Week two. Post #2. The Venus of Willendorf.

        In the article written by Christopher L. C. E.Witcombe named “The Veneus of Willendorf.”  He talks about the figure that found near the Danube River near the town of Willendorf in Austria.  Also, her 11.1 centimeters high frame is not the most realistic of figures: her female attributes are quite exaggerated.  About the name, like almost every single older work of art, this is not the name the artist gave it to figure, but rather the name that stuck after her discovery. As for the Venus, the ancient Roman goddess of love, she predates classical mythology by over 20,000 years-prehistoric female figures found in the 1920s, like this one, were often bestowed with the name ‘Venus’. If we compared with the Venus of Willendorf and classical Venus as visually. Willendorf statuette is the lack of a face, armless, footless, short, and stout body. And classical Venus is tall, erotically curvaceous, nude young woman whose primary identity resides in her physical and sexual body.

       Many an explanation is offered as to their meaning and significance for women today introducing a wide variety of viewpoints. Now we define the beauty as skinny, glamorous, and well-proportioned figure. It is totally different with the ‘Venus of Willendorf’ figure. However, in the medieval times, a person who has plump out body was seen as wealthy because they were able to have many foods. So we could think that this figure woman was seen as beautiful and wealthy because of her size.  Also, mostly thought of this figure is a representation of female fertility. The statuette served as a fertility idol, the sculptor included only those parts of the female body needed for the conception and nurture of children. Those areas associated with fertility, breasts, and buttocks. Stomach and labia (suggesting pregnancy) are treated almost to the exclusion of everything else. The figure has no face, which is not a portrayal of an individual, and no feet. The arms are rendered as mere sticks. Consequentially, Even though the aspect of the woman does not fit in the classical Venus, there is no reason to say that it was not a model of beauty at that time. As mother goddess, I think that this figure could be the most beautiful body in the world. I feel like this figure refers to beyond wealth and prolificacy.