Sculptures of the Ice Age Exploring the Deeper History of Art Bradshaw Foundation
Sculptures of the Ice Age Exploring the Deeper History of Art Bradshaw Foundation
Sculptures of the Ice Age Exploring the Deeper History of Art Bradshaw Foundation
Sculptures of the Ice Age
Sculptures of the Ice Age - Exploring the Deeper History of Art
Monpazier Figurine
Gravettian 24,000 - 22,000 years old

Monpazier Figurine Sculptures of the Ice Age
Found by Jean Clottes, this extraordinary sculpture seems to tell the woman’s story through its mixture of simplified and exaggerated features. Made of a pebble of limonite quartz which had a suggestive shape the body of this slim but heavily pregnant figure tapers up to the rounded head which has slight indications of a face. There are no arms and a marked waist between the bottom of the large round breasts and the large, prominent stomach. The bottom of the stomach appears almost cut away to reveal the disproportionately large, forward facing open vulva, the bottom of which reaches to her slightly bent knees. The lower legs are short and the feet curve together. The upper body leans back above exaggerated buttocks separated by a deep groove.

Monpazier open site, Dordogne, France.

Musée des Antiquités Nationales, St Germain-en-Laye, Paris.

Dimensions

 
Height : 5.5 cm
 
Width : 1.4 cm
 
Thick : -
 

Gravettian

Culture taking its name from the La Gravette site, Dordogne, France, and lasted from about 28,000 years ago until 22,000 years ago. Original elements in Gravettian cave art include the use of hand stencils, and the type of female statuette widely but incorrectly known as 'Venus' first appear in the portable art of this period.

Source: Dr Jean Clottes

Sculpture Links

→ Ice Age Art Index
→ Ice Age Art Gallery
→ Bison of Tuc D'Audoubert

Rock Art Links

→ Bradshaw Foundation
→ Rock Art Network

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