Here are a few excellent papers that were submitted by your class mates. Reading them, will assist you in understanding a paper's anatomy, how the author organized their thoughts, and the depth full research they made while describing an excellent comparative analysis between the two visual forms.
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Wonderfully creative graphic created by one of our students!
Comparative Paper FA 111 - Spring 2020 March 24th, 2020
Thousands of years apart in their creation and of different mediums, “The Woman of Willendorf”and “TheThing” are exaggerated humanoid figures made to express different messages. One made completely of rock and the other drawn to look like it is.
Image 1: “Woman of Willendorf” ‘The Woman of Willendorf”, previously known as“Venus of Willendorf”, is estimated to have been created between 28,000 - 25,000 BCE. It is a sculpture in the round that depicts an exaggerated woman’s body- with emphasis on large hips, breasts, and vulva. It is an exceedingly unrealistic figure, the woman’s feet and arms are tiny in comparison to the rest of the body. Her arms end right at the waist without any hands- just stubs. She also lacks any facial features. This tiny sculpture, only 11 centimeters in height, was found by Josef Szombathy. The Austrian- Hungarian archeologist discovered it in 1908 outside a small village in Austria known as Willendorf. Though it was found there, limestone- the rock it is carved from- cannot be found in Willendorf.
Figure #1
This, and its small size, indicates that it was created elsewhere and carried there. This gives evidence that the creator was from a nomadic tribe. The piece currently resides in the Natural History Museum in Vienna.
Image 2: “The Thing” Image 3: “The Fantastic Four #1” August 8th, 1961
“The Thing” juxtaposes “The Woman of Willendorf” as a 2-dimensional drawn character that recurrently appears in the graphic comics by Marvel called The Fantastic Four. He appears as a large, rock covered man, with oversized fists. This creature, also known as Ben Grimm, was co-created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Though who the idea came from is controversial- both Lee and Kirby take credit for its conception. The writing of the comics is credited to Stan Lee and the artwork to Jack Kirby. This character debuted in the first publication of the Fantastic Four on August 8th, 1961. The appearance of the character, when first produced, differs from that of the current rendition shown above (image 2).
Figure #3
During the original publication years, comics were done with a brush and ink. The color would be applied by a colorist in layers of film. In the original publication, the rock texture was less definitive and had more of a 2-dimensional look (image 3). Current revisions show him with much more defined rock textures.
When the Fantastic Four were created, Marvel mainly produced monster-focused comics. Following suit to DC’s successful “Justice League of America”, Marvel wanted to create a superhero team. This led the way for a plethora of superheroes to be created by Marvel, which now is the leading comic publisher.
As for “The Woman of Willendorf”, nothing of its origin is concretely known. It can be seen that the statue was created by a subtractive method. A harder-possibly sharper- rock was used to hit against the limestone to form the woman’s features. The rock has a residue of red ochre that was used to color it- that has faded over the years. The statue is inferred to be a symbol of fertility because of the features were exaggerated. The oversized hips and belly are thought to express pregnancy or well structured for childbearing. The large breasts are thought to show that the woman is carrying milk to nurse a baby. Also, the attention to the reproductive organs is thought to highlight the creation of life. Her lack of facial features is to possibly add attention to the other features- expressing them as the focal point and important parts of the figurine.
Although thousands of years separate the creation of these two pieces, they both contain fundamental elements of art and design. Both “The Woman of Willendorf” and “The Thing”, are biomorphic forms based on the human body with exaggerated features. The woman has accentuated reproductive features and “The Thing” is exaggerated to show brute strength with his fists and muscles. They differ in that “The Woman of Willendorf” i s based on a female body and “The Thing” is based on the male figure. “The Woman of Willendorf” depicts a static pose: standing straight with her arms at her side and her knees slightly bent inward. “The Thing” i s the opposite appearing in motion: his arms spread wide and viewed from an angle, foreshortening his legs and making his right foot the closest thing in view. They are also opposite in that “The Woman of Willendorf” is naked and “The Thing” is partially clothed in shorts.
The two are similar in colors- both are in shades of orange-the secondary color created from red and yellow. The coloring of “The Woman of Willendorf” comes from the fading of the red ochre that was applied to it. She appears monochromatically, the only shades come from lighting casting shadows. “The Thing” is polychromatic- the orange of his rocky-skin tone is contrasted by its complementary color blue. Its shadows are created by using shades of the orange used in the rocky-skin tone; this is done to express three-dimensionality.
The physical texture of the two are completely different but their implied textures are the same. “The Thing,” when appearing in comic form, adopts a physically smooth texture of the paper it is printed on, but the skin is given a rock looking skin which is implied through the linework. The rocky skin is rhythmic in its different yet pattern-like formation of lines. This is contrasted by the smooth looking shorts that are given a sheen to make them appear as a stretchable material. “The Woman of Willendorf” has a physical rock texture as it is made from limestone. The bumps around her head follow a consecutive rhythm in seven rows around her head. The statue has a legitimately feel-able texture, while the drawn image has only implied texture.
These two works of art, although different in style, medium, and having years between their creation, still have similarities between them. Their rocky forms, exaggerated body types, and orange coloring makes them similar while also uniquely different.
Word Count: 1018
Works Cited:
Best, Daniel. “In Their Own Words: Who Created The Fantastic Four? Stan & Jack Speak!” 20th Century Danny Boy, Blogger, 28 May 2013, ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/2013/05/in-their-own-words-who-created.html.
“Colorist.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Aug. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorist.
Kuiper, Kathleen. “Venus of Willendorf.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 11 July 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/Venus-of-Willendorf.
McLauchlin, Jim. “The Enduring Mysteries of FANTASTIC FOUR #1 (and Their Possible Answers).” Newsarama, www.newsarama.com/37360-the-enduring-mysteries-of-fantastic-four-1.html.
Pepper Jen, “Comparative Research”, BlogSpot, February 13,
Roach, Alex, et al. “Venus of Willendorf.” Great Discoveries in Archaeology, 28 Mar. 2013, anthropology.msu.edu/anp264-ss13/2013/03/28/venus-of-willendorf/.
“Thing (Comics).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Mar. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thing_(comics).
Wigington, Patti. “Who - or What - Is the Woman of Willendorf?” Learn Religions, Learn Religions, 18 Mar. 2019, www.learnreligions.com/woman-of-willendorf-2562888.
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Comparative Analysis/1
Art, in the eyes of the observer is defined either by an individual’s appreciation of art in its entirety from its origins, history, culture, educational value or simply put, the true meaning of art history. Conversely, an observer may embrace their interpretation of art for the sake of its aesthetics, pleasures, its value, hues, polychromatic, or multiple colors used, and entertainment, or once again, for their love of art, or art appreciation. One does not have to be a formally trained artist to contribute their artistic interpretations and input to a piece. From whatever lens one might be observing through, the astounding differences in their creations, meaning and variations between the “Woman From Willendorf” (Woman) and “The Thing” will prove unequivocally undeniable.
The “Woman From Willendorf”, is a subtractive, three-dimensional sculpture of art as one values and understands art to be today. The sculptor unintentionally incorporated “the quality and attributes of a composition by using the elements and principles of visual design”. The statue was created by an unknown sculptor and carved of limestone. Created outside the digital age during the prehistoric period, it is reasonably concluded that the “Woman” is the product of “homo-sapiens”, or (“wise human” )”, categorized by archaeologists in appearing more than 400,000 years ago. This subspecies of “homo sapiens sapiens” (usually referred to as modern humans) migrated from Africa across Asia, into Europe, and finally to Australia and the Americas” (Stokstad-Cothren-2016). With the use of essential design elements of line and color utilized paintings and sculptures to communicate. Recently discovered by archaeologist “Josef Szombathy on August 7, 1908 near Willendorf, Austria” supports basis as to the given name, the “Woman From Willendorf” (https://sp2020cazfa111.blogspot.com/2020/02/comparative-research-paper-12-analysis.html).
As shown in figure one below, the Woman From Willendorf” museum exhibition displayed at the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna Austria.
Figure 1 “Woman From Willendorf”
Austria. C.24,000BCE, Limestone, height 4.5” (11 cm).
Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria
Previously known as the “Venus of Willendorf”, she was discovered in Austria and is believed to have been created as far back as c.24,000 BCE. Authors Stokstad and Cothren put forward their thesis that the sculpture’s original name, “Venus of Willendorf” and its bodily appearance, by their interpretation, originated from the worship of a deity and symbolize the desired attributes of a woman during the epistemology of the era (Stokstad and Cothren-2016). Supporting their interpretation, the authors state that “the use of this name sent a message that the figure was associated with religious belief, … and that it indicated a long line of images idealized feminine beauty” (Stokstad and Cothren-2016).
Subtractive in nature, the piece was created as a result of carving, or the removal of its material to create the finished product during the “Upper Paleolithic Age”, or the “Old Stone Age”. The sculpturing process was achieved using tools, typically other stones, with harder edges than the original material, or paleolithic tools (Stokstad and Cothren, p21).
