Venus of Willendorf

The Venus of Willendorf is such an important work of art not only because it is a prehistoric treasure, but because it is so intriguing. I’m curious why the artist chose a model with such an unattractive shape. I feel that it implies that she was important to him/her in some way or another.

I accept Witcombe’s idea that perhaps civilization back then was dominated by female power, but as time progressed, men took the lead in society. Perhaps she was Mother Earth as Witcombe's article proposes.  Maybe the artist was so infatuated with this uncommonly voluptuous woman that he/she wanted to recreate her. This Venus is exposed without a face, or feet, but is presented with the most detail in her torso and pelvis. The fact that she is obviously over-weight must have made her stand out from other women then. Although, if she had such a status that allowed her to eat and have others fetch her food, her face would be just as important as the rest of her body. Perhaps the fat tells it all.

I believe that this statuette was created from a live model and I also find this piece very alluring. As an artist, I am so fascinated with the female body; any nude woman is beautiful. One thing that I love about this work is that despite her size, she has a sense of confidence in her sexual appeal. The way her unrealistically thin arms are carelessly draped over her large breasts and her thick thighs pressed together. Her pelvic region is so detailed that you can see the definition of her labia, but she shows no shame in revealing herself. 

This statuette was given the name “Venus” with a bit of sarcasm because she is the exact opposite of the classical Venus character. The classic Venus like that portrayed in the renaissance era is slender, and seems embarrassed to expose her naked self. Also, The Venus of Willendorf shows more detail in the sensual areas of her body. For example, her pelvic area is extremely detailed, her buttocks are large but not shapely and round, and her breasts are much larger yet not sagging. I think that the Venus of the modern era is a bit more conservative mainly because of religion. We are told that to be naked in front of one another is immoral and therefore, an adulterous sin. We wear clothing to keep ourselves warm and protect our bodies from various environmental factors, but have we always been required to wear clothing? Centuries ago, when hunters and gatherers scavenged the earth, I don’t think they felt any shame in nakedness. It probably seemed natural then, whereas in today’s society, we drape ourselves with fashionable clothing, and make ourselves look more attractive with material things. Honestly, if it weren’t illegal or immoral in America, I would walk around naked. Venus of Willendorf doesn’t need these things to flaunt her appeal. However, giving this figure such a name that creates the expectation of seeing a certain image that is completely different than what is really there might have been a bad idea. It is almost taken as a joke, which I think ruins the piece as a whole.