What a Relief!

During the Prehistoric era, art took various different forms; whether it be paintings on cave walls or sculptures built up from the ground. One type of form that has been seen over and over is the relief sculpture. Relief comes from the Latin word relevo, meaning to raise, and it is created by modeling wet or damp clay from the floor of a cave into whatever the creator decides to depict (Encyclopedia Britannica).

In the caves of Le Tuc d’Audoubert, France, two bison were molded from unbaked clay

http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/clottes/images/bison-tuc4.jpg

into the earth in a relief type sculpture. Bison are often depicted in art during this time period and this relief sculpture is no exception; they were created in such a way that they look like they are moving together against the ridge of the rock, possibly moving away from hunters and gatherers. The bison were given great detail in an effort to make them appear more lifelike, especially in their hide, shown with the lines carved near their heads and along their necks (Stokstad, 26).  Furthermore, the floor of the cave surrounding the bison looks worn and trampled upon; either a depiction of a herd of bison moving through the cave or that actual people were surrounding this relief sculpture. If that were the case, the bison were likely to be greatly revered and visited by many people during the prehistoric era for possibly religious or ceremonial purposes.

http://donsmaps.com/images18/lausselIMG_0058.jpg

On the other hand, relief sculptures do not have to all be created in such a way that they are permanently attached to the cave floor like it is in Le Tuc d’Audoubert, France. Smaller scale relief sculptures that are detached from its original cave or earth, such as the Venus of Laussel, carry the same impact artistically and can also reveal aspects of the culture the people shared at this time. While the bison at Le Tuc d’Audoubert illustrate how that animal posed to be extremely significant and revered during the Prehistoric Era, the Venus of Laussel depicts a culture dependent on fertility and womanhood. The woman carved into the limestone has no clear facial features; the emphasis on this sculpture is on her enlarged breasts, stomach and hips. The arm placed over her stomach is an example of how giving birth and fertility in general is important to this culture.

Just as how the bison were key aspects to the caves in Le Tuc d’Audoubert, France, their significance carries onto the Venus of Laussel. The woman is holding a bison horn in her hand, again reiterating the importance of this animal during the Prehistoric Era. Moreover, in both of the relief sculptures, aspects of the culture during that time can be revealed through the images the creators wished to depict; the importance of bison and female fertility.

“relief”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 19 May. 2015 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/497046/relief>.

Stokstad, Marilyn. Art: A Brief History. Fourth
Edition. (Prentice-Hall, 2009). pp 26.

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