The woman of Willendorf was actually revealed in the year 1908 by the archaeologist Josef Szombathy. Carvings are the greatest findings in the history of art hence it is considered as a symbol of beauty from the ancient times. The lady of Willendorf is considered to be a sign of fertility. However, the sculpture was carved from the oolitic limestone hence it was colored with red orche.
Nevertheless, prehistoric sculpture includes engraving, sculpture, cave painting and monolithic structural design. Art is extraordinarily stylish as well as perceptive. As a matter of fact, drawings to polychromatic paintings, from engravings on rock to beautiful 3 dimensional “Venus” figures, from monolithic monuments to circles as well as passage graves, art served as a means of communication, ritual together with the passage for man’s artistic spirit (John 19). Throughout this period they retrieved one piece of art called tiny carving that depicts a female with overstated female attributes. The retrieved sculpture was named the Venus of Willendorf and it was later on named as a Woman of Willendorf. Her great ages as well as her exaggerated female forms have really established the Venus of Willendorf as an icon of prehistoric art (Jesse 48).
With all the suggestions concerning the significance of the sculpture, tentative conclusions are about the political, social and religious beliefs of the foraging society wherein it was originated (Frederick 121). The major concern of these people who made the art of Woman of Willendorf was to assume that it might have been carried out by the men during their hunting missions whereby it served as reminder of their spouse back at home and an attraction to bring them accomplishment in their hunting.
Work Cited
- Frederick, A. Woman: A Synopsis. Michigan: Ide House Printing Press, 1983.
- Jesse, B. History of Art pro Dummies. New York: Dummies Publisher, 2007.
- John, C. What is sculpture: Introduction to work of art, Sculpture, plus Architecture. New York: Knopf Publishers Ltd, 2007.