QUÉBEC CITY, CANADA.- A fascinating journey into prehistory and the origins of man… into the birth of this discipline and its influence on 19th-century artists… is in store for visitors to Venus and Cain. Figures of Prehistory, 1830-1930, an extraordinary exhibition for the whole family running until January 4, 2004 at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.
The discovery of cave art, in the 19th century, indelibly marked human history. While the beliefs and customs of the 1800s continued to be dictated by Bible teachings, including the creation of man — notably Adam and Eve, 2000 years ago — , the many prehistoric sites unearthed showed that man had lived far earlier than that — as we now know — close to 1 million years ago in Europe. The world was shaken as scientists attempted to piece together the faces of our early ancestors. Because it sought to solve the question of the origins of humankind as a whole, prehistory fuelled artists’ imagination.
Creation of the Exhibition - The European cradle of prehistory, Aquitaine (southwestern France), is home to the main archeological deposits, sites and painted caves, including Le Moustier, La Gavette, La Madeleine, the well-known Lascaux, Combarelles and Laussel. The Musée d´Aquitaine (Bordeaux) chose to develop this ambitious exhibition project targeting prehistory — Venus and Cain. Figures of Prehistory, 1830-1930 — designed to illustrate the emergence of prehistory as a scientific discipline and source of artistic inspiration.
The title cites two figures of major importance in early human history: Venus and Cain. Venus was the name customarily used to baptize sculptures of paleolithic women, whose generous curves exalt the abundance and fertility reminiscent of the mother-goddess. Cain, was both the first offspring of man and woman (Adam and Eve), the first murderer (having killed his brother Abel), the first farmer and the first town builder. As such, he is the incarnation of human burden or responsibility. Inaugurated at the Musée d´Aquitaine in spring 2003, the exhibition travelled to the Musée d´Altamira (Spain) in summer 2003 and, after being shown at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, will run at the Musée de l´Homme (Paris) in winter 2004.
This is the first time that the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec presents an exhibition on a historical theme, in this case, prehistory. Using the exhibition’s European version as a basis, our exhibition management team supplemented the selection of works through exceptional loans from the museums of Carcassonne, Paris, Bordeaux and Saint-Germain-en-Laye and added one work from the Musée’s own collection. With the works and archeological objects (from various museums in France, Switzerland and Belgium) already shown at the Musée d´Aquitaine, this exhibition adds a new bent, whose Fine Arts dimension is exploited brilliantly. Further, as is true for all Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec showings, a spectacular, avant-garde exhibition concept was developed to showcase the 73 works of art and myriad archeological pieces and archival documents.
The invention of prehistory, scholars’ and the artists’ reactions to these discoveries and this new discipline’s influence on art are the themes of the amazing Venus and Cain. Figures of Prehistory, 1830-1930 exhibition.
In the rotunda linking the two exhibition galleries, humorous views of prehistory greet visitors. Early-19th-century films and photos of portrayals of prehistoric man are certain to draw a chuckle or two. At either extreme of the rotunda, in their respective galleries, two moving works face one another, one of Venus and the other of Cain.
Gallery 5 begins with an impressive selection of curios — archeological artefacts and archival documents, busts of early prehistorians, dig sketches and notebooks, silex tools, etc. — all housed in a handsome cabinet. This gallery addresses the birth of prehistory, as a scientific discipline, investigating the origin of man and prehistoric art. While scientists busied themselves piecing together fragments of skeleton and bone, artists imagined what science could not resolve, illustrating, through reconstitutions and their creative genius, prehistoric man and his world.
Gallery 6 houses art work by our earliest ancestors and 19th-century pieces exploring this new subject-prehistory. The six pieces shown at the entrance bear exceptionally eloquent witness to archeological discoveries at the turn of the 19th century. Dating from the Upper Paleolithic Age — Gravettian stage — between 17 000 and 25 000 years ago, these parietal statuettes and sculptures hail from sites in Dordogne (southwestern France) and Italy. They are among the oldest works known to man and virtually never leave their home museums. The gallery’s second section — the largest — is devoted to prehistory as a new subject explored by 19th-century painters and sculptors. A novel theme, it constituted an excellent banner for works presented in Parisian art salons, consecrated venues for painting and sculpture. As of the latter half of the 19th century, production of paintings, sculptures, engravings and illustrations on prehistoric motifs was intense in Europe. Grouping works of very large formats, rarely shown in Québec, this magnificent, moving gallery depicts the meeting of biblical and prehistoric imagery.
Visitors to the exhibition Venus and Cain. Figures of Prehistory, 1830-1930 presented in Bordeaux, Altamira, Paris and Québec City, of course, will no doubt experience the most interesting human adventure to be seen.
The magnificent art book Vénus et Caïn. Figures de la préhistoire, 1830-1930 recounts the first incursions into prehistory — an emerging scientific discipline and source of artistic inspiration. Eleven authors have penned texts in this fascinating volume, which discusses prehistoric discoveries, memorabilia, influences and imaginings, including "Images et légendes de la préhistoire" (Images and Legends of Prehistory) by Philippe Dagen; "L´invention de la préhistoire" (Inventing Prehistory) by Hélène Lafont-Couturier; "Carnets de fouilles exhumés" (Dig Notebooks) by Sigolène Loizeau and "Nus de style préhistorique"(Prehistoric-style Nudes) by Katia Busch. This 175-page illustrated volume is available (in French only) at the Musée giftshop for $49.95.
The exhibition audioguide is a must, offering a running commentary on the showing. The text, was written by Ariane Émond, inspired by the accompanying art book, and the voice is that of actor Michel Thériault. The audioguide was produced jointly by the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and Avatar. It is available for rental at the Musée ticket office for $2.50.
Alongside the exhibition, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec offers numerous activities, free of charge, for young and old alike: movies, art workshops, conferences, etc. Don’t miss the animated films Ice Age and Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure. Create bewitched masks and accessories, legendary caves or imaginary prehistoric animals. Meet exhibition curator Sigolène Loizeau (Musée d´Aquitaine). View the cinema classics King Kong or Journey to the Centre of the Earth Voyage. Or take a guided tour, available Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Details and scheduling are available on the Musée website (www.mnba.qc.ca) – enter the contest on line! – and at (418) 643-2150 / 1-866-220-2150.
The exhibition was organized and circulated by the Musée d´Aquitaine. Curators: Hélène Lafont-Couturier, Curator, Musée d´Aquitaine and Musée Goupil (Bordeaux); Philippe Dagen, Art History Professor, Université Paris 1, Panthéon Sorbonne; Sigolène Loizeau, Assistant Curator, Prehistory Section, Musée d´Aquitaine; Maria Pilar San Agustin-Filateros, Conservation and Documentation Attaché, Musée d´Aquitaine.
Exhibition adaptation at the MNBAQ: Project leader: Line Ouellet, Directors of Exhibitions and Education, MNBAQ / Coordinator: Denis Castonguay, Exhibitions Curator, MNBAQ / Technical Coordinator: André Sylvain, MNBAQ / Design: Daniel Castonguay.
