Humanities Final Paper
HUMN303 - DeVry University- April 21, 2013
Venus de Willendorf vs. Barbie
With Time, Brings Change
HUMN303 - DeVry University- April 21, 2013
Venus de Willendorf vs. Barbie
With Time, Brings Change
Introduction
Venus de Willendorf is a statuette that first appeared during the Upper Paleolithic period. The exaggerated carvings of the body parts were how the artists of that time viewed women, fat and fertile. History often takes from the past to reinvent the future. Today’s society has the Barbie doll. Ruth Handler created it in 1959. Its long legs and slim figure has been worship by so many, that real women have undergone intense cosmetic surgeries to resemble the doll. Both figurines have gained notoriety based on the representation of women of their era, displayed their own meaning of beauty and cultures’ perception of it.
Venus de Willendorf
Venus de Willendorf, also known as the Woman of Willendorf, is a type of art statuette that was discovered sum 25,000 years ago. It was discovered in 1908 by the banks of the Danube River near the town of Willendorf in Austria during diggings led by Josef Szombathy. The statuette was carved from a rare oolitic (stone eggs) limestone using a flint tool. This particular type of stone was not available in the area it was located in, thus concluding the statuette was not created locally.
Standing 4 3/8 inches (11.1 centimeters) tall, the figurine is noticeably rounded. It displays obese and voluptuous women’s body parts. It has large pendulous breast as well as a large middle section, thighs, and a pronounced posterior. Her arms are thin and rested high on her breast. There is a braided pattern around the top of the head. Some archeologists identify it as the hair while others say it is a woven hat. The vulva is very detailed, which led scholars to believe the original sculptor had some knowledge about human anatomy. The statuette does not have feet, so it cannot stand on its own. In addition, it does not have
Venus de Willendorf vs. Barbie
With Time, Brings Change
HUMN303 - DeVry University- April 21, 2013
Venus de Willendorf vs. Barbie
With Time, Brings Change
Introduction
Venus de Willendorf is a statuette that first appeared during the Upper Paleolithic period. The exaggerated carvings of the body parts were how the artists of that time viewed women, fat and fertile. History often takes from the past to reinvent the future. Today’s society has the Barbie doll. Ruth Handler created it in 1959. Its long legs and slim figure has been worship by so many, that real women have undergone intense cosmetic surgeries to resemble the doll. Both figurines have gained notoriety based on the representation of women of their era, displayed their own meaning of beauty and cultures’ perception of it.
Venus de Willendorf
Venus de Willendorf, also known as the Woman of Willendorf, is a type of art statuette that was discovered sum 25,000 years ago. It was discovered in 1908 by the banks of the Danube River near the town of Willendorf in Austria during diggings led by Josef Szombathy. The statuette was carved from a rare oolitic (stone eggs) limestone using a flint tool. This particular type of stone was not available in the area it was located in, thus concluding the statuette was not created locally.
Standing 4 3/8 inches (11.1 centimeters) tall, the figurine is noticeably rounded. It displays obese and voluptuous women’s body parts. It has large pendulous breast as well as a large middle section, thighs, and a pronounced posterior. Her arms are thin and rested high on her breast. There is a braided pattern around the top of the head. Some archeologists identify it as the hair while others say it is a woven hat. The vulva is very detailed, which led scholars to believe the original sculptor had some knowledge about human anatomy. The statuette does not have feet, so it cannot stand on its own. In addition, it does not have
References: Gerber, R. (2009). Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World 's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her. HarperCollins. McElvaine, R. S. (2000). Eve 's Seed: Biology, the Sexes, and the Course of History. McGraw-Hill. Rogers, M. F. (1999). Barbie Culture. SAGE Publications. Sayre, Henry M. (2012). Discovering the Humanities, 3rd Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions. Enger, Crissi. (n.d.). Types of Barbie. eHow. Retrieved April 11, 2013 from http://www.ehow.com/facts_5491736_types-barbie.html Witcombe, Christopher. (n.d.).The Venus of Willendorf. Art History Resources. Retrieved from March 12, 2013 from http://arthistoryresources.net/willendorf/willendorfwoman.html