Artwork description:

The Venus of Willendorf, together with the other Paleolithic Venuses, have always led us to ask ourselves questions about the figure of women from various points of view.

The so-called Paleolithic Venuses are small female statuettes, made of soft stone, such as limestone and steatite, or bone or ivory, where the sexual attributes are represented in a very pronounced manner and with a certain realism, while the rest of the body, such as the face hands and feet are barely visible or missing, transformed into strange elongated protuberances.
From a patriarchal culture like ours comes a vision of women always seen as mothers, as goddess of fertility and life. Instead, I wonder if, rather than small idols that were supposed to propitiate the harvest or the continuity of the species, these "prehistoric Venuses" are actually the first product of female creativity and the primordial attempt of some women to self-represent themselves to define their own characteristics, to satisfy that innate need of human beings to affirm their identity and recognize their nature.

At that time, the woman was presumably dedicated to the care and raising of children, while the man went to procure food. In the long months in which the belly increased due to pregnancy, there were probably many questions that prehistoric women asked themselves, noticing the evident changes in their bodies. Furthermore, in the absence of mirrors, a woman who looks at her body from top to bottom will not see her head, and will only see her feet in a summary way, while the most visible parts of the body will instead be the breasts, the belly. and hips.

Even the mere hypothesis that these Venuses are self-portraits of women who wanted to know themselves opens up immense scenarios and which led me to investigate through the technique of linocut and artisanal printing.

Linoleography is a technique of artistic printing of images and graphics on paper, cardboard or fabric through the use of a matrix obtained by engraving on linoleum. The term "linoleography" derives from the name of the support (linoleum) and from the Greek "grapho" (to write). The matrix can be used to print several copies of the project, until it is worn out. Multiple impressions printed from the same matrix form an edition, and are always limited.
Each linocut print is printed to order. The matrix is ​​totally hand carved by me from original illustration. Each print will be unique and different due to the artisanal printing process.


°°° Image dimensions: 40x28cm
°°° Paper format: 61x43 cm
°°° Paper: Hahnemuhle paper, 110 g, acid free
°°° Signed: on the front - Original print (not a reproduction), each print is numbered
°°° Printed by hand
°°° Frame: not included.
°°° Technique: linocut and manual printing
°°° Original illustration: Marisa Liuzzi

Materials used:

Hahnemuhle paper, 110 g, acid free

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