During the period of her creation, carvings were generally of men and “The Woman of Willendorf” was “the most famous figurine” The term “figurine” was used for the “Woman’s” description of the art because of the height of pieces that have been discovered approximately 6000 years prior to the discovery to the “Woman of Willendorf” (Stokstad and Cothren, p21). Standing at only 4.5” tall, other notable details of the woman’s appearance are the sculptor’s intricate carvings of their personal observation of a female versus the natural properties and appearances of the limestone. Sculptor details included her defined curvatures and how they seamlessly blend with the natural details of the limestone. Specifically, and most obvious of manmade details of the figurine include detailed exaggeration of her “pendulous breasts, and a bulging belly with a deep navel…, wide hips, dimpled knees and buttocks, and solid thighs” (Stokstad and Cothren-2016). It is also important to note that the “Woman’s” feet appear to have been neglected in an apparent error in design or whether the feet have been damaged at some point. Equally important and identifiable to the sculptor’s intended outcome was that the figurine is carved out as a “sculpture in the round”. A newer term relative to the piece’s age, it is meant that the figurine is “self-contained, three dimensional and could be observed from a 360 ° observation.
Other identifiable details of human contribution in creating the figurine is the use of color not natural to the gray tones of limestone. The coloring with red ocher, manufactured using pulverized earth and combing it with “milk, blood or other enzyme” as a binder, which is a substance to assist in the earth’s adhesion to surfaces (https://sp2020cazfa111.blogspot.com/2020/01/notes-chapter-1-prehistory-in-europe.html).
Figure 2 “Woman From Willendorf” from rear perspective.
Photo credit: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=woamn+of+willendorf&qpvt=woamn+of+willendorf&FORM=EQNASM
Natural details of the limestone that contribute to the aesthetics of the “Woman From Willendorf”” is the actual rough texture of the work that is synonymous with limestone and the natural hole of the stone that creates the navel of the piece. An additional aspect of the limestone’s contribution to the piece is its mass, specifically to weight of the of the figurine which has not been provided. Authors Stokstad and Cothren theorized that the depiction of the “Woman” may be the sculptor’s attempt at creating an allusion of a woman of a desired appearance, health and fertility. (Stokstad and Cothren-2016). The author’s thesis could lend conversation to the fact that the “Woman” may be representational to a cultural theme.
In contrast, opposite in its creation, nature and character to the “Woman From Willendorf” is the artistic creation of the twentieth century, fictional cartoon character, “The Thing” (Figure 1 below). Created by writer Stan Lee (December 28, 1922-November 12, 2998), born Stanley Martin Lieber in New York, December 28, 1922 and artist, Jack Kirby, born Jack Kurtzberg (August 28, 1917-February 6, 1994) August 28, 1917 in New York and published by Marvel Comics in 1961 for entertainment purposes.
In Michael Ray’s online article “Jack Kirby: American Comic Book Artist”, (https://www.brittanica.com/biography/Jack-Kirby), Jack Kirby was born Jack Kurtzberg on December 28, 1922 in New York, New York. The artist was responsible for the creation of the publishing company’s “Marvel Comics” (formerly known as Atlas) fictional cartoon character “The Thing”. Early on, Kirby was responsible for contributions to the creations of fictional characters “including Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, and the Fantastic Four” (Ray-2020). In the 1960’s, Kirby was the main contributor to all the “Marvel” comic creations.
In figure 1 below, Kirby’s “The Thing” speaks to the art history as opposed to art appreciation in his creation.
Although Kirby was “mostly self-taught”, (http://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Jack_Kirby), he still used the foundational building blocks used to create a visual work, more commonly known as the elements and principles of design. (SP2020.CAZ.FA111.ARTHISTORYONE).
Like the “Woman From Willendorf”, “The Thing” too was created with a tool more commonly used during the twentieth century, “in pen and ink first, with water marker or watercolor for the complimentary color pairing of orange and blue. Later to be digitalized” Pepper, J. (personal communication-2020) as opposed to the “Paleolithic tools” used to create the “Woman”. Remaining in true comparison to the history of the creation of the “Woman From Willendorf” sculptor, “The Things” creator was one considered to be a “homo sapiens sapiens” (usually referred to as modern humans). Authors Stokstad and Cothren in referring generally to scientific support reason that “How and when modern humans evolved is the subject of ongoing debate, but anthropologists now agree that…and that the subspecies to which we belong, homo sapiens sapiens (usually referred to as modern humans), evolved as early as 120,000 years ago” (Stokstad and Cothren-2016).
Created for corporate competition purposes “The Thing” is created as an illusionistic style symbolic for entertainment purposes.
In a parallel observation of both works, obvious differences in appearances and physical characteristics are clear in that “The Thing” is an illusionistic drawing of a male in its shape which is the flat area that expresses a two dimensional image, whereas the “Woman From Willendorf” is a female, three dimensional, in the round figurine that is a real and tangible piece of cultural art.
In “Writeups.org., in their assessment of the physical description of “The Thing”, he is described as a hulking “7’5” weighing 1650lbs”, when in reality as pictured, his false and misleading impression of a solid, rough in texture, mass of a living creature is nothing more than an animate being and an implied depiction of what strength might be in one’s reality (https://www.writeups.org/thing-ultimate-marvel-comics/#).
Contributing to Kirby’s visual interpretation of dexterity, strength and mass as opposed to the “Woman From Willendorf” is the use of repetition. By utilizing repetition and size differences of the illusional stone, Kirby emphasizes muscle as in the left and right biceps, and joints as stressed by the kneecaps and fingers. This design principle creates motion in balance.
Figure 1
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s
“The Thing”
Photo credit from:
(SP2020.CAZ.FA111.ARTHISTORYONE)
Other obvious differences are the values of each sample. Some readily identifiable are the darker, manmade earth colored tones of “The Things” body. For example, the use of brown for the stones and the whiteness of the teeth of “The Thing”. The primary color of blue not available for the “WOMAN From Willendorf”. This compares with the lighter, naturally colored tint of the ocher used to color the limestone material of the “Woman From Willendorf”.
Of striking beauty in the distinction of the works that evolved over time is the use of Kirby’s spatial depth on the two-dimensional plane (SP2020.CAZ.FA111.ARTHISTORYONE). With the use of the illusionary device of foreshortening that causes a form to compact in a pictorial space, Kirby creates the realism of the animate appearing to be in motion and coming out of its medium with “outstretched leg, smaller hands and head” to evoke a desired effect-Pepper, J (personal communication-2020).
Conscious of the availability of various tools, techniques, knowledge and period of
each creator’s capabilities, Kirby’s drawing delivers a more realistic aspect of a human-like subject. Emphasis is directed at Kirby’s addition of digits, more commonly known as fingers and toes. “Digit, in anatomy, finger or toe of land vertebrates … which consist of small bones called phalanges” (https://www.britannica.com/science/digit-anatomy). Not simply the inclusion of the fingers that is noticeably contradictory to “The Woman From Willendorf”, but specifically the opposable thumbs (Johnson-2010) which have neither fingers, nor toes, either by sculptor design or damage that can reduce the figurine’s value.
No matter how juvenile in appearance or content, replications of envisioned interests or personal observations reduced to writings or drawings can be artistic or artful. Sculptures, paintings, drawings, poetry, and cultural origins are art history to the academic and art to the those that enjoy the work’s gifts of joy and extract emotional responses to the individual observer. Enhancements of previous works in the way of form is both intuition and progression. In comparison of the unknown sculptor’s “The Woman From Willendorf”, and Jack Kirby’s “The Thing”, it is evident that generational and observational guidance is the sum of art in all form.
Works Cited https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=woamn+of+willendorf&qpvt=woamn+of+willendorf&FORM=EQNASM
https://www.britannica.com/science/digit-anatomy
Pepper, Jen FA-111, ART HISTORY 1-Spring2020
Johnson, M.D. (2010) Human Biology-Concepts and Current Issues, Fifth Edition, San Francisco, Pearson Benjamin Cummings
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Research Paper #1 FA111
Professor Pepper
24 Mar. 2020
Figure 1. Unknown, “Woman of Willendorf”
Carved from limestone and decorated with red ochre
4 ½”
Willendorf, Austria
Naturhistorisches Museum (Vienna’s Natural History Museum)
Figure 2. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, “The Thing”
Comic book character, ink on paper
Character size 7’1”
New York City, United States
Exists in Marvel Universe
From the earliest account of human life to now humans have always shown an interest in creating different objects to capture what is happening in that moment. In this instance we’re going to take a look at Figure 1, called the Woman of Willendorf or the Venus of Willendorf. According to Stokstad and Cothren, authors of “Art: A Brief History”, “The woman from Willendorf, found in Austria, 24,000 BCE is a 4 1/2" carving from limestone with traces of red ochre around the pubic area. The sculpture is highly exaggerated, small feet, thus cannot the sculpture cannot stand in the round, enlarged breasts and stomach area” (21).
This artifact dates back to the Upper Paleolithic Period, also known as the Old Stone Age, that lasted from 42,000 - 8,000 BCE (before the common era). In this time period small nomadic groups lived together while glaciers still covered the earth from the Ice Age. They had to move around a lot because of this so they couldn’t carry anything large. Woman of Willendorf is very unique in that it is a tiny figure, pocket sized to carry easily, and it is a subtractive stone carving. According to Jen Pepper, a professor at Cazenovia College, “Carvings in stone, carve away the non-necessary material to reveal the positive forms of eye, mouths, other” (Pepper, Notes Chapter #1). In this case the Woman of Willendorf has positive forms appearing which are either highly exaggerated or have very small detail. For example, the woman’s breasts and stomach are quite huge while her legs are very tiny, her face also has no detail while her head has a lot of texture. The way that she can be viewed from all angles makes her a sculpture in the round. There is also use of red ochre, a powder that emits a pigment, to paint parts of the woman red. It was mainly made with clay and other earthly materials mixed with iron oxide, which is how it gets its warm value. As a substance, red ochre, was used for many things, preserving animal skins, protection from the sun, cave paintings, and much more.
