Prehistoric Art Lecture Notes PDF

Review: Introducing ARTH 100 Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History What is ART HISTORY ? 2  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s: form (physical and visual characteristics)...

Review: Introducing ARTH 100 Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History What is ART HISTORY ? 2  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s: form (physical and visual characteristics) content (what is being communicated) context (historical circumstances of its production/reception) 3  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s: form (physical and visual characteristics) An art object’s form, or physical and visual characteristics, refers to how an art object looks. 4  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History To understand an art object’s form, we examine its ‘formal’ elements (its physical and visual characteristics). Physical characteristics include: Medium Material Dimensions Visual characteristics include: Line Shape Form Color Texture Space Composition 5  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s: form (physical and visual characteristics) content (what is being communicated) context (historical circumstances of its production/reception) 6  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s content (what is being communicated) Content refers to what is communicated by the art object. It typically refers to the subject matter represented in the art object (a woman, a tree, a specific story). AND the theme represented in the artwork (love, power, death). 7  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s: form (physical and visual characteristics) content (what is being communicated) context (historical circumstances of its production/reception) 8  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s: context (historical circumstances of its production/reception) Context refers to the historical circumstances (time and place and much more!) in which an art object was made and viewed. 9  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History How do we discover the context of an art object? To understand the context of an art object, we ask questions such as: Where was the art object made? When was the art object made? What do we know about the political, social, religious and intellectual cultures of the time and place in which the art object was made? What is known about the artist? What is known about the patron? Why did the patron commission the art object? Where was the art object originally displayed? Who were the original intended viewers? 10  Introducing ARTH 100: Art and History ART HISTORY is the study of an art object’s: form (physical and visual characteristics) content (what is being communicated) context (historical circumstances of its production/reception) By understanding an art object’s form, content and context, we can better understand the art object’s overall function. 11  In-Class Activity: Introducing ARTH 100 To be completed in groups of 2 (max 3) students Review your notes from the first class. As a group, write out definitions for the following three terms: Form (Physical and Visual Characteristics) Content Context Your definitions must be written in your own words in complete sentences. In your group, choose one person to be the notetaker for the group. Choose another person to be the spokesperson for the group. A group member cannot have more than one role. Prehistoric Art in Europe 13 Prehistoric Art in Europe 14  Prehistory refers to the period before people invented writing systems. It is the period before the existence of written documents. 15 Homo Sapiens Sapiens 16 The Prehistoric period sometimes called the Stone Age 17 Prehistoric Art in Europe Two Periods Paleolithic (c. 42,000 BCE - 8,000 BCE) paleo = “old,” lithos = “stone” in Greek Paleolithic = Old Stone Age Neolithic (c. 6,500 BCE - 2,300 BCE) neo = “new,” lithos = “stone” in Greek Neolithic = New Stone Age 18  Prehistoric Art in Europe Paleolithic (c. 42,000 BCE - 8,000 BCE) Focus: Sculpture 19  Ocher Decoration Red Ocher. From Blombos Cave. South Africa. c. 75,000 BCE. 20 Decoration Red Ocher. From Blombos Cave. South Africa. c. 75,000 BCE. 21  Sculpture in the round Woman from Willendorf, c. 24,000 BCE. Sculpture in limestone. Height 11 cm. 22 Woman from Willendorf, c. 24,000 BCE. Sculpture in limestone. Height 11 cm. 23 Ocher 24  Most of the sculptures of human figures found from the Paleolithic Era are of Woman from Willendorf, c. 24,000 BCE. women. Sculpture in limestone. Height 11 cm. 25  Woman from Willendorf. Austria. c. 24,000 BCE. Limestone. Height 11 cm. 26  Prehistoric Art in Europe Paleolithic (c. 42,000 BCE - 8,000 BCE) Focus: Cave Paintings 27 Focus: Cave Paintings in France 28 Animals were the main subject matter of Paleolithic cave paintings Rhinoceros Wooly Mammoth Lion Bison Bull Deer Horse 29  Chauvet Cave c. 32,000 – 30,000 BCE 30  Chauvet Cave c. 32,000 – 30,000 BCE 31  Video Please watch to the video and take notes 32 Rhinoceros Ancient bull Wall painting with horses, ancient bulls, and rhinoceroses, Chauvet Cave. c. 32,000-30,000 BCE. Horse Black pigment on limestone. 33  Murals (wall paintings) were located deep in caves Wall painting with horses, ancient bulls, and rhinoceroses, Chauvet Cave. c. 32,000-30,000 BCE. Black pigment on limestone. 34  In-Class Activity: Prehistoric Art To be completed in groups of 2 (max 3) students Read the short article and look at the cave images below to answer the following questions: 1. What were the techniques used by artists to make cave art? 2. How are these two representations of animals different? In your group, choose one person to be the notetaker for the group. Choose another person to be the spokesperson for the group. A group member cannot have more than one role. 35  PROCESS OF PRODUCTION: 1. Ground up ocher was mixed with water 2. Large flat stones served as containers for this mixture 3. Paint was applied with brushes made from reeds, bristles, or twigs; it could also be sprayed from a blowpipe made from a reed or hollow bone 4. A wooden scaffold was used for high walls 36  Color and Line Left section of the Lion Panel, Chauvet Wall painting with mammoths and horses, Cave. c. 32,000-30,000 BCE. Chauvet Cave. c. 32,000-30,000 BCE. Black pigment on limestone. Engraving on limestone. 37 Wall painting with mammoths and horses, Chauvet Cave. c. 32,000- 30,000 BCE. Engraving on limestone. 38 Illusion of movement Left section of the Lion Panel, Chauvet Cave. c. 32,000-30,000 BCE. Black pigment on limestone. 39 Profile view Left section of the Lion Panel, Chauvet Cave. c. 32,000-30,000 BCE. Black pigment on limestone. 40  POPULAR THEORIES EXPLAINING WHY PREHISTORIC PEOPLES CREATED CAVE PAINTINGS: 1. To represent belief systems (e.g. animals were seen as ancestors) Problem: 2. To decorate their living spaces with representations of their environment Problem: 3. To assist with hunting by “capturing ” the essence of the animals painted and therefore to increase the chances of a successful hunt Problem: 4. As teaching tools to instruct new hunters about the various species of animals they would encounter or even to serve as targets for spears Problem: 41 Chauvet cave replica 42