From the Paleolithic “Venuses” and Cycladic Figurines to Contemporary Art

How has the figure of fertility been represented across time? How can a contemporary sculpture made from an industrial material evoke the archetypal forms of fertility?

Through a guided exploration of two exhibitions, students will discover the world of Cycladic culture and the different types of marble Cycladic figurines, while also encountering the iconic sculpture “Balloon Venus Lespugue (Orange)” (2013–2019) by Jeff Koons.

Students will learn how artists such as Constantin Brancusi, Pablo Picasso, and Amedeo Modigliani were influenced by Cycladic figurines, and how Jeff Koons drew inspiration from the Paleolithic “Venus of Lespugue”, a 28,000-year-old figurine discovered in a cave in France.

Through observation and discussion, students will explore how different materials—such as ivory, limestone, marble, clay and steel—have been used to represent the human form, and how these choices can change or preserve meaning and symbolism across the centuries.