According to mymodernmet.org, “On August 7, 1908, Johann Veran uncovered the tiny statue while participating in excavations at a Paleolithic site near Willendorf, an Austrian village.” Veran’s discovery was very monumental and it is quite clear why she has Willendorf in her name, because that was where the statue was found. The origin of this figurine is very mysterious so there has been a lot of debate on why the creator decided to carve it that way. When it was first discovered scholars studied it and had decided that it represented the Roman goddess of love and beauty, Venus, hence the original name Venus of Willendorf. Taking that into consideration others believe a different theory, according to Dr. Bryan Zygmont, “If the face was purposefully obscured, the Paleolithic sculptor may have created, not a portrait of a particular person, but rather a representation of the reproductive and child rearing aspects of a woman. In combination with the emphasis on the breasts and pubic area, it seems likely that the Venus of Willendorf had a function that related to fertility” (smarthistory.org). This explanation would make the most sense considering the fact that there is no way we can know if the nomadic people believed in goddesses as well as what the creator of this figure really intended. There is simply no proof to why she was made which makes her a mystery and that’s why the name was changed from Venus of Willendorf to Woman of Willendorf. The Woman of Willendorf is one of many Paleolithic figures that may be tied to fertility yet the sculpture has a very important place in the history of art. It now resides in Vienna’s Natural History Museum, Naturhistorisches Museum, as a highlight to early art created by humans.
Figure 2
Centuries later in 1961 The Thing (seen in Figure 2) was created by revolutionary comic book creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They were a part of the golden age of comic books and helped pave the way for many superhero tropes. Stan Lee has been considered the grandfather of comics, he founded Marvel Comics and expanded the superhero universe until he died in November 2018 at 95 years old. Stan Lee will always be known as an idol who helped build a foundation for the comic book world. Jack Kirby was a very talented comic book artist who helped create a plethora of superheroes for the DC and Marvel universes. He is known as “The King” among comic book fans for his many character designs that include Captain America, Iron Man, X-Men, and many more. He tragically died of heart failure in 1994 at only 76 years old.
The creation of comic books is a very detailed process that needs to be thought out. When comics were first being made they were hand drawn and artists would have to use various materials to create a full comic book. According to madehow.com, “These materials include various sizes, weights, and finishes of paper, as well as several different drawing mediums including pencils, inks, markers, and paints. After the master pages have been scanned and colored on a computer, the computer uses the color guides as a reference to generate four pieces of plastic film that are used in the printing process. The actual comic book itself is printed on a variety of papers using four colored inks—cyan (pronounced SIGH-ann, a shade of blue), magenta, yellow, and black. These four inks are printed in an interlocking pattern of tiny dots, which our eyes perceive as various colors. The printed comic pages are then bound together with staples or glue to form a comic book.” It was a very meticulous process that required a lot of people and hard work to complete.
The Thing and the Fantastic 4 were one of Stan Lee’s and Jack Kirby’s collaborations together when they worked in comic studios in NYC. The Thing’s human name was Benjamin Grimm and according to marvel.com, “Reconnecting with Reed Richards, Grimm agreed to take his friend and siblings Sue and Johnny Storm on an illicit test flight of Richards’ new spacecraft, but warned him of his misgivings over its shielding. While in space, the four found themselves bombarded by cosmic rays and Grimm managed to bring the ship in for a crash-landing back on Earth. Upon emerging from the wreckage, the crew was subject to incredible changes from the radiation, and the pilot himself lucklessly transformed into a hulking, boulder-skinned monstrosity quickly dubbed The Thing.
From then on, Grimm and his fellow travelers would operate as team—and a family—known as the Fantastic Four.” This was their origin story, Grimm’s transformation was very different from the others because he was the only one whose physical appearance changed, causing him to look like a monster. He received his nickname, The Thing, from Sue who he liked at the time. He was ashamed of his appearance so he would often wear a trench coat and hat to avoid stares and people being afraid of him. His monstrous appearance was actual revolutionary according to comicvine.com, “What made The Thing unique was the fact that he was the first superhero who didn't look like a superhero. He looked like a monster. Stan decided that having a heroic character who was stuck in the form of a monster would be an interesting departure from the standard superhero stories of the time.” It didn’t take long for comic book goers to fall in love with the rock like beast. Ben is very strong willed and stubborn, he can have a short temper at times but he’s almost also making smart and sarcastic comments. Despite all this, he is still optimistic and has a heart of gold which makes him a very likable character. He is most famous for his catchphrases, his most popular one is "It's Clobberin' Time!" which he yells when he is about to fight. He has faced off with many villains but The Thing’s real enemy is himself which made him even more relatable to the viewers.
It was more than his personality that caused Grimm to stand out, his physical attributes and powers helped him become popular. According to marvel.com, “The Thing stands as one of the most powerful individuals on the planet, perhaps second only to the Hulk. His unique physique enables him to lift nearly one-hundred tons, withstand extreme temperatures, and survive intense bombardments of energy and explosive detonations. In all, his rock-like skin has only been known to be pierced by extraterrestrial weaponry or sorcerous means, and while uncomfortable-looking is actually supple and allows him a wealth of movement. That said, he finds his thick three fingers and opposable thumb difficult to operate controls and machinery not specifically designed for his use.” Even though his story is tragic, Ben Grimm has grown to be an inspirational and strong role model. He may be made of rock but he certainly has a good heart. He even managed to find love, Alicia Masters was a blind sculptress who loved Ben for Ben and did not care about his appearance. She made Ben love himself and helped him decide that he isn’t a monster, this goes to show that love is truly blind. The Thing is a very strong character who will be remembered for generations to come.
The clear time divide between these two creations may make it seem like they have nothing in common when in reality they have a lot in common. The Thing and the Woman of Willendorf are both in a sense created from rock. They are both based on human figures, the only difference is that one is female and one is male. The Woman of Willendorf has enlarged features like her stomach and breasts while The Thing had his entire body enlarged from his transformation. They are both symbols in their own right with different meanings. The Woman of Willendorf is believed to be a symbol of fertility and childbearing. According to smarthistory.org, “The most conspicuous elements of her anatomy are those that deal with the process of reproduction and childbearing. The artist took particular care to emphasize her breasts, which some scholars suggest indicates that she is able to nurse a child.” The creator of this figurine really emphasized the parts of a female that are involved in childbearing. Perhaps this figure also symbolizes love and appreciation for the female body. While a bit different but still similar, The Thing is symbolic of the underdog and finding strength even though you may not see yourself as good. His story shows more than his appearance does in what he represents.
According to comicvine.com, “Benjamin Grimm represents in many ways the American dream: a poor boy from a tough neighborhood who strives for a better life and gets one by way of a university scholarship thanks to his athletic talent, exertion and dedication to sports. Then, while attending the university, he became the best friend to the most intelligent man in the Marvel universe. Ben Grimm then served his country in the armed forces where he put his life on the line many times over.” The Thing is more than a monster, he is a hero and an idol in his own right. He is a symbol of beating the odds when everything is stacked against you. Both of these creations start important milestones in the art world. For the Woman of Willendorf it is being one of the earliest records of a stone carving of a female figure from the Paleolithic Age and for The Thing it is being the first superhero to look like a monster.
Figure 3
The Thing and Woman of Willendorf’s similarities are apparent but also is their use of the elements and principals of design. According to Jen Pepper, a professor at Cazenovia College, “The elements and principles of design are the foundational building blocks used to create a visual work. The elements of design are the A, B, C's that are put together by any artist or designer to create an image or object. Good or bad, all visual works will contain most of these elements, if not all, the nine elements of design. The principles of design can be thought of as how an artist or designer makes use of them. How we manipulate the elements and principles of design, or, how we employ them, creates an impression that an audience will interpret” (Elements and Principals of Design para 1). Pepper shows a clear concise understanding on how the elements and principles of design work together to create artwork. A creation cannot exist without using at least one or more of these. The Thing and the Woman of Willendorf may seem to be plain but there is a lot more detail behind these two works. The most often used element when creating something is line, according to Pepper, “Line can be considered in two ways. The linear marks made with any mark making tool onto a ground or substrate. Line can also be implied -- the direction that implied between forms and the edge that is created when forms meet in space” (Elements and Principals of Design para 2).
Working alongside line is shape, which can be created with line by being be two-dimensional. There is also form, according to Stokstad and Cothren, “Form refers to an object's structure (not shape). Form describes a 3D object or the illusion of three dimensionality” (XV). For the Woman of Willendorf line is operating with actual line which is shown by the markings of the tools used to carve out the female figure. This causes the Willendorf figurine to be a form instead of a shape because it is made of stone which causes it to be a three-dimensional object. The Thing, on the other hand, is made from implied line which means that the lines are creating a sense of form within the object. This two-dimensionality causes the illustration to be a shape rather than a form and he is a biomorphic shape. A biomorphic shape is a shape that is created naturally which means that you would find it in nature. The opposite of this is a geometric shape which is man-made, an example would be a triangle or a rectangle. Since The Thing is technically made from organic rocks, the character is a biomorphic shape.
