Christine Mitchell Havelock's book takes a much-needed new look at some of the most famous icons of Western art: the nude statues that the Greeks produced to represent Aphrodite, especially The Aphrodite of Knidos, by master sculptor Praxiteles. Through careful analysis of the meaning of the pose of the Aphrodite of Knidos; the significance of her nudity; her architectural setting; and a survey of the statue's reception and interpretation in Greek, Roman, and modern times, Havelock offers an entirely new perspective on this major work of art.