The Venus of Willendorf was found in 1908, by Josef Szambatny in Willendorf, Austria. She is an 11 cm. tall statue, made of porous oolitic limestone. It is believed to have been made in 24-22,000 BCE. The Venus of Willendorf is believed to be the first woman depicted in art. Her name came from Marquis Paul de Vibraye; who named her "Venus" in mockery. He named her the reversal of the classic, "Modest Venus," and gave her the name "Immodest Venus," because unlike the Modest Venus, Venus of Willendorf is not trying to cover herself or hide her body. In fact, her vulva is in clear view, and her nipples are prominent. After many years, her name got changed again to "Woman of Willendorf," to remove the connection to the Classic Venus and to make the piece of work more mundane.The Venus of Willendorf is still being discussed if it is an accurate reading of what females looked like during the stone age. Looking at the diet and lifestyle of the time period, it is estimated that whoever this was the model for this piece was a wealthy woman, she must have had a diet of marrow and animal fat and must not have moved around much.