Looking deeper into the elements and principles of design we find color which is a major contributor to how these art works are perceived and created. Color is an element that is produced when light strikes an object. “Hue, value, and saturation are some of the several attributes that the element color has. Hue is what people think of when they think of color and can be broken down into primary and secondary hues. Primary hues are red, yellow, and blue. Secondary hues are hues in which two primary hues are mixed to form them” (Stokstad and Cothren XIV). Along with the primary and secondary colors there is also complementary and analogous colors. Complimentary colors sit across from each other on the color wheel, an example would be violet and yellow. Analogous colors sit right next to each other on the color wheel sharing adjacent borders, for example red, violet, and orange. We also have polychromatic and monochromatic color schemes. A polychromatic color scheme is when two or more colors are used while a monochromatic color scheme is when only one color is used. Working along with hue is value which is very important in making art pieces pop out. According to Professor Pepper, “Value is the lightness or darkness of a color. We know value as the shades of a color. A value that is darker is known as a tone. Those that are lighter are known as tints” (Pepper, Elements and Principals of Design para 2). We need to be keeping all of these definitions in mind while looking at the Woman of Willendorf and The Thing. The Thing has a very interesting color scheme. His entire body is orange while the shorts he wears are blue. This color palette really makes the viewer focus all of their attention on the figure because of the use of complementary colors, the blue and the orange balance each other out while being in high contrast to one and other. This also creates a sense of change with a polychromatic color scheme with using multiple colors. The simple use of colors is effective because of the range of tones used to create The Thing. The shadows caused by his body create darker tonal colors and really emphasizes on his appearance and the detail showing that he is made of rocks. Much like The Thing, the Woman of Willendorf has different values and creates a sense of depth with her body parts creating shadows. Unlike The Thing she has a monochromatic color scheme with red/orange being the only color she reflects. Value is really important in this piece because it helps bring out the different body parts the female has.
These two artworks wouldn’t be as strong as they were without texture. “Texture is the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physically tactile as well as visually interpreted as having a certain feel” (Pepper, Elements and Principals of Design para 2). Texture is everything in an artwork because it is the key factor in an audience perceiving that artwork. Without texture, visual or implied, there would be nothing to compare it to and the meaning of the piece would be lost. Texture is very unique in that you can feel it on a piece or implied where you can’t touch it but you can image what it feels like. With sculptures like the Woman of Willendorf they are very tactile, perceivable by touch, especially with the amount of detail in creating her. If you held this figure in you hand while blindfolded you could guess that it was a female because of the texture and shape of her exaggerated features. The bumps on the sculpture’s head indicate that it is either her hair or some sort of head wear which creates more depth to the form’s character. This figure is made with real texture that you could actual feel, that is, if it wasn’t a priceless artifact. While The Thing seems to be very textural it is all implied because he is only a comic book character in 2D. Even though we can’t actually touch the character, unless you have a figurine, we can still imagine what he feels like with how he is described and drawn. Seeing his picture, a viewer would connect that he is very rough and spiky with his rock fragments. Jack Kirby had to make sure he put in the right amount of details while creating The Thing so he could really make Stan Lee’s vision come to life. It is amazing how comic book artists can create a sense of texture with just some ink and paper.
The final and only principle of design we are looking at is texture. According to professor Pepper “Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly (repetition) to create a feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is essential” (Elements and Principals of Design para 3). Rhythm is used in a variety of ways and can be used in a multitude of ways throughout many art forms. When people think of rhythm they normally think of patterns or something that repeats over and over. In The Thing’s case that is exactly what Jack Kirby used rhythm for. By repeating the biomorphic shapes on Grimm’s skin, Kirby created a sense of movement and variety, mainly by changing the size of each shape. The repeated use of orange also ties the artwork together, creating a sense of unity. The shapes repeating together creates not only texture but also the sense of a human body. Rhythm is used a little bit differently in the Woman of Willendorf. The repetition of spherical shapes creates a sense of unity, togetherness, when it is repeated throughout the figure. This helps create a female form who seems fertile. The color and value of the figure also adds to the sense of rhythm in that it creates a pattern of dark and light areas, highlighting different parts of her body. The Thing and the Woman of Willendorf are both examples of how rhythm is more than just patterns.
Even though the Woman of Willendorf and The Thing are thousands of years apart they are tied together by the elements and principles of design. The similarities between them are apparent as well as their differences. These two pieces of art will always be considered revolutionary for paving the way for other art forms. The Woman of Willendorf being one of the earliest records of a stone carving of a female figure and The Thing being the first superhero to look like a monster. No matter how much time goes by the foundations of art will always shine through.
Word Count 3,875
Works Cited
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Dr. Bryan Zygmont, "Venus of Willendorf," in Smarthistory, November 21, 2015, accessed March 23, 2020, https://smarthistory.org/venus-of-willendorf/.
Habicht, Clemens. “Venus of Willendorf: How This 30,000-Year-Old Figurine Continues to Captivate Today.” My Modern Met, 2 Oct. 2019, mymodernmet.com/the-venus-of-willendorf/.
Pepper, Jen. “NOTES: Chapter #1 > Prehistoric Art in Europe.” SP2020 FA111.ArtHistory.Caz,
30 Jan. 2020, https://sp2020cazfa111.blogspot.com/2020/01/notes-chapter-1-prehistory-in-europe.html.
Pepper, Jen. “Stokstad's Introduction p.XIV.” SP2020 FA111.ArtHistory.Caz, 22 Jan. 2020, https://sp2020cazfa111.blogspot.com/2020/01/stokstads-introduction-pxiv.html.
Pepper, Jen. “The Elements & Principles of Visual Design.” SP2020 FA111.ArtHistory. Caz,
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The Thing. November 1961, New York City, United States Retrieved from https://comicvine.gamespot.com/thing/4005-2114/.
Stokstad, Marilyn and Cothren, Michael W. “Art: A Brief History.” 6th edition, Pearson,2016.
“The Thing (Benjamin Grimm) In Comics Powers, Villains, History: Marvel.” Marvel Entertainment, www.marvel.com/characters/the-thing-benjamin-grimm/in-comics.
“Thing (Character).” Comic Vine, comicvine.gamespot.com/thing/4005-2114/.
Unknown Artist(s). Woman of Willendorf. 24,000 BCE, Willendorf, Austria Retrieved from https://smarthistory.org/venus-of-willendorf/.
Zygmont, Bryan. “Venus of Willendorf.” Smarthistory, smarthistory.org/venus-of-willendorf/.
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Compare Past and Present
In history, different forms of art have been created. People have been changing the way art is done and how it is viewed but still use similar techniques. “The Woman of Willendorf” is a very important piece of art that helped art historians to understand what the Upper Paleolithic period was like and the cultures it had. In today’s world, “The Thing,” a superhero in “The Fantastic Four,” is a piece of culture that many people can connect to. Both of these pieces use different elements of art that make up the images but contain important aspects like lines, colors, and cultural importance. Even though they are both from different times, they still can contain similar techniques.
“The Woman of Willendorf”
“The Woman of Willendorf” is an important small statue “found in Austria, 24,000 BCE,” (Pepper Ch.1 par. 22). This statue seems to have been created in the Upper Paleolithic period. The Upper Paleolithic period was from 42,00 to 8,000 B.C.E. In this time period people were hunters and gatherers, meaning they would be traveling a lot. Given that this statue is only four and a half inches tall, it made it easier for the groups to carry it around. If these people were always moving, they would only carry the essentials, making this item seem important to their culture. There are many different beliefs as to why the people created and carried these statues. According to Jen Pepper’s, the art history teacher at Cazenovia College, research, “Archaeologist Clive Gamble suggested that these were used for nonverbal communication devices between people from various regions. Perhaps used as an exchange between groups that shared similar values, as an indication of friendliness and possibly mating,”(Pepper Ch1 par.23). It is seen that the statue appears to be a woman in this time period, making it seem possible that the statue was for showing mating. Another idea is that the people made these sculptures to show fertility and what the perfect women to them was like. It seems almost impossible for a female to have feet that small, as they would not be able to hold up the human body. So another reason for this statue could be to symbolize what a woman should look like to these cultures. People have other ideas of the statue’s significance saying “The first suggestion is that it was a "Venus figure" or "Goddess," used as a symbol of fertility…. The second suggestion is that the figurine may have served as a good luck charm…. A third possible significance put forth is that of the figurine serving as a mother goddess (earth mother or female deity),”(Thenagain par.2). There are so many possible explanations for the statue and its significance, these are just a few. These meanings also play into how the statue was made.
The statue of “The Woman of Willendorf,” was a small statue, made out of limestone. As the rock is not the same color as the color it appears, the people must have painted the statue. People have examined the piece and found red ochre on the statue indicating it could have been covered in this color entirely using a binder. Often at this time, the people would use human blood, milk, or spit as a binder for the earth color they used on statues. The color is not the only thing that makes this statue unique. The head appears to have a texture that was carved into the rock. The people would have used rudimentary stone tools to carve this pattern into the head. They would also use these tools to make the arms and the breasts that can be seen on the statue. Even though the ways of creating art have changed throughout history, some techniques have stayed the same, as can be seen with “The Thing.”
