Lady of Brassempouy: One of the earliest known realistic representations of a human face & one of the most beautiful works of Ice Age
The Venus of Brassempouy (French: la Dame de Brassempouy, meaning "Lady of Brassempouy") is a ivory figurine from the Upper Palaeolithic. It was discovered in Brassempouy, France. About 25,000 years old, it is one of the earliest known realistic representations of a human face and hairstyle and one of the most beautiful works of Ice Age art.
Made from the core of ivory from a mammoth tusk it is an accomplished piece of sculpture. Scraped and polished in outline, the eyebrows, nose and chin are carved in relief and the pupils in the eyes are marked by little holes. The hairstyle has been created by incised horizontal and vertical lines which form a pattern of squares. This is perhaps indicative of braiding although when the figure was first discovered it was thought to be a decorative hood giving rise to the title 'Dame à la capuche'. The head is sometimes shown on a body reconstructed from a number of broken fragments but actually appears to be a complete work.
Gravettian about 25,000 years old. Grotte du Pape, Brassempouy, Landes, France.
Made from the core of ivory from a mammoth tusk it is an accomplished piece of sculpture. Scraped and polished in outline, the eyebrows, nose and chin are carved in relief and the pupils in the eyes are marked by little holes. The hairstyle has been created by incised horizontal and vertical lines which form a pattern of squares. This is perhaps indicative of braiding although when the figure was first discovered it was thought to be a decorative hood giving rise to the title 'Dame à la capuche'. The head is sometimes shown on a body reconstructed from a number of broken fragments but actually appears to be a complete work.
Gravettian about 25,000 years old. Grotte du Pape, Brassempouy, Landes, France.
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