The Woman of Willendorf, formerly known as the Venus of Willendorf, is a 25,000 BCE Paleolithic miniature statuette approximately four and a half inches tall. In terms of size, this hand-held work pails in comparison to the grand Venus of Knidos.
It’s exaggerated bulging figure is a direct contrast to Praxiteles’ Venus with her smooth flesh and sensual contrapposto pose. Despite a number of obvious physical differences, both carvings provide us with insight as to what their respective societies may have considered to be a great aspiration.
Why art historians and/or archeologists chose to re-name the Woman of Willendorf remains a curiosity and is subject to much speculation. Due to the cultural significance of the term “Venus”, one that carries with it attributes such as love and beauty, it is interesting that effort was made to rid the Woman of Willendorf of this тιтle. Granted, there can only be one true Venus/Aphrodite goddess, however many works have been labeled as an extension of all that Venus represents, and therefore provides us with clues as to how our minds should mentally absorb them. In other words, if an object is presented to us whose тιтle references Venus, our modern Gillette Venus razors for example, we can infer that that object is meant to evoke thoughts of femininity, sensuality and ultimately beauty. Having said that, it can be argued that the reason art historians went from “Venus” to “woman” is that they wanted to avoid preconceived ideas surrounding that famous тιтle.
Looking at the Woman of Willendorf, it is easy to make ᴀssumptions about the model and her physicality. She may appear to be exposed and vulnerable in her nakedness as her arms aren’t present to cover her body and her genitals are emphasized. However, ideals about the human form that we have today were undoubtedly very different in pre-history. Because of the sculpture’s small size it can be held in the palm of a hand, allowing the holder to cradle and grip it’s enlarged body parts. Under these conditions the Woman of Willendorf is transformed into a sensuous object that is meant to be held near and dear. The fact that the sculptor has not given his subject a face increases the possibility of it being used as an idol, likely of fertility. Depicting a woman with a full figure signals that she is well-nourished and healthy, and is therefore capable of producing offspring.
Mating was a prime concern for the Paleolithic people during the time that most of these figurines were produced, and thus could provide them with standards as to what a suitable mate should be. In addition, the figure’s reproductive organs are protruding and clearly visible, furthering the notion that the Woman of Willendorf represents the power that all women have to procreate. There is nothing left to the imagination with this work like there is with the Venus of Knidos. As we saw previously, the Venus of Knidos moves her hand to cover her genitals, however increases eroticism and intrigue by drawing attention to that specific area. By doing this she transforms the role of the viewer into someone uncontrolled in their desire to look at the ɴuᴅᴇ Venus. In turn Venus is now the modest one, covering herself because of this invasion of privacy.
