User talk:Eharford/sandbox
Alternate Interpretations
While the Venus of Willendorf could have been sculpted by a woman, it could also have been done by a prehistoric man as well. However, if the piece is not a self-portrait, then it coneys an entirely different message. Instead of an artistic interest in her own body, this could also be seen as a prehistoric man's objectification of women. Her plump figure can very well symbolizes health and abundance, but like scholar Camille Paglia argues, it could also prove the opposite. The Venus of Willendorf's "masked face and withered arms [could] disturbingly show that she has no sight, speech, or reach--no identity as an individual." [1] If the artist was indeed male, then it does put the Venus of Willendorf in a sexualized point of view. She has no facial features, leaving her exaggerated breasts and buttocks the focus of the statuette. This would be fine if the male statuettes were equally stylized, yet "during the Willendorf period [many male figurines were] anatomically correct with penises and detailed facial features." [2]
