Art History: Ancient and Cave Art

Art History

• An art movement is a collective name given to artworks sharing a common style, philosophy, and technique.

Ancient Art

• Ancient art spans creations from early civilizations to classical antiquity.
• It showcases human expression and cultural values throughout history.
• Examples include Cave, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art.

Cave Art

• Emerged approximately 40,000 years ago, marking the start of human art.
• Paintings in Lascaux, France feature animals, human figures, and abstract symbols.
• This suggests early humans used art for communication and connection with their environment.
• Natural pigments like ochre, charcoal, and minerals mixed with animal fats or water were used as media.
• They were applied using primitive tools like twigs or animal hair.
• Simple forms, silhouettes, and outlines were used as styles.
• Dynamic animals like bison, horses, and deer appear with hand stencils and geometric patterns.
• It was likely used for hunting rituals and documenting significant events.
• Specific artists are unknown, but the art reflects a collective cultural effort of early hunter-gatherer societies.

Egyptian Art

• Flourished from 3000 BCE to 30 BCE.
• Focused on the afterlife and honoring gods and pharaohs.
• Stone, wood, metal, and papyrus were used as media.
• Stone was common for sculptures and monuments.
• Wood was used for smaller artifacts.
• Metal was used for decorative items.
• Papyrus was used for painting and writing.
• The hieratic scale was a common style where larger figures indicate higher status.
• Karnak Temple features colossal statues of gods and pharaohs.
• Figures are often shown in frontal poses, with heads and legs in profile.
• Symbolism is crucial, with colors and icons carrying meanings, like green for fertility and rebirth, seen in depictions of Osiris and the ankh for life.
• Primary purposes were religious and funerary.
• Art was made for temples or tombs, aiding the deceased's journey to the afterlife.
• Imhotep, an architect and physician, and pharaohs are significant figures; pharaohs acted as art patrons.

Greek Art

• From 800 BCE to 30 BCE, influenced Western culture.
• Emphasized beauty, humanism, and idealized representations of the human form.
• Media included marble, bronze, and pottery.
• Marble enabled fine detail in sculpture, while bronze facilitated dynamic poses.
• Pottery includes the black-figure François Vase and the red-figure Panathenaic Amphora, serving practical and decorative uses.
• Naturalism in sculpture was shown as a style.
• Contrapposto was employed to create lifelike figures with movement and balance.
• It celebrated human achievement, explored mythology, and honored the gods.
• Art was often created for public spaces and temples, reflecting civic pride.
• Phidias, known for the statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Parthenon sculptures and Praxiteles, known for a relatable and sensual approach (Aphrodite of Knidos), were significant artists.

Roman Art

• From 500 BCE to 500 CE.
• Adapted Greek influences while emphasizing realism and everyday life, reflecting Roman society's complexity.
• Marble, frescoes, and mosaics were used as media.
• Marble provided durability and detail, frescoes added vibrant color and narrative depth, and mosaics featured intricate designs using tiny colored stones or glass.
• The style had a focus on portraiture, particularly busts capturing likeness and character.
• Architectural innovations like the arch and dome enabled larger structures, such as the Pantheon and Roman Aqueducts.
• It aimed to convey power, commemorate achievements, and reflect cultural values.
• Public monuments honored emperors and heroes, reinforcing their status.
• Art in private homes reflected social standing.
• Augustus, the first Roman emperor, influenced art through his patronage, promoting idealized imagery of power.
• Vitruvius, a prominent architect, authored “De Architectura,” emphasizing proportion and functionality in Roman building practices.

Medieval Art

• From 500 to 1400 CE.
• Deeply influenced by the church, focusing on religious themes.
• Illuminated manuscripts, stained glass windows, and sculpture were used as media.
• Illuminated manuscripts had intricate illustrations on parchment.
• Stained glass windows adorned cathedrals, filtering light through vibrant colors and depicting biblical stories.
• Sculpture often decorated church façades and altars to convey religious narratives.
• Style was noted for its flat, symbolic representations.
• Paintings and illuminated texts emphasized outlines and bold colors over realistic proportions.
• Figures were stylized, prioritizing spirituality rather than naturalism to align with the educational purpose of art.
• Primary purposes were to educate and inspire religious devotion.
• It was a visual narrative conveying biblical stories and teachings, fostering contemplation and spiritual connection during worship.
• Many artists are anonymous, as individual recognition was less common.
• Much of the artwork was created by monks dedicated to spiritual and artistic pursuits.
• Examples include illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells and the works of the Limbourg brothers in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.

Asian Art

• Reflects the continent's rich cultural heritage, diverse religions, and philosophies.
• Expresses cultural identity while evolving alongside traditional practices.
• Notable forms include Chinese painting and Ukiyo-e (Japanese print).

Chinese Painting

• Rooted in ancient traditions, emphasizing harmony with nature and philosophical concepts.
• Traditional works primarily used ink and brush on silk or paper, with ink made from natural materials resulting in varying tones.
• Silk has been favored for centuries, while rice paper is commonly used in more recent works.
• The two main styles are landscape and calligraphy.
• Landscape painting depicts serene mountains, rivers, and forests.
• Calligraphy complements paintings and conveys philosophical ideas.
• It expresses spiritual and philosophical concepts.
• Artists strive to convey the essence of nature and emotions/ideas like harmony, balance, and the transient nature of life.
• These artworks serve as meditative objects for viewers.
• Wang Wei, a Tang dynasty artist known for his tranquil landscapes, was a significant artist.

Ukiyo-e (Japanese Print)

• Emerged in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868).
• Ukiyo means "pictures of the floating world," celebrating the beauty of everyday life.
• Woodblock printing was used for mass production.
• Artists carved images into wooden blocks, applied ink, and pressed paper onto the blocks to create prints.
• Style is known for vibrant colors, bold lines, and perspective; bokashi was used to create color gradients and depth.
• The primary purpose was to capture fleeting moments in landscapes, kabuki actors, beautiful people (bijin), and scenes from popular stories.
• Katsushika Hokusai, famous for The Great Wave off Kanagawa, and Utagawa Hiroshige, known for his landscape series Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō, were significant artists.