“The Thing”
“The Thing” is a superhero that was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, as a part of the Marvel’s comics “The Fantastic Four.” It was created in November of 1961, a time period where people were starting to fight for others’ rights. In creating the comics of these four superheroes, they were made to be relatable to real humans. According to Travis Langley, a writer that looks at the psychology in comic book characters, “Any icon associated with heroic figures gains the power to inspire fear among those who would do evil and hope among those in need,”(Symbolic Powers Among Marvels). Here the clear significance is that this character and his other friends are a sign to the people there is good in a time of unrest. In the 1960s people were fighting and they wanted something that could make their world seem less evil. The people wanted heros they could relate to and see in their own lives, as a member of “The Fantastic Four,” the Thing does this very well even as a drawing.
This character of the Marvel comics is a two dimensional drawing. It was created on paper using pencil, colored pencils, and erasers. It was created to be in the comic books, so the creators created it in two dimensions but used colors and shading were able to make the character seem to be coming out of the book. They used foreshortening and other techniques to make the character come off the pages, like he is real. “The Thing,” has a clear earth tone color, as he is made out of rocks, but Stan Lee would have used this earth tone color and many others just to make the rocks of the creature seem real. He clearly used different forms of technique just as “The Woman of Willendorf” did, especially in line and shape.
Line, in terms of art, can be seen in two ways. It could be the physical marks created by a tool, or it can be the implied lines that create the direction of the object. In “The Woman of Willendorf '' there are markings created on the head, these are lines as they were made by a tool and create direction. The statue not only has the markings on the head that can create the image of hair or a head dress, there is implied lines. There is a clear line down the center of the statue that creates the idea of symmetry. There are also indents and lines, that were created by carving the statue, that can divide and emphasis the body parts. There are clear lines for the breasts, the pelvic areas, and the knees. This puts an emphasis on these parts as they are more frontal toward the viewer. Similarly, “The Thing,” has many lines that are used to create the image itself. “The Thing” has many lines used to create each individual rock and make the image of the rocks fit together. There are also clear lines in the clothing and facial features, making the body seem more human and real. The lines give emphasis to the few human features left on this superhero and the use of clothing to make him seem more human. There are implied lines as well in this character, as his stance is very different from the statue. There is an implied line down the middle of the image to create symmetry down the top half of the hero. There is another implied line that is used to create the foreshortening. There is an implied line on the right leg that is lifted. The line creates the idea that the body even though balanced, is not in a normal stance. This creates the idea that he is in action and creates direction. These lines help to create the shapes found in each figure.
Shape is a self contained area in specific forms, that are two dimensional.“The Woman of Willendorf,” has a biomorphic organic shape as the figure is made of shapes found in nature. It is the human form that is made of shapes found in nature. In nature there are patterns and specific shapes that are not perfect like many geometric shapes. Similarly, “The Thing” also is a biomorphic organic shape, as the character is made out of stones that come from nature. Each rock is a different imperfect shape. Yet, there are some geometric shapes that can be found in the character’s clothing. “The Thing,” has clear rectangles and circles in his clothing, making the man made clothing seem different from the natural figures in the rocks. Shape often makes up a figure or a piece of art, but other important techniques seen in these two forms of art are color and value.
Color is the six basic hues that are used to create images, and forms of art. There are primary colors and secondary colors. “The Woman of Willendrof” has the primary color of red in it as a base but is mostly earth tone colors. After examining the item, people have found traces of red ochre on the statue, which is a earth tone. Earth tones are colors that can be made from materials found in nature. These colors are easy to make, and were used very early in life, explaining the period of the statue. Color can also relate to the idea of value, as in the intensity of a color. According to Jen Pepper “Value is the lightness or darkness of a color,”(Par.11). On this statue, there appears to be more of a tint of the red ochre color as the color is lighter in some areas. In terms of color, “The Thing” also has earth tone colors but also some primary colors. This hero has the earth colors of the rocks creating it and has tints and tones that make the angles of the rocks easily visible. The clothing found on this character has the primary color of blue and very limited amounts of white. The value of the blue can be seen in many different shades. The belt that has the symbol of the group appears more as a tone of blue, well the pants are a tint of the color blue. Not only does the color and value of the images make the art appealing to the viewer, but also the texture of the items.
Texture can play a key role in art. According to Jen Pepper “Texture is the surface quality of a shape,”(Par. 9). “The Woman of Willendorf” has the texture of a rough rock as it was carved from limestone. It is physical as the item can be held and someone could feel the roughness of the rock and the indents of the carvings on the head. Well the statue has a physical texture, there can be implied texture as “The Thing” has. This character is a drawing that is two dimensional, and cannot be truly felt. Yet, the image implies the idea of the texture of the rocks making up the character. There are areas where the rocks do not fit into a perfect body form creating the texture of the jagged rocks. The pants also create implied texture with the wrinkles that are made in them and the folds of the clothing around the rocks of the character. As this technique of texture is created, there is rhythm created in these small repeated designs.
Rhythm is when a piece of art uses repeated elements. These elements are then used to create movement in the image, (Pepper Par. 19).In this technique, pieces of the art would need to be repeated over and over again to create a pattern or a form of movement. “The Woman of Willendorf,” does not contain large amounts of rhythm, but has some found in the head marks and the body. The marks created on the head, are repeated about six to seven times, creating the idea of rhythm and movement in the hair or head dress. Even though the marks have repeated shapes, there are small differences in each line, such as the width of the space between the lines, the angle of the markings, and how big markings are. Similarly “The Thing” has some rhythm found in its fists and raised leg. The fists have repeated images of rock that all seem similar but appear a little different. This helps to create the idea of a clenched fist and displays the clear anger of the character. In the raised leg, this same technique can be seen in the toes, but there is also rhythm in the color and tones. As the shading on the foot darkens, there is a clear increase of the shading. This causes the character to seem in motion as the shading could only increase with a decrease in light. There is rhythm in the tones, the rocks, and the texture of the pants. Each one of these is repeated to create the movement of the character’s body. Even though the two images have different uses of the technique of rhythm, they both use it to create ideas of their culture.
Throughout humanity’s time on earth, people have been using the same techniques for art in different ways. As time has passed, new ideas are being created, but you can still see the techniques that people in the earliest years used. Art will always have a center, found throughout history, in basic techniques. These techniques make up what art really is and how people all over the world have been using them. Even though pieces of art all differ, in size, shape, purpose, and many more ways, they all can use the basic ideas to create something extraordinary.
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Comparative Analysis #1/2
Art is something that connects us all culturally, whether it’s a statue or an animation art is used to express our innermost feelings. “The Woman of Willendorf” 24,000 BCE, can be compared to “The Thing” by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, both are vastly different though by the elements that created them. Separated by thousands of years they can share a multitude of similarities.
Figure 1. Unknown Artist “Woman of Willendorf”, 24,000 BCE,
Limestone tinted with Red Ochre
Height 11.1 cm
Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna.
The “Woman of Willendorf” is a limestone carving created by prehistoric people from the Upper Paleolithic Era. It was found in Austria near the town of Willendorf, where some of its name comes from, but was moved to Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna for the viewing pleasure of museum-goers (Witcombe 1). The “Woman of Willendorf” was a carving created from oolithic limestone with red ochre painted on it. Some archeologists speculate that the limestone used was not native to Willendorf and that it was imported (Roach 1). This is backed up by the fact that there were several other Willendorf statutes found with the same stone type used as the material (1). The red ochre used upon the statue comes from the earth made from hematite, a reddish oxidized mineral (Geggel 1). I believe the reason the “Woman of Willendorf” is created out of limestone is that it is easier to carve nature, as one of the softer rocks compared to granite or marble it’s easier to shape and smooth. Limestone allows the carvers to make the “Woman of Willendorf” into the shape of a human that they idolized. The red ochre color they used symbolized the menstrual blood which was a life-giving agent (University of Vermont 1). The red was seen as power and life as the blood that came from menstruation signalized a women's ability to give birth to a child, which at the time was revered as a special power due to the lack of science.
The way the face is covered by the repeated bumpy pattern indicates that not one female or deity was glorified by these people, but that it may have been what they saw as the ideal way for a woman to look to give birth to the next generation. The idea of a large, fat woman with large breasts and hips was that of the perfect body. In a time where it was cold and not, much food was abundant, a large body meant you were well fed as well as physically prepared to give birth (Roach 1-2). The large breasts indicate an abundance of life-giving milk for an infant. Wide hips show that a woman is experienced with labor and giving birth. The red color of the ochre also signifies her experience and readiness to birth a child. The large stomach shows that she is well fed and can produce a strong and healthy child and care for it well.
Digital Drawing using RGB colors
Internet
This next art piece, “The Thing” was created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby in November of 1961 (Pepper 1). The illustration in Figure 2 is found on the internet and can be accessed by anyone. However, the comic books he is from can be bought from several bookstores across the world and in different languages. The character consists of a rock-like substance, which was created by the mutation of his DNA by cosmic rays from outer space (Sanderson 1). From an art point-of-view, the rocks could symbolize power and strength as well as natural, since the powers came from space. The warm orange color signifying the difference between where the powers came from differing from the natural green of Earth. Although the orange can also be seen as a limestone or sandstone rock, those rocks can be orange or similar to that color. The blue of the spandex shorts is a cool color in contrast to his orange rocks helps balance out his design while also showing his team allegiance. The color also signifies the futuristic nature of their team or the scientific part of the difference between the Fantastic Four and the normal people of Earth.
