Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Prehistoric Sculpture

Sculpture is one of the oldest forms of art – prehistoric people even carved sculptures before they painted. But only a few objects remain to display what sculpture was really like thousands of years ago. From surviving prehistoric pieces, we can determine that sculptures were not originally made to be visually appealing; they were instead used to provide spiritual support.
Sculptural work from the Paleolithic period consisted mainly of figurines, beads and decorative objects constructed with stone, bone, ivory, clay, and wood. Most sculptures from this period were found in caves, as they were commonly the locations for ritual gatherings. The caves also helped to protect these items over time.


The oldest known prehistoric piece of sculpture art is the Venus of Berekhat Ram, found on the Golan Heights, which dates back to the Acheulean culture. Made of volcanic rock, the sculpture is intensely primitive in style. The sculpture is one of many Venus figurines found in Europe, dating from the Upper Paleolithic period. They were quite small, only measuring between 4 and 25 centimeters, an ideal of beauty from that time. They were oval shapes, lacking hands and feet, with large bellies, breasts and wide-set thighs. Although initially thought to be symbolic of fertility, the true significance of the Venus figures remains obscure, similar to a vast amount of other prehistoric art.

Selecting the Right Sculpture for Your Home

Selecting art for your home can be challenging. After selecting the pieces that appeal to you most, you’ll need to consider how they will fit with the rest of your home’s interior design, and how to exhibit it in the best way possible.

Make sure to keep size in mind when selecting a sculpture – A sculpture that is too large may overwhelm the area, and if too small, could go unnoticed. Find an appropriate space for the sculpture, and determine the size sculpture that would fit best. Make sure it will not reside too close to another piece of art to avoid overcrowding.

Keep color in mind when selecting your art, too. If you’re in a room with brown walls, a bronze sculpture may not go as noticed as it would in a white-walled room.

If you feel none of the rooms in your home are suiting your new piece of art, try making some changes. Something as simple as removing some decorative wallpaper or rearranging furniture could be all you need to accommodate your sculpture. It could take some work, but the effort will be well worth enjoying your new piece of art.


Jean Jacques Porret is a proud artist known for his breathtaking metal sculptures, and is honored when you consider his work to be part of your home or office. To learn more, contact J. J. Porret today.