Art Eras and Movements - Paleolithic, Egypt, Greece, Rome

**Art Eras and Movements** **Paleolithic, Egyp, Greece, Rome to Modern and Contemprorary** Topics: Ancient Civilization of Mesopotamia and the Hebrews The Beginnings of Culture Paleolithic Cultures and Their Artifacts Myth in Prehistoric Cultural Life Religious and Political Influence on the A...

**Art Eras and Movements** **Paleolithic, Egyp, Greece, Rome to Modern and Contemprorary** Topics: Ancient Civilization of Mesopotamia and the Hebrews The Beginnings of Culture Paleolithic Cultures and Their Artifacts Myth in Prehistoric Cultural Life Religious and Political Influence on the Arts In December 1994, Jean-Marie Chauvet and two friends discovered a group of drawings in a large chamber in one of the caves along the Ardeche River gorge in Southern France. These drawings were comparable to those done by contemporary artists unlike the ones discovered earlier in the 27 similar caves found along the 17-miles of the Ardeche gorge. Previously discovered paintings appeared to modern man as childlike. This discoveries lead to speculations of other artworks that may have existed but *haven't survived because they were made of perishable materials like wood*. This further leads to speculations that art may have been made earlier than *30,000 years ago and perhaps man may have inhabited the Near East 90,000-100,000 years ago.* Culture encompasses the values and behaviors shared by a group of people and developed over time, and passed down from one generation to the next. The cave paintings discovered by Chauvet suggest that the Ardeche gorge may have been the center of culture of a group living in which the values of a community find expression. There were others like it. In northern Spain, the first decorated cave was discovered in *1879 at Altamira*. In Dordogne, southern France, west of Ardeche, schoolchildren discovered the Lascaux Cave in 1940 when their dog disappeared down a hole. In 1991, along the French Mediterranean coast, a diver discovered the entrance to the Cosquer Cave below the waterline near Marseille. Scholars are wondering why were these paintings done. Until recently scholars believe that these paintings were *associated with the hunt*. Perhaps during times of scarcity the hunters seeking game hope to conjure it up by drawing them on the cave walls. Perhaps the drawings were like magic charms intended to ensure a successful hunt. However, 60 percent of the animals depicted by the paintings on the walls at Chauvet were never or rarely hunted --there were lions, rhinoceros, bears, panthers, and mammoths. Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age) People in the *paleolithic era lived on hunting and gathering wild plants*. There were small groups scattered and living a [nomadic life]. As the ice receded, agriculture replaced hunting and gathering and people started a more [sedentary way of life]. These is the beginning of the Neolithic Era (New Stone Age). During this period people began creating pottery which they used as containers or vessels for water and food. Civilization started in the great river valleys of Middle East and Asia. [Civilization refers to the social, economic, and political entity distinguished by the ability to express itself through images and written language.] Civilization develops when the environment of a region can support a large and productive population. When we say civilization started in the great river valleys of the Middle East and Asia, we are referring to specific regions where some of the earliest complex societies emerged, thanks to the availability of water, fertile soil, and conducive conditions for agriculture and settlement. In the Middle East, this specifically refers to: **Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq, parts of Syria, and Turkey)** - **Rivers:** Tigris and Euphrates - **Key Cities and Civilizations:** - **Sumerians** in cities like Uruk, Ur, and Eridu - **Akkadians**, **Babylonians**, and **Assyrians** - Mesopotamia is often called the \"Cradle of Civilization\" because it saw the development of writing (cuneiform), large urban centers, and complex governance systems. **Egypt (Northeast Africa, closely tied to the Middle East)** - **River:** Nile - **Key Developments:** - Ancient Egyptian civilization flourished along the fertile Nile Valley, leading to monumental architecture like pyramids and advancements in mathematics, medicine, and writing (hieroglyphs). These river valleys were crucial because they provided: - **Water** for irrigation and drinking. - **Floodplains** for fertile soil, replenished annually by flooding. - **Transportation routes** that facilitated trade and communication. - **Fish and other resources** for sustenance. In Asia, this concept extends to: - The **Indus River Valley** (modern-day Pakistan and northwest India) for the **Harappan Civilization**. - The **Yellow River Valley** (Huang He) in China for the early Chinese civilizations. Each of these regions contributed significantly to the foundations of modern civilization. One of the major ways that societies acquire the goods they want is by means of war. Evidence of civilizations dating back more than 25,000 years have survived in the form of cave paintings and small sculptures. Before the invention of writing these cultures created myths and legends that explained their origin and relation to the world. At Chauvet, colors suggest symbolic/sacred function. At