The Thing is a creation of the imagination of Stan Lee, the illustration of the character by Jack Kirby. Stan Lee wanted a character that was an average everyday person who changed into something completely different from social normality (Comic Vine 2-3). The Thing soon evolved through the comics and years of storytelling to have a rocky exterior due to the looks of his bumpy hide and rock-like look. Even with the changes, The Thing was mean to be scary and shockingly different even though his normal life said otherwise, even ending with his wife leaving him due to his looks (3). However, he found love in someone else who showed him that his looks did not matter, and love was love (3). This is what I believe Stan Lee was trying to communicate to us through his comics, that we should not judge someone by their looks and judge them by their character and deeds.
The “Woman of Willendorf” has examples of line and shape within it. Line is defined by the flow and outline of the piece. In its form, the “Woman of Willendorf” is a vertical based figure having symmetry down this invisible vertical line. This makes it easy for the viewer to look up and down it, taking in all its beauty and form. The outline of the figure is also curvy, but unlike the hourglass shape that society deems the perfect form for a woman. The shape along with the outline makes the “Woman of Willendorf” very beautiful in the eyes of those who made her because a plump and well-fed body would better take care of their offspring and the next generation. The roundness of the belly and enlargement of the breast show off this perfect human form.
The second piece “The Thing” shows line and shape in its way. The biomorphic shapes that make up the rocky texture contrast the smoother texture of the spandex he wears. The closer they seem to the viewer the larger the shape contrasting the smaller shapes up towards his head, which is perceived as farther away. The atmospheric perspective which gives this look is also due to the line and flow of the character. His arms raising and his legs stretched forward in a jumping action readying himself to land on the ground with his torso behind his limbs. By this motion and perspective, we can tell that the illustrator meant for the right foot to be the closest thing to us while his arms and body are in the background. This fools our eye in to believe motion and that the character is moving on a two-dimensional field.
Color and Value is another way we can describe the art of “The Woman of Willendorf” The red color that was once painted on the statue was that of red ochre. The red ochre was most likely painted on with the bodily fluids of the human who made it. The color was to signify the menstruation that females went through when they were old enough to produce young. This was an important time back then as children were the lifeblood of the groups and served as a future for their people. The value on “The Woman of Willendorf” is from the shadows cast upon it when a light is shone on the figure. Natural value giving it shadows and highlights like it would on a human’s skin. The shadow also gives the body a blue hint that also mimics the color of human skin.
Color and value are also very important for “The Thing”. The drawing in Figure 2 consists of both warm and cool colors to give contrast to the eye and have the character be recognized easily. The colors used in figure 2 are a representation of rock colors like limestone and sandy desert rocks, but also give off an unearthly tone. When one thinks of the colors of Earth green and blue come to mind, while the unnatural color of a warm bright orange is used on “The Thing”. This is important to his design because he is meant to be unearthly and different from people. The value given to his orange color, however gives a semi Earth texture to it, fooling the eye into thinking it is a real rock texture. While his skin is an unnatural color his pants show his natural Earthly side and that he is still part of human society. The cold blue is used both as a futuristic meta-human look, as well as a way to show society he is still a human inside. The value of it gives the illusion of a shiny spandex material as much sportswear looks like.
Texture is the next element used in both these pieces. The “Woman of Willendorf” greatly represents this due to the rough nature of the rock the piece was made from. The limestone she is carved from is acidic and will react to acid rain and start to weather away at an exponential rate, so the texture we see and feel from her body is due to the weathering she endured. However, the acid rain did not affect the carving as much due to it being sheltered by rain and soon dirt from the earth. The figure also has a textured bumpy pattern on her head which encircles it. This texture is repeated and round in shape of the individual shapes, which has a bumpy feel to the figures head. There is also texture where her arm and belly button are placed. Her arms creating a raised area on her breasts and her belly button carved into her stomach.
Similar to figure 1, “The Thing” also has texture, but it is an implied texture. The rock-like texture that is drawn all over “The Thing’s” body to give both a semi anatomical look as well as a rocky texture to it. The shapes created by the rocks together make shapes of muscles humans have on their bodies, for example, pectoral muscles, arms, and legs. However, the area where his blue spandex is on is a lot smoother than expected giving a human-like skin smoothness to it. This makes it an unrealistic texture when thinking about the repeated pattern of the rocks that make up the body. The folds that are created in the creases of the hips are also unrealistic in comparison to his skin but make sense on a human with no rocks for the skin.
Rhythm is found in both pieces within the texture of the rocks. The “Woman of Willendorf” has a rhythmic texture on her the area where her head is found. This bumpy texture is repeated along her entire skull and acts like a hat or perhaps a type of hair upon the figure. It is unsure whether this rhythm is an item on her head or hair, but the pattern is consistent around her head.
Figure 2 also has rhythm on its’ piece. This implied rhythm is that of the rocks that are drawn all over his body. The biomorphic shapes drawn are not similar but have a pattern like human anatomy. The kneecap is drawn as a rock but in the shape of what a kneecap would look like in the human bone structure. There is also rhythm in his toes as the rectangular pieces jut out from the foot in unison. This pattern is similar to his hand digits.
In conclusion, whether a piece of art was created in 24,000 BCE or 1961 art pieces share similar elements and forms in their creation. The “Woman of Willendorf” and “The Thing” are both pieces seen as a rock figure, but only one is truly made out of rock while the other is illustrated to be made out of such material.
Work Cited
Work Cited
Comic Vine, “Thing”, Comic Vine, October 27, 2019, https://comicvine.gamespot.com/thing/4005-2114/.
Geggel Laura, “Ochre: The World’s First Red Paint”, Live Science, November 20,
Kuiper Kathleen, “Venus of Willendorf”, Encyclopedia Britannica, December 20,
Pepper Jen, “Comparative Research”, BlogSpot, February 13,
Roach Alex, “Venus of Willendorf”, Great Discoveries In Archeology, March 28,
Sanderson Peter, “Fantastic Four”, Encyclopedia Britannica, November 11,
University of Vermont, “The Statue of Willendorf”, The University of Vermont, March 3,
Witcombe Christopher L.C.E., “”Venus” of Willendorf”, School of Art 2018, https://www.asu.edu/cfa/wwwcourses/art/SOACore/Willendorf_portfolio.htm.
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Figure 1; Unknown “The Woman of Willendorf”, c. 28,000 BCE – 25,000 BCE
Carved out oolithic limestone and tinted with red ochre
11.1 cm (4 3/8 inches) high
“The Woman of Willendorf” originally known as “Venus of Willendorf”, was discovered by an archaeologist named, Josef Szombathy in 1908 in Willendorf, Austria. Being made between the years of 30,000 BCE – 25,000 BCE this makes the statue the oldest works of art within the world. The creator used a type of limestone and carved it into this figure as it is tinted with red ochre. Unfortunately, we do not know who originally crafted this figurine but we know that it has a significant meaning, especially during that time period as it represents the possible idealization of a female body, with big breast, a big stomach, and large hips, with the exaggerated body proportions, many researchers that believe this figurine is related to Venus figurines which are ritual purpose objects that is linked to femininity, goddesses and eroticism. (Mymodernmet.com para 2) In this figurine the faceless woman has coiled braids on her head which some scientists say that it gives a representation of the female’s menstrual cycle or ovulation (Wikipedia.org para 2) Additionally with this figure “obese” body it gives the off the image of a Venus which is a term from Ancient Rome, meaning love and beauty. (Pepper lecture) we may see this as a way or form of self-love or a belief of beauty standards which was different during that time period compared to today in time.
Figure 2; Stan Lee & Jack Kirby “Thing”, 1961
Comic book drawing
7’5 in height, 1650 lbs.
“The Thing” may not have been carved into a figurine but it is a well-known Marvel comic book character, created by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby. The character made his first appearance in “The Fantastic Four” Volume One on November 1961. (Wikipedia.org) Being known as the big and rock like mutant superhero he has a similar body type and form like “The Woman of Willendorf” representing strength and power although throughout many comic books, tv shows and films he dealt with a lot of self-hatred because he doesn’t look human but later on he finally accepts himself (Marvel.com) which is another form of self-love that “The Woman of Willendorf” also tried to portray and so has other Venus figurines.
Line is an element of design that is used to define shape, contours and outlines as well to suggest mass and volume. (incredibleart.org para 1) A line is used in art to portray or signify an artist work, it is made to function in both visual and verbal ways. It can act as a symbolic language, or it can communicate emotion through its character and direction (cornell.edu para 2)
In both “The Woman of Willendorf” and “The Thing” they use the line element in a certain way that gives off both pieces a stronger and significant look. In “The Woman of Willendorf” the carver gave her a curved-out body with its breast and large hips which stands out in a way that it helps make up for the lack of certain details like the face and as she represents the idealization of a voluptuous female that many people praised over like the other Venus figurines, each of them had a curved point on their body which made the figurine stand out. Whilst on “The Thing” there is as well of curves and bumps on his body to give details and texture that he is a strong and buff character that is also a rock like mutant so without the contouring and curves on his body we wouldn’t be able to see that on the character and get emotion from the character as well.
Hue, value, and saturation is one of the many characteristics that what gives color it’s meaning as an element of design. Hue is the term for the pure spectrum colors commonly referred to by the "color names" (cornell.edu) Red, Blue and Yellow are known as the primary colors but once you mix two primary colors and they create, Green, Orange and Violet which are called secondary colors. These hues are featured on a basic color wheel. Value is defined as the relative lightness or darkness of a color. It is an important tool for the designer/artist, in the way that it defines form and creates spatial illusions. (cornell.edu)
Color is quite similar between the two pieces as they have a very monochrome color scheme. As “The Woman of Willendorf” has natural brown, and a tint of red, while the “Thing” also has natural brown, black, possibly orange or yellow and blue in his shorts but besides that they share the same color of a limestone or warm brown, natural type color. In the “Thing” Kirby uses black to outline and shade in the color of the character to give it texture and details to show that he is a rock mutant while “The Woman of Willendorf” is already a limestone so it didn’t need extra color or value to give it details just carver had to carve in the details themselves. Then the orange and yellow was used to bring out the “Thing” to portray a certain type of rock and finally the blue is to show what team he is part of which is the Fantastic Four. So, using colors and value can help bring out certain details especially if you need it.
Texture is the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physically tactile as well as visually interpreted as having a certain feel. (Pepper, Elements and Principles of Design) Texture can also be portrayed in an image, suggested to the eye which can refer to our memories of surfaces we have touched. So, a texture can be imaginary. (cornell.edu)
Texture was used in both the pieces of art as in “The Women of Willendorf” there is an actual bumpy and rough surface on top of her head which is a coiled braided piece that was carved on the head while the rest of her body is smooth, which possibly gives a portrayal of a female being smooth and soft while the head or face is not really mattered to look at or its for the person imagine to think of someone face on the figurine. While on the “Thing” even though you can’t feel actual texture, you can see how the artist implied texture how Kirby drew and colored the character help give imagery of the “Thing” having a rough feeling type texture by shading and outlining certain parts of his body to give it a bumpy look.
Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly (repetition) to create a feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is essential. (Pepper, Elements and principle of design) The presence of rhythm creates predictability and order in a composition. (cornell.edu)
Rhythm is used in both pieces of art in a way to let our eyes follow the pattern and flow of each piece. As for “The Woman of Willendorf” even though her body is smooth there are still curves that our eyes follow around which are her breast, stomach and hips as well her legs and arms then the bumps on her head somewhat creates a rhythm like a circular rhythm. While on the “Thing” there is a sort of pattern within his skin as it scales from big to small which gives a texturized look on him so your eyes follow where each piece of drawn square and circle on his body is going to or how big it is.
Even though over ten-thousand years separate the creation of “The Woman of Willendorf” and the “Thing” and there are couple differences between two but, there are many similarities between them. These pieces continue to amaze and inspire viewers while also sparking a sense of curiosity as to what their real purpose is. Even though the world and art changes as years go by, the basic elements of design will remain the same in any type of art.
Works Cited
“Venus of Willendorf” – Wikipedia
Pepper, Jen “Elements and Principles of Design” SP2020CAZFA111.ArtHistory. Caz, 22 Jan 2020
Kuiper, Kathleen “Venus of Willendorf”
Richman-Abdou, Kelly “How This 30,000-Year-Old Figurine Continues to Captivate Today” 06 Oct 2019
Hassim, Laim “Prehistoric Art- Venus of Willendorf Analysis” 16 Feb 2014
“Thing (comics)” – Wikipedia
The Thing – Marvel
“Introduction to the Elements of Design”
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Art has been one of the few ideas in development since before written history, it’s used in many different ways by many different cultures. From cave paintings to sculpture, to tattoos, pieces from history and pieces from the present can have many similarities but also differences. Marvel’s The Thing from the Fantastic Four movies, and The Woman of WIllendorf between 28,000-25,000 BCE (Pepper), have many things in common, as well as many things that differentiate one from the other. Throughout this essay, these similarities and differences will be explained from an artistic standpoint.
The Thing
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
("Thing (Character) - Comic Vine")
The Woman of Willendorf
Created in the Upper Paleolithic
Statue carved out of oolitic limestone and tinted with red ochre pigment (Kuiper)
28,000-25,000BCE
As shown above, these two pieces have a similar style to them, however, they are very different. The Woman of Willendorf was created in the Upper Paleolithic Era between 28,000 and 25,000BCE. She was discovered in 1908 near Willendorf, Austria by Josef Szombathy (Pepper). She is significant to the culture because she shows that artists from that period were trying to show detail in the human body, more specifically the female body. She also shows that those from the Upper Paleolithic era were making art and that they were experimenting with their creativity. However, The Thing from Marvel’s The Fantastic Four is a comic book/superhero movie character that first appeared in 1961. He was developed in the United States by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Lewis). He is significant to the culture because we live in a culture that praises and idolizes superheroes that look like everyday people in a fun costume, and The Thing is one of the few who not only has superpowers but also looks different and is just as respected and idolized as a superhero such as Iron Man or Wonder Woman.
The Thing was created for Marvel’s The Fantastic Four. Although one can assume for the comic books he was a digital drawing, it’d also be safe to assume he went through a lot of development with hand sketching and drawing. For the movies, however, The Thing is most likely done digitally with the actor and green screen suit with the details of The Thing added in post. As shown above with the cartoon version of The Thing, there is a lot of detail that goes into The Thing’s design. The creators of him used many values of the orange of the rocks to create depth and highlights. They also used many values of the blue used for The Thing’s shorts to create details in the folds and creases. The Woman of Willendorf is a monotone statue colored with red ochre, she has a very similar color to The Thing, but she shows depth and detail because she's a physical statue and her creases and indents are carved there. She was made as a totem of good luck and fertility. She is a sculpture so she was carved, and she was carved out of oolitic limestone and she was then tinted with a red ocher (Kuiper).
The Woman of Willendorf has a very strong vertical line. This is because she is a sculpture that is a clear representation of a human being, or something similar to a human. She is in a standing position and that's what gives her that strong vertical line. She shows bilateral vertical symmetry, this means that if she were cut down the vertical axis, she would be nearly the same on either half. She shows mass and volume because she is a sculpture in the round, so it is easy to comprehend her shape and space. The Thing is asymmetrical, and this is because he appears in motion, so no matter which axis you theoretically cut him across, the sides will not match. The Woman of Willendorf stands at about 4.75 inches tall (Pepper), so she is quite small in comparison to The Thing who stands at 6 foot, and weighs approximately 500 pounds ("Thing"). The Thing is two dimensional and he has an asymmetrical shape, so he doesn’t express the same mass and volume that The Woman of Willendorf does.
The Woman of Willendorf has a very natural, monochromatic look about her. She has the color of the stone as well as a red ocher tint to her. The Thing, although he has a similar rock color to him, is very different. The Thing, being a digital figure has many values of the same color, as mentioned previously, the darker values help create depth and the lighter values help create highlights. The Thing is also polychromatic, and this is shown by the complementing colors, the blue of his shorts and the orange of his body.This is also shown by the mixing of colors to get the values of orange and blue.
Texture is one of the elements of design that can be actual or implied. The Thing because he isn’t real has implied texture. He is a cartoon so his texture cannot actually be felt, but with the help of the values used to create depth and highlights we can see what he looks like and infer what he would feel like if he were real. The Woman of Willendorf has actual texture. This is because she is a physical sculpture in the round, so if she was touched, there would be an actual texture of whatever was carved into that spot or the texture of the stone she was created out of. Texture operates very well through both pieces because even with the implied texture of The Thing, we can still understand what The Thing would feel like. Texture works well in The Woman of Willendorf because we know what she would feel like through the images because she has actual texture.
The Woman of Willendorf shows rhythm on her head with what could be assumed to be her hair or a headdress. It shows a repetitive pattern all the way around the head until it reaches the neck. This shows rhythm because it flows very well and it creates a sense of movement. The Thing has implied rhythm throughout his entire being. This is shown by the cracks in the rock that his body is made from, as well as the folds in his pants. These things keep the movement flowing nicely throughout the piece. The movement also flows because he is foreshortened. This means that in reference to the cartoon image above, his foot is brought forward and enlarged to give a sense of it jumping out at us and makes us feel as though he’s coming off the page or screen. It's essentially a trick to make a two dimensional creation look three dimensional.
To wrap up, The Thing and The Woman of Willendorf have many similarities such as their color and the general idea of being a person made of stone, but they also have many differences, such as why and when they were created. But nevertheless, both are pieces of art that have impacted our culture and knowledge of art. The Woman of Willendorf showed that even in the Upper Paleolithic Era, there were people traveling because the material she's made from doesnt come from the area she was found in. The Thing brought us a new superhero that didn’t just look like a human in a fun costume. Art has developed so much over the many years it's been practiced, and it keeps developing more and more every day.
Works Cited
Flare, Wallpaper, and The wallpaper. "The Thing Of Fantastic Four HD Wallpaper |
Wallpaper Flare". Wallpaperflare.Com,https://www.wallpaperflare.com/the-thing-
Kuiper, Kathleen. "Venus Of Willendorf | Characteristics, Image, & Facts". Encyclopedia
Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Venus-of-Willendorf.
Lewis, Gareth. "Ben Grimm - Ultimate Marvel Comics - Thing - Character Profile #1".
Writeups.Org, 2015, https://www.writeups.org/thing-ultimate-marvel-comics/.
Mencher, Kenney. "Why Is The “Venus Of Willendorf,”So Important.".
