Retracing the steps of prehistoric art pioneer and archaeologist Edouard Piette, A Face for Prehistory takes us on an exciting scientific and human adventure through the last half of the 19th century, rich in discovery and debate.
In November 2008, a whole century after it was donated to the Musée d’Archéologie Nationale, the world’s greatest collection of prehistoric artwork was put on public display for the first time. Comprised of 10,000 objects, the collection houses some of mankind’s greatest masterpieces, including many famous works such as the Venus of Brassempouy. The Venus, a statue made from mammoth ivory, is said to be humanity’s oldest example of portraiture, it’s carving dating back 25,000 years.
The setback in exhibiting the collection was due to a unique and, up until now, unrevealed story. The engravings and statues, which were originally collected by the amateur archaeologist Edouard Piette, tell us as much about our ancestors as they do about the man who unearthed them a century ago, during an era when prehistoric science was first taking shape and importance.
Retracing the steps of this prehistoric art pioneer and archaeologist Edouard Piette, A Face for Prehistory takes us on an exciting scientific and human adventure through the last half of the 19th century, rich in discovery and debate.