Art History: The Feminine Form

Dan Brown’s bestseller DaVinci Code used a chalice and the letter “V” to symbolize the shape of a woman’s womb. Brown drew heavily  from art history in his works of fiction, and it is easy to find many references across time and culture to vessels that represent the feminine form. 

The Last Supper: In the novel, Brown suggested that the Holy Grail was not the cup of wine Jesus used at the Last Supper. Brown asserted that the Holy Grail was Mary Magdeline, that she was the wife of Jesus and that she was a vessel for His unborn child. Brown's super sleuth, Robert Langdon, discovers that Leonard DaVinci was part of a great conspiracy of scientists and artists who concealed the truth about the descendents of Jesus secret, but hinted at it through codes seen in famous works of art. One of these codes was in the masterpiece itself. In DaVinci’s Last Supper, Brown suggested the V-shaped void between Mary and Jesus was code for this womanly vessel. 

Shrine Vessel: The long neck and belly of the Nigerian Ga’anda Shrine Vessel is no veiled and secretive reference to the form of a woman's body. The markings on the vase obviously refer to the reproductive capabilities of a woman. According to WNET's "Art through Time: A Global View," the marks around the lower body of the vessel represent the ritual scarification of girls -- starting at age five and progressing through maturity -- that was typical in the culture of the time.  Reference.

The Female Effigy Vessel: This vase from early 20th Century Zaire shows the elaborate hair style of Mangebetu women. The patterns on the face and rounded chamber of the body show the body decoration typical of the era.
Reference.

Woman with a Vessel: A classic Mesoamerican jar from from southern Nayarit has a multiplicity of meanings relating to the feminine form. In this piece, the woman carries a vessel on her head. The sculpture itself is a vessel. As, of course, is the woman. Viewed in profile, the woman is obviously pregnant. Reference.  

Lekythos in the Form of Sphinx: A late 5^th Century BC work from ancient Greece, this was a vessel for perfumed oil. The rim, neck and handle represents a lakythos, the body a Sphinx and the face a woman’s head. Reference.