvre’s Denon Wing.