Italian Figurines Analysis

These Paleolithic Art the Venus of Willendorff and Dolini Vestonice, are both estimated from the same time around 23,000 to 28,000 B.C, but discovered in two different locations in Europe. “Man-made artifacts from this period shows the very earliest signs of workmanship, from small personal adornments and cave paintings to the prevalent Venus figurines, which represent the earliest known works of figurative art.”(Holloway) These two figurines are believed to represent the symbolism of fertility or a goddess, depending on the two cultures of origin. This formal analysis will go into depth of each sculptures describing the different formal qualities that were used, and share any differences or comparison between the two.
The Venus figurines sculpted
The thighs and hips are large as if the artist is separating the regions of the body with deeply carved lines, as the texture of the limestone is smooth looking except for the head. The use of the lines are varied, they are horizontal, vertical and diagonal, which create sections of light and dark highlighting the important parts such as the breast and buttocks. As for the body, it is generalized as geometrical shapes without a face, the spaced used projects out implying open space as it fills the three-dimensional space, probably intended to be carried. The weight of the sculpture is set in the midsection with the area being the widest, and the sexual nature of her body seems to be valued above the rest of her body.
The artist did not aim for naturalism in shape and proportion, as with most Paleolithic figures, the artists did not carve any facial features. “The small female figure most likely cultic or religious in function, carried by the band of Gravettian and it’s acknowledged that red ochre is often represented as a sacred color and used in burial rituals.”(Binsteiner) It’s hard to say how the Willendorff was intended to be seen and viewed, as we view her out of context of her culture and civilization, we can assess the figures formal elements giving us some information about her and the culture she was
“The earliest recorded evidence of clay usage dates back to the Late Paleolithic period in central and western Europe, where fired and unfired clay figurines were created as a form of artistic expression. As early as 30,000 years ago, we can also see evidence of some experimentation with clay, the figurines made of clay mixed with crushed mammoth bone were found.”(Vioiatti) The Dolni Vestonice is classified as a sculpture in the round, because it is self-contained in three dimensional having no connection to a surface. The head has no facial features besides the two slits for eyes and a small nose. The upper arms of the female form curved around the shoulders and end at the bottom of the breast that resembles a pendulum. The hips curve out from the waist giving the figurine the hourglass shape body figure. A deep grove separates the legs and body; the shape of the buttocks is not symmetric, along the left side a long crack starting above the hip going down the left leg is suggested from baking. “Figurines crafted from clay mixed with powdered bone show evidence of fractures acquired during the firing process.” (Charlotte