Image Gallery
Venus of Brassempouy
The Venus of Brassempouy is one of the earliest known realistic representations of a human face. It belongs to the Gravettian culture of Upper Palaeolithic Europe and was probably carved between c. 26,000 and c. 24,000 years ago. It was made from mammoth ivory and it currently resides in the National Archaeological Museum (Musée d'Archéologie Nationale) in France.
Questions & Answers
What is the Paleolithic art period?
- The Upper Paleolithic (Late Stone Age, c. 50,000 to c. 12,000 years ago) is the period in human prehistory when we see the emergence of art. Upper Paleolithic art is usually divided into two categories: rock/cave art and portable art such as animal and anthropomorphic figurines.
Did any paintings survive from the Paleolithic period?
- Yes, there are surviving cave paintings from the Paleolithic period. The most famous ones include Altamira Cave in Spain, and Lascaux Cave and Chauvet Cave in France.