Journal Entry (Week 4)

Journal Entry (Week 4)

Name

Institution

Journal Entry (Week 4)
In the ancient world, art was used to represent different issues in the society. Many artists and authors have been seen using the images to give meaning or develop an interest in a particular topic. Such images can as well be used symbols for larger issues that the artists and authors may wish to discuss. The Venus of Willendorf is among the known models that have been in existence for many years developing an understanding of the early life of the population that existed in the ice age. The art can be said to entail the prehistoric humans and their way of life. According to research studies, the image was made many years ago, and it was the most likely portrait to have been carved by the hunters and gatherers.
The image is seen to entail a statute of a woman who has different features that include fat body and fertility. It is believed to suggest that the people in that age would have been highly desirable. It was designed by individuals who resided in a harsh ice-age conditions that modeled their way of life. It shows the oversized breasts that are meant to represent matters concerned with successful reproduction. The female figure in the image represents the way of life of the locality where the image is believed to have been made. Since the image was carved in the Paleolithic period, it has some cultural features that are significant as they represent the female characteristics that survived during the period (Liu, 2011).

The lack of feet shows that the image does not stand proof that women will at all times depend on others for their survival. The breasts can be said to be related to the real fertility levels that were present in the people of that era. Venus of Willendorf is significantly used to represent the fertility during the Paleolithic period in the female individuals who existed by then.
Venus of Willendorf

The image lacks a visible face, and the head can be seen to be covered with some circular bands that can be associated with plaited hair. It reveals the way women in the era had a sense of style as they designed their hair in a particular manner. The other features in the head and the body shows that the image is an ordinary woman rather than a goddess as it is believed. It eliminates the assumptions that the primitive nature of the women during that period (Nudd, 2003). The model of the image with no limbs and hanging insinuates that despite the development of the female gender, they still depend on men for life. The lack of the facial features shows that the creatures were led by others bringing more speculation on the representation of the female. The art is known to develop interests as it involves representing a larger case and help in understanding the way of life of an individual community.
The actual description of the Stone Age woman who had little understanding of the need to cover the body is given by the image. The initial model fits in the historical construction of art that is used to emphasize the swollen shapes such as the breasts. The art as well shows the increased fertility suggesting the uniqueness and extraordinary way of the women (LaRocca, 2012). There is an exaggerated female form in the image that shows a great age as well as an icon of prehistoric art.

References
LaRocca, L. (2012, May 17). Walk through the colorful world of art history. McClatchy – Tribune Business News Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://search.proquest.com/docview/1013975734?accountid=45049” http://search.proquest.com/docview/1013975734?accountid=45049
Liu, A. (2011). Restoring our bodies, reclaiming our lives: Guidance and reflections on recovery from eating disorders. Boston: Trumpeter.
Nudd, T. (2003, May 26). Older, infertile and proud of it. Adweek, 44, 38. Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://search.proquest.com/docview/212426875?accountid=45049” http://search.proquest.com/docview/212426875?accountid=45049
Image link HYPERLINK “http://www.pbs.org/howartmadetheworld/episodes/human/venus/” http://www.pbs.org/howartmadetheworld/episodes/human/venus/

JOURNAL ENTRY (WEEK 4) PAGE * MERGEFORMAT 2

Running Head: JOURNAL ENTRY (WEEK 4) PAGE * MERGEFORMAT 1