A Change In Concentration

The cultural differences between the Paleolithic and Egyptian cultures are evident in the two sculptures. While the Venus of Willendorf is an expression of abundance and sex, the Lady Sennuwy is an expression of elegance, restraint and control over the elements. The Venus of Willendorf’s lack of straight lines and corpulent body is an expression of unbridled hedonistic consumption in a time of famine. Lady Sennuwy is the antithesis of the Venus of Willendorf; it is an expression of control, elegance and restraint during a time of relative abundance.

Lady Sennuwy is an almost perfect demonstration of that linearity. The straightness of her posture and lack of definition in her hair gives the impression of the body being a continuation of the stone. Even the unavoidable curves of the human body are controlled and symmetrical. Her breasts are perfectly round and upright, without a single defect, in contrast to the enormous sagging breasts of the Venus of Willendorf. Lady Sennuwy’s vertical posture and folded hands emphasize her timeless serenity. She is an expression of control, control over emotions, control over the physical, control even over nature. She is the converse of the Venus of Willendorf whose obese and sagging body is expressive of unbridled consumption. While one gives in to nature the other strives to control it and reach a higher state of civilization. This higher state is the ability to conform nature rather than allow it to conform you. An example of which would be the pyramids, structures that rival the mountains of nature yet are unnatural in their geometric perfection. While the people who had created the Venus of Willendorf gave in to nature, Ancient Egyptians strove to control nature and create their own parameters for existence. The Egyptians were the first true examples of the suppression of human instinct, the minimalistic approach to nature. This attitude is evident in the sculpture of Lady Sennuwy whose body is proportionate and slim. She represents neither excess nor it’s antonym but instead demonstrates perfect moderation. She is neither opulently clothed nor naked; she is neither fat nor thin but is instead a compromise. This moderation distinctively separates her from nature, which has a tendency towards the extreme. While the Venus of Willendorf represents nature in its excess Lady Sennuwy represents the growing theme of moderation and suppression of nature in the modern world.

The stylistic differences between the Venus of Willendorf and Lady Sennuwy give insight in to the stark differences in the each creator’s culture. The attention to detail and the outward perfection of the Egyptian sculpture expresses the value of external beauty in Egyptian culture. The Egyptians according to Paglia where the first real creators of elegance or “cultivated abstraction” and this is what Lady Sennuwy represents. The complete opposite is the case with the Paleolithic. The lack of symmetry or attention to aesthetics in the Paleolithic sculpture hint at its importance being beyond just its physical appearance. While the Egyptian sculpture is intended to be an expression of power, beauty and serenity the Venus of Willendorf is an expression of nature in all its unbridled mass. The Venus of Willendor’s facelessness and lack of identity make her uncontrollable, just as nature is uncontrollable. This uncontrollability represents the cultural heritage imbedded in this Paleolithic sculpture. The nomadic hunter-gatherers lived one day to the next in constant fear of Mother Nature taking away what little they had to survive on. Mother Nature represented abundance, abundance that man had yet to control and thus had no choice but to give himself in to the natural forces of the earth. The Egyptian sculpture is a celebration of man’s control over nature. It’s size, the hours it took to make and its perfection tells the story of a society that values appearance, wealth and power. The clean lines hint at a society that puts a lot of value on outward appearance and cleanliness. The simple lines and shapes reflect Ancient Egypt’s strict hierarchical society. The lack of variance in style further emphasizes the strict guidelines that existed in Egyptian society. Egyptian society was based on ideas and a lifestyle of man’s own creation. Their lives were defined by their interaction with other men rather than the environment. This was significant change from the humans who lived during the Paleolithic era and who’s life was based on nature rather than their interactions with other humans. Lady Sennuwy is not representative of the “too muchness of nature” instead it is representative of the “too muchness of man.” Man’s hubris. Man’s yearning for control over his environment and independence from the power of Mother Nature.

The artistic development from the Paleolithic to the Egyptian era represents a major change in humanities focus, going from the internal to the external. During the Paleolithic era humanity tried to connect with nature as it was the great provider for them. They tried to connect with their nature and their art represents their attempts to analyze the nature around them. In contrast, the ancient Egyptians began to focus more on themselves and their interaction with others, concentrating instead on the domination of nature and the creation of their own identity rather than have their identity defined by the nature around them.