Among the clay figures (dogu) excavated in Funagata, Yamagata Prefecture, is the "Jomon Venus." It is a dogu designated as a National Treasure, and one of my starting points when I think about the "beauty of form" in Yamagata.
45 centimeters, 4,500 years ago
This figure was found at the Nishinomae site in Funagata. It dates from the Middle Jomon period, about 4,500 years ago.
It is 45 centimeters tall, one of the largest dogu in Japan. Japanese dogu are often found deliberately broken, but this is a rare one that could be restored to an almost complete form. Its color is a faintly reddish brown.
It was designated a National Treasure on September 6, 2012. It was the sixth National Treasure in Yamagata Prefecture, and the fourth dogu in Japan to become a National Treasure.
Its purpose is unknown, but it is beautiful
What the Jomon Venus was made for is not clearly known. One theory is that it was a wish for safe childbirth or abundance.
Even without knowing its purpose, the beauty of its form comes through. The narrowly cinched waist, the parts that flare out to the sides, the way it stands upright. It is a form that seems to have shaved away decoration and left only the lines that are needed. It would not look out of place beside modern sculpture.
This land has an ancient sense of beauty
The original is on display at the Yamagata Prefectural Museum. The Nishinomae site in Funagata has been turned into a park, with a statue of the Venus standing at its center.
Every time I see this figure, I feel that the land of Yamagata has had a sense of "refining form" for a very long time. People thousands of years ago moved their hands not only for practical use, but for beauty.
My own work today lies on an extension of that line. When I think so, the way my hands move as I paint a picture changes a little.
In Mermaid nao's commissioned art, too, I value shaving away the excess and leaving the lines you need.
Sources
Yamagata Prefectural Museum (National Treasure "Jomon Venus")
Yamagata Prefecture (Jomon Venus)
Funagata Town (What is the Jomon Venus)
Wikipedia (Jomon Venus)
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