The Venus de Milo is generally believed to depict which goddess?

The Venus de Milo is generally believed to depict Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love.

The sculpture is also called the Aphrodite of Melos, after the Greek island of Milos where it was discovered in 1820. It is a Hellenistic marble statue, usually dated to the second century BC, and has been displayed at the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1821.

Its missing arms have made the statue’s exact pose and attributes uncertain. Early interpretations connected the figure with Aphrodite holding the apple of discord, a reference to the mythological judgment of Paris. Because the sculpture is incomplete, some scholars have proposed other identities, including Amphitrite, a sea goddess associated with Melos.

The name “Venus de Milo” reflects the Roman name Venus for the Greek Aphrodite, not a different goddess. Aphrodite is the standard identification accepted by quiz questions and museum tradition, though the fragmentary condition means the attribution is not absolutely provable.