Aphrodite of Rhodes

Aphrodite of Rhodes

Somewhere The Sun Is Rising

Aphrodite of Rhodes, oil on canvas, 24 inches by 18 inches, 2015.

Purchase the original painting from Saatchi Art

Inspired by the statue Aphrodite of Rhodes,  in the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, Greece.

Roger Williamson’s 2015 painting, Aphrodite of Rhodes (Somewhere The Sun Is Rising), is a contemporary and deeply atmospheric reimagining of classical beauty. While inspired by the ancient Greek statue, Williamson moves beyond mere representation to create a moody, introspective scene that feels both timeless and intimately modern.

The composition is dominated by the serene, yellow-red form of the Aphrodite statue, which stands slightly off-centre. Her pose is classical—a gentle contrapposto with one arm raised, likely to hold a missing drapery or attribute. Williamson renders her with a soft, almost luminous quality, making her pale form the focal point against the blue-white textured background.

The painting’s true magic lies in its interplay of light and texture. A soft, warm light—the “rising sun” of the title—seems to graze the statue’s left side, highlighting the smooth curve of her hip, the gentle plane of her stomach, and the delicate features of her face. This illumination is not harsh or clinical but poetic and selective, enhancing the statue’s three-dimensionality and sensuous form. The contrast between the statue’s smooth, polished skin and the rough, almost turbulent brushwork of the background is striking, emphasizing the enduring nature of beauty and art amidst the passage of time.

Overall, the mood is one of quiet reverence and tranquil solitude. Williamson’s Aphrodite of Rhodes is not a grand, public monument but a private, meditative vision. It captures a fleeting moment of peace, where the ancient goddess is not a distant icon but a silent, beautiful presence in the calm of the early morning, inviting the viewer to a moment of quiet contemplation.