Venus
Last week, I was in Vienna. One of the things we did there was to visit the Museum of Natural History, specifically to see the 25,000-year-old Venus of Willendorf. (I had no idea this piece was in Vienna; my husband was the mastermind behind the pilgrimage.)
I have to give kudos to the curator of the museum, who has put the statue in its own tiny building within the museum. A placard at the doorway gives some basic information, including the fact that she was originally painted red ochre. Once you step behind the placard and see the wonderful display, you can press a button to change the light to red. (The button also triggers the playing of an unfortunate fake-cavepeople song.) At any rate, I read the placard, and then walked around the corner.
I didn’t photoshop or alter this picture at all; this is exactly how she’s presented, in a glass case, illuminated with a single, subtle light, floating in space. The presentation perfectly highlights the beauty of this ancient carving. She is probably a fertility icon; as the museum points out, the figure’s sexual characteristics are emphasized. But I also experienced her as an echo of my own body—twenty-five-thousand years later, and I could relate to her in some elemental way. Pretty amazing. I hope you can share a little bit of my experience by looking at this carving, admiring its beauty, and seeing your own beauty reflected there.
Posted by mo pie
Filed under: Art, Feminism, International, Old Timey, Personal
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God, I’ve always loved her – I remember being enthralled back in middle school art class, discovering the Venus. There’s something so cool about all the different types of Venuses out there – from curvy chick in a shell to this round and gorgeous version. I want to go to Vienna and see her, esp. because the way the display works sounds so, so lovely.
This is the best picture I’ve ever seen of her. Thank you so much for sharing it and your experience.
One of the coolest things about the Venus of Willendorf is that she fits in your hand perfectly. I had the opportunity to be able to hold and examine a reproduction of her and her curves nestled into my palm exactly right. It was an extremely intimate moment, holding this tiny woman with my body type, in a classroom of 20 or so people.
She’s not called the ‘Venus’ of Willendorf, she’s the Woman of Willendorf. I’m taking an art history class and my professor was very adamant about that. It’s appeared on three tests so far. ^^
reasons: Statuette is dated to long before the Roman goddess Venus, We have no idea and pretty much no way of knowing whether the piece was for religious purposes.
Well your professor is right, of course, about the fact that the statue predates the Roman goddess Venus, but it’s definitely called the Venus of Willendorf by the museum. It’s right on the display!
It’s funny to come here and see this today as I’ve been thinking about her for about a week now. I’ve always been attracted to this figure even when I was a slim youth. You’ve explained the experience beautifully and I actually felt emotional about it. (I know, such a sap). The picture is beautiful, venus, goddess, woman or otherwise. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your experience. One day, whenever I get to make my dream trip to Europe, I’ll have to go see it.
How is she suspended? I’m fascinated…
This statue was what first made me say “I have the body of a goddess!” since when I stand naked in front of a mirror my body looks like hers. beautiful picture Mo…thanks!
She’s certainly a powerful figurine whose curves and roundness reach out to us even today. Her sacredness is tangible and tactile, not distant. She represents fertility, definitely, and abundance; a world mother.
But some just can’t see her beauty. Venus of Willendorf featured on a toss-pot art show that I saw the other day (not that all art shows are toss-pot, but this one was). The toss-pot presenter He also interviewed a toss-pot scientist who was researching whether ‘cave men’ were genetically programmed to find her ‘grotesque’ figure attractive, the implication being that we have since evolved beyond that and men are now genetically programmed to find thin women attractive. Neither of the toss-pots could not describe the Venus of Willendorf without using words such as ‘gross’, ‘grotesque’ and ‘deformed’ (the deformed was for her lack of facial features and her small limbs). Gah!
This figure is amazing! The fact that 25,000 years ago, a full figured woman was praised so much that she had beautiful magnificent sculptures made of her makes me wish in a way that I had lived 25,000 years ago.
I can relate to the woman’s figure. I’m a fill figured woman and I feel beautiful. And it always helps to have a man by your side though that sees your beauty and loves the full-figuredness. My man does.
Loved the story!!
Peace out!
The VoW is a beautiful work of art and mystical in it’s ancient origins and unknown purpose but when I first saw it in high school I imagined I looked like her. I cut a picture out to hang in my room to remind me not to eat. Of course my sister agreed with me that this sculpture should stand as a warning to us. To this day (I am 48!) when I feel self-disgust I think “Ugh! I feel like the Venus of Willendorf.” It never ends.
Joy, to answer your question, I really didn’t notice how the display was set up! I’ll have to check the photo I took with flash (don’t worry; there’s protective glass) to see how they did it.
Thanks for sharing that. I have wanted to see her ever since we studied her in college. She is such a precious piece and so important to history, and women. That’s a great photo…it captures her mystery and her omnipotence.
What a wonderful opportunity to see her in person! I am sure this memory will last a life time. A bit off topic but related. How come Paul Rubens does not have a myspace page? Sandro Botticelli does! I would love to have Rubens as my myspace friend!!!
God, I’ve always loved her – I remember being enthralled back in middle school art class, discovering the Venus. There’s something so cool about all the different types of Venuses out there – from curvy chick in a shell to this round and gorgeous version. I want to go to Vienna and see her, esp. because the way the display works sounds so, so lovely.
Agreed. I hate how some people say that the Venus of Willendorf wasn’t “really supposed to be” an image of beauty — she didn’t “really” stand for fertility and whatnot. Why is it not okay to present an image of a fat woman and say it’s beautiful?
I also love this Venus. Look, Ma! Her thighs touch and GASP she’s still pretty! Her life didn’t end!