Gypsum Figurine Venus of Willendorf
Description
A cast of the Venus of Willendorf in gypsum cement. The original is a four inch limestone figure found in Austria in 1908 and dated to somewhere around thirty thousand years ago, which makes it one of the oldest pieces of figurative art anybody has.
Nobody knows what she was for. Fertility figure, self-portrait, a charm, a doll, a goddess. What is not in doubt is that someone carved a woman's body in careful detail an unimaginably long time ago and thought it worth the effort, and most of what people keep her for now comes from that rather than from any settled meaning.
Good to Know
About 3.25 inches tall, cast in gypsum cement. Each one is finished by hand, so small variations in surface and tone are normal. Gypsum is soft and porous. Keep it dry and dust it rather than wiping it.
Pair It With
The Tara statue is the other feminine figure on the shelf, and the Buffalo Spirit Animal keeps the same note of provision and plenty. For incense in front of her, Nitiraj Laxmi. More in totems.