Old European abstract art enchants and inspires modern art

Old European art was versatile. People's creativity was expressed in valuable ceramic vessels, small figurines of various styles, as well as in the diverse forms of cult objects. When archaeologists unearthed these items from excavation sites, the figurines attracted the most attention. Their total number from different sites is in the thousands. Most figurines were made of clay, and their size varied from 5 to 20 centimeters. Some sculptures were considerably larger, occasionally reaching over a meter in height, but their number is relatively small.   

The high level of abstraction in the small statues is striking. Although the figurines have the outer shape of a human body and their heads have been shaped, they often lack many details such as eyes, mouths and ears. Some have different headdresses. Most of the figurines depict women, and only very seldom men.

The figurines were more than just art objects for the Old Europeans. They were also used in religious rituals and were worn as talismans on necklaces. The holes made at the ears and necks of the figurines indicate the latter. They were also allegorical figures of a family's ancestral mother. The figurines were kept in homes close to the hearth. Figurines in ritual use were deliberately broken at the end of rituals, and the pieces were distributed to trading partners at gift-giving ceremonies. The gift-givers and receivers were aware that the pieces reflected the spirit of the Goddess that was being worshipped.

The Old European view of art was thus much more animated in comparison to modern European ones. The figurines were not merely material things for the ancients; they were living spiritual characters. Old European figurines still captivate one's gaze from behind glass cases in museums today. Due to their fascinating appeal, figurine sculpting continued in art long after the Old European society transformed under the newcomers' influence.

For example, a certain type of figurine developed around 5000 BCE, referred to as the "figurine whose arms are raised". This style remained the same for many thousands of years, until about 1300 BCE in the Mycenaean period in Greece. Another style, the so-called "violin-shaped figurines", were even more successful.

The cultural influence of Old Europe also extended to the Aegean archipelago, to a group of islands between Crete and Greece called the Cyclades. The cultural heritage of these islands was an extension of Old Europe, and this is where local Cycladic art developed. Of all the phases in cultural history, it was precisely this abstract style which captivated modern art. How was this possible? The history related to figurine art's continuity is very distinctive.

Once upon a time, there was a young Romanian artist called Constantin Brâncus, who would become world-famous. The French spelled his name Brancusi, by which he is known to the world as a pioneer of modern art. He grew up in Romania, his native country. The objects, ornaments and utensils of the Old European tradition fascinated him and stimulated his creativity. When Brâncus came to Paris in 1904, he became profoundly enchanted by Ancient art as he studied the figurines in museums. His own artwork was especially influenced by Cycladic pieces of art.

In his book “The Cycladic Spirit” (1991), archaeologist Colin Renfrew makes a surprising disclosure. He states that “Today it is easy for us to observe that a work by Brancusi resembles a Cycladic sculpture. But we may just as easily feel that a Cycladic work looks like a Brancusi” (Colin Renfrew “The Cycladic spirit”, New York, 1991: 174). In art history, Brancusi is called the "father of modern art". Not only did he open up a new direction, but more importantly many artists followed in his footsteps, thus attesting to the attractiveness of this new direction. Thanks to Brancusi, Old European art was reborn through modern art, and it still enchants us thousands of years after its initial phases. The aesthetic value of Old Europe is timeless. 

Archaeologists have named these tiny figurines "The Thinker" and "Sitting Woman". Cernavoda (Romania), circa 4800 BCE.

Harald Haarmann and Virpi Lehtinen

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