Kenneymencher.Com, 2016, http://www.kenneymencher.com/2016/09/why-is
Pepper, Jen. "Comparative Research Paper #1/2 Analysis".
Sp2020cazfa111.Blogspot.Com, 2020, https://sp2020cazfa111.blogspot.com/
"Thing". Marveldirectory.Com, 2013,http://www.marveldirectory.com
"Thing (Character) - Comic Vine". Comic Vine, 2020, https://comicvine.gamespot.com
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Figure 1. Unknown Artist “Woman of Willendorf”, 24,000 BCE,
Limestone tinted with Red Ochre
Height 11.1 cm
Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna.
The “Woman of Willendorf” is a limestone carving created by prehistoric people from the Upper Paleolithic Era. It was found in Austria near the town of Willendorf, where some of its name comes from, but was moved to Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna for the viewing pleasure of museum-goers (Witcombe 1). The “Woman of Willendorf” was a carving created from oolithic limestone with red ochre painted on it. Some archeologists speculate that the limestone used was not native to Willendorf and that it was imported (Roach 1). This is backed up by the fact that there were several other Willendorf statutes found with the same stone type used as the material (1). The red ochre used upon the statue comes from the earth made from hematite, a reddish oxidized mineral (Geggel 1). I believe the reason the “Woman of Willendorf” is created out of limestone is that its easier to carve nature, as one of the softer rocks compared to granite or marble it’s easier to shape and smooth. Limestone allows the carvers to make the “Woman of Willendorf” into the shape of a human that they idolized. The red ochre color they used symbolized the menstrual blood which was a life-giving agent (University of Vermont 1). The red was seen as power and life as the blood that came from menstruation signalized a women's ability to give birth to a child, which at the time was revered as a special power due to the lack of science.
The way the face is covered by the repeated bumpy pattern indicates that not one female or deity was glorified by these people, but that it may have been what they saw as the ideal way for a woman to look to give birth to the next generation. The idea of a large, fat woman with large breasts and hips was that of the perfect body. In a time where it was cold and not, much food was abundant, a large body meant you were well fed as well as physically prepared to give birth (Roach 1-2). The large breasts indicate an abundance of life-giving milk for an infant. Wide hips show that a woman is experienced with labor and giving birth. The red color of the ochre also signifies her experience and readiness to birth a child. The large stomach shows that she is well fed and can produce a strong and healthy child and care for it well.
Figure 2. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby “The Thing”, 1961
Digital Drawing using RGB colors
Internet
This next art piece, “The Thing” was created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby in November of 1961 (Pepper 1). The illustration in Figure 2 is found on the internet and can be accessed by anyone. However, the comic books he is from can be bought from several bookstores across the world and in different languages. The character consists of a rock-like substance, which was created by the mutation of his DNA by cosmic rays from outer space (Sanderson 1). From an art point-of-view, the rocks could symbolize power and strength as well as natural, since the powers came from space. The warm orange color signifying the difference between where the powers came from differing from the natural green of Earth. Although the orange can also be seen as a limestone or sandstone rock, those rocks can be orange or similar to that color. The blue of the spandex shorts is a cool color in contrast to his orange rocks helps balance out his design while also showing his team allegiance. The color also signifies the futuristic nature of their team or the scientific part of the difference between the Fantastic Four and the normal people of Earth.
The Thing is a creation of the imagination of Stan Lee, the illustration of the character by Jack Kirby. Stan Lee wanted a character that was an average everyday person who changed into something completely different from social normality (Comic Vine 2-3). The Thing soon evolved through the comics and years of storytelling to have a rocky exterior due to the looks of his bumpy hide and rock-like look. Even with the changes, The Thing was mean to be scary and shockingly different even though his normal life said otherwise, even ending with his wife leaving him due to his looks (3). However, he found love in someone else who showed him that his looks did not matter, and love was love (3). This is what I believe Stan Lee was trying to communicate to us through his comics, that we should not judge someone by their looks and judge them by their character and deeds.
The “Woman of Willendorf” has examples of line and shape within it. Line is defined by the flow and outline of the piece. In its form, the “Woman of Willendorf” is a vertical based figure having symmetry down this invisible vertical line. This makes it easy for the viewer to look up and down it, taking in all its beauty and form. The outline of the figure is also curvy, but unlike the hourglass shape that society deems the perfect form for a woman. The shape along with the outline makes the “Woman of Willendorf” very beautiful in the eyes of those who made her because a plump and well-fed body would better take care of their offspring and the next generation. The roundness of the belly and enlargement of the breast show off this perfect human form.
The second piece “The Thing” shows line and shape in its way. The biomorphic shapes that make up the rocky texture contrast the smoother texture of the spandex he wears. The closer they seem to the viewer the larger the shape contrasting the smaller shapes up towards his head, which is perceived as farther away. The atmospheric perspective which gives this look is also due to the line and flow of the character. His arms raising and his legs stretched forward in a jumping action readying himself to land on the ground with his torso behind his limbs. By this motion and perspective, we can tell that the illustrator meant for the right foot to be the closest thing to us while his arms and body are in the background. This fools our eye in to believe motion and that the character is moving on a two-dimensional field.
Color and Value is another way we can describe the art of “The Woman of Willendorf” The red color that was once painted on the statue was that of red ochre. The red ochre was most likely painted on with the bodily fluids of the human who made it. The color was to signify the menstruation that females went through when they were old enough to produce young. This was an important time back then as children were the lifeblood of the groups and served as a future for their people. The value on “The Woman of Willendorf” is from the shadows cast upon it when a light is shone on the figure. Natural value giving it shadows and highlights like it would on a human’s skin. The shadow also gives the body a blue hint that also mimics the color of human skin.
Color and value are also very important for “The Thing”. The drawing in Figure 2 consists of both warm and cool colors to give contrast to the eye and have the character be recognized easily. The colors used in figure 2 are a representation of rock colors like limestone and sandy desert rocks, but also give off an unearthly tone. When one thinks of the colors of Earth green and blue come to mind, while the unnatural color of a warm bright orange is used on “The Thing”. This is important to his design because he is meant to be unearthly and different from people. The value given to his orange color, however gives a semi Earth texture to it, fooling the eye into thinking it is a real rock texture. While his skin is an unnatural color his pants show his natural Earthly side and that he is still part of human society. The cold blue is used both as a futuristic meta-human look, as well as a way to show society he is still a human inside. The value of it gives the illusion of a shiny spandex material as much sportswear looks like.
Texture is the next element used in both these pieces. The “Woman of Willendorf” greatly represents this due to the rough nature of the rock the piece was made from. The limestone she is carved from is acidic and will react to acid rain and start to weather away at an exponential rate, so the texture we see and feel from her body is due to the weathering she endured. However, the acid rain did not affect the carving as much due to it being sheltered by rain and soon dirt from the earth. The figure also has a textured bumpy pattern on her head which encircles it. This texture is repeated and round in shape of the individual shapes, which has a bumpy feel to the figures head. There is also texture where her arm and belly button are placed. Her arms creating a raised area on her breasts and her belly button carved into her stomach.
Similar to figure 1, “The Thing” also has texture, but it is an implied texture. The rock-like texture that is drawn all over “The Thing’s” body to give both a semi anatomical look as well as a rocky texture to it. The shapes created by the rocks together make shapes of muscles humans have on their bodies, for example, pectoral muscles, arms, and legs. However, the area where his blue spandex is on is a lot smoother than expected giving a human-like skin smoothness to it. This makes it an unrealistic texture when thinking about the repeated pattern of the rocks that make up the body. The folds that are created in the creases of the hips are also unrealistic in comparison to his skin but make sense on a human with no rocks for the skin.
Rhythm is found in both pieces within the texture of the rocks. The “Woman of Willendorf” has a rhythmic texture on her the area where her head is found. This bumpy texture is repeated along her entire skull and acts like a hat or perhaps a type of hair upon the figure. It is unsure whether this rhythm is an item on her head or hair, but the pattern is consistent around her head.
Figure 2 also has rhythm on its’ piece. This implied rhythm is that of the rocks that are drawn all over his body. The biomorphic shapes drawn are not similar but have a pattern like human anatomy. The kneecap is drawn as a rock but in the shape of what a kneecap would look like in the human bone structure. There is also rhythm in his toes as the rectangular pieces jut out from the foot in unison. This pattern is similar to his hand digits.
In conclusion, whether a piece of art was created in 24,000 BCE or 1961 art pieces share similar elements and forms in their creation. The “Woman of Willendorf” and “The Thing” are both pieces seen as a rock figure, but only one is truly made out of rock while the other is illustrated to be made out of such material. Work Cited
Comic Vine, “Thing”, Comic Vine, October 27, 2019, https://comicvine.gamespot.com/thing/4005-2114/.
Geggel Laura, “Ochre: The World’s First Red Paint”, Live Science, November 20,
Kuiper Kathleen, “Venus of Willendorf”, Encyclopedia Britannica, December 20,
Pepper Jen, “Comparative Research”, BlogSpot, February 13,
Roach Alex, “Venus of Willendorf”, Great Discoveries In Archeology, March 28,
Sanderson Peter, “Fantastic Four”, Encyclopedia Britannica, November 11,
University of Vermont, “The Statue of Willendorf”, The University of Vermont, March 3,
Witcombe Christopher L.C.E., “”Venus” of Willendorf”, School of Art,