the entrance red from ores rich in iron oxide while deeper in areas that are difficult to reach, black pigments from ores rich in manganese dioxide seem intentional. One of the few cave paintings depicting human figures is found at Lascaux in Dordogne southern France. With the discovery of the cave paintings it is observed that there is progression from awkward to more sophisticated representations which should not be attributed to lack of skill but rather to cultural influences. Paleolithic Cultures and its Artifacts Evidence of the existence of humans 5.7 million years ago was found in the forest of Ethiopia in 2001. Further excavations yield evidence that around 2.5 or 2.6 million years ago hominids or the earliest upright humans have already begun to make stone tools although long before, between 14 million to 19 million years ago, Kenyapithecus ("Kenyan Ape") made stone tools in east Central Africa. *A 2009 study of genetic diversity among Africans found the people of Zimbabwe to be the most diverse, that they are the most likely origin of modern humans* from which others gradually spread out of Africa across Asia, into Europe, and finally to Australia and the Americas. In the Paleolithic period, people began to carve stone tools and weapons to help them survive in their harsh environment. They have also carved small sculptural objects along with the "cave paintings". The most famous of the artifacts of female figures found in Europe is the limestone statuette woman found at Willendorf, Austria dating 25,000-20,000 BCE and sometimes called *[Venus of Willendorf]. Most of these sculptures are 4-5 inches high and fit neatly into a person's hand. The details include exaggerated breasts and bellies and their clearly delineated genitals associated with fertility and child-bearing. The presence of more female figurines than males suggests that women played a central role in Paleolithic culture.* Venus of Willendorf \| History, Facts & Significance - Lesson \... The Venus of Willendorf is an 11.1-centimetre-tall (4.4 in) Venus figurine estimated to have been made c. 30,000 years ago. It was recovered on 7 August 1908 from an archaeological dig conducted by Josef Szombathy, Hugo Obermaier, and Josef Bayer at a Paleolithic site near Willendorf, a village in Lower Austria. *Neolithic Pottery and Cultures* *The transition from hunting and fishing led to the use of pottery vessels which were used to carry water and store food. Popular decorative features from pottery in Iran depict the ibex which is a symbol of plenty.* *A kind of monumental stone architecture in what is now Britain and France are the megaliths or big stones. [Menhirs] or posts of upright stones stuck into the ground come from the Celtic words "men" and "hir" long. In Carnac, Brittany 3,000 menhirs arranged east to west in 13 straight rows called alignments are found in 2 miles stretch of plain. The stones stand about 3 feet tall at the east and gradually get larger until at the west they reach the height of 13 feet. Cromlech,* the best-known type of megalithic structure from the Celtic crom (wall) and lech (place) is known as the Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain 100 miles west of London. Why it was constructed remains a mystery. Another discovery at Durrington Walls 2 miles northeast of the Stonehenge itself suggests that the Stonehenge was a burial ground at the center of a village of 300 houses.  Mesopotamia: Power and Social Order in the Early Middle East In the winter of 1927, British Archaeologist C. Leonard Wooley, unearthed a series of tombs in the City of Ur. Many bodies and spectacular objects, vessels, crowns, necklaces, statues, weapons, jewelry, and lyres made of electrum and deep blue [lapiz lazuli] were found. A giant stele -- an upright stone slab carved with commemorative design or inscription-the so-called Law Code of Hammurabi was found in Babylon. Sumerian Literature survives on nearly 100,000 clay tablets and fragments containing religious themes in the form of poems, blessings, and incantations to the gods. A surviving manuscript, the Epic of Gilgamesh, preserves the historical lineage of all Mesopotamian kings-Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian. What is cuneiform writing? - Quora **cuneiform writing**  **Sumerian Tablet** Hebrews (Habiris- outcast or nomad) are people who were forced out of their homeland in the Mesopotamian Basin in about 2800 BCE. In their tradition Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden in the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It was there that Noah survived the great flood that Utrapishtim survived in the epic of Gilgamesh. It was there that Abraham led his people into Canaan to escape the Akkadians and the powerful Babylonians. Moses and the Ten Commandments In 1600 BCE the Hebrew people have to leave Canaan for Egypt where they prospered until the Egyptians enslaved them in 1300BCE. Moses led his people out of Egypt across the Red Sea (which parted) to facilitate the escape into the desert of the Sinai Peninsula. Their story became the basis for the Book of Exodus. The Hebrew culture had a profound impact on **Western Civilization** providing the moral and ethical foundation for religion including Christianity and Islam. The stories recorded in the Torah inspired the works of art, music, and literature. Hebrews introduced the concept of monotheism or belief in a single God. In 520 BCE Persian invaders freed the Jews from captivity of the Babylonians. The Jews returned to Judah and found that the Ark of the Covenant was missing from the Temple of Jerusalem. Some of the scattered Jews settled elsewhere and they are known as the Jews of the Diaspora or 'dispersion'. The Persian Empire In 520 BCE, the nomadic tribe occupying the Iranian Plateau defeated the Babylonians and freed the Jews. By the time of Cyrus' death (559-530BCE), the Persians had taken control of the Greek Cities in Ionia. Under King Darius (522-486 BCE) the empire stretched from Egypt in the south, around Asia Minor, to the Ukraine in the north. The capital of the empire which the Greeks called Persepolis or the city of the Persians was located in Zogros now called Iran. Their relief sculptures reflected the diversity of the cultures further reflecting that all people of the other regions owed the Persian King allegiance. Rulers are depicted larger than the other people with their subjects bringing gifts to the palace. Xerxes, Darius' son is depicted behind him as if waiting to take his place as the Persian ruler. The Stability of Ancient Egypt: Flood and Sun The civilizations of both Mesopotamia and Egypt have so much in common-formed around river systems: Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia and the Nile in Egypt. Since their life depended on agriculture, both learned to control the flow of the river by constructing dams and irrigation canals. Both Egyptians and Mesopotamians built massive agricultural structures dedicated to their Gods --ziggurats in Mesopotamia and Pyramids in Egypt. Ziggurats appear to be dedicated to water and pyramids to the sun. Both unite earth and sky in a single architectural form. Pictorial Formulas in Egyptian Art In Egyptian paintings, the subjects are arranged in such a way that provide a ground line for the figures to stand facing right, although in some cases there is balance between left and right. The arms, face, legs, and feet are in profile with the left foot advanced in front of the right. Eyes and shoulders are in front view. Mouth, navel, and hips are in three-quarter view. Each person is in a composite view, the integration of multiple perspectives in a unified image. Not only the figures, but also the scenes unite contradictory points of view into a single image. Toward the end of the eighteenth dynasty, Egypt experienced one of the few real crises of its entire history when Amenhotep IV (1353-1337 BCE) assumed the throne of his father Amenhotep III (1391- 1353 BCE). Amenhotep abolished the pantheon of Egyptian Gods and established a monotheistic religion in which the sun disk Aten was worshipped exclusively. Amenhotep was so dedicated to Aten that he changed his name to Akhenaten (The Shining Spirit of Aten) and moved the capital of Egypt from Thebes to a site many miles north (Akhenaten) modern Tell el-Amarna. The political, cultural, and religious changes affected the visual arts. Now, the perfection of the Gods was in question- principles of art were re-examined. A new art replaced the old canon of proportion. Kings and queens posed with realism and intimacy with the king, skinny and sitting slump and his belly protruding from his skirt contrasting the idealized depiction of the pharaohs in earlier periods. Upon the death of Akhenaten, Tutankhaten (1336-1337) changed his name to Tutankhamun (indicating the return to traditional Gods, in this case, Amun). He left Tell el-Amarna and moved to Memphis and re-affirmed Thebes as the nation's religious center. Tutankhamun's the only royal tomb discovered still intact under the tomb of the Twentieth Dynasty King Ramses VII in the Valley of the Kings near Deir el-Bahri. There were three coffins one placed inside the other, encased in quartzite [sarcophagus,] rectangular stone coffin encased in four gilded boxlike wooden shrines placed one inside the other, depicting the king back to the traditional Egyptian art of the Middle Kingdom. This stage is characterized by stone tools shaped by polishing or grinding, dependence on domesticated plants or animals, settlement in permanent villages. in this stage, humans were no longer dependent on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants. Decorated Cave of Pont d\'Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d \... The decorated cave of Pont d\'Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d\'Arc is located in a limestone plateau of the meandering Ardèche River in southern France, and extends to an area of approximately 8,500 square meters.  The bison depiction in the Altamira Cave, discovered in the late 19th century, are some of the of the most iconic examples of Paleolithic art, dating back approximately 36,000 to 14,000 years ago. Neolithic Pottery  Neolithic Pottery  Modern Art ---------- Autumn Rhythm Autumn Rhythm, Jackson Pollock, 1950 - Year Range: Late 19th Century -- 1970s - Characteristics: Experimentation with form and technique, abstraction, rejection of traditional perspectives and subjects, emphasis on the individual's interpretation of reality. - Popular Artists: [Pablo Picasso](https://www.artchive.com/artists/pablo-picasso/), [Salvador Dalí](https://www.artchive.com/artists/salvador-dali/), [Henri Matisse](https://www.artchive.com/artists/henri-matisse/), [Jackson Pollock](https://www.artchive.com/artists/jackson-pollock/). - Notable Artwork: [Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon,"](https://www.artchive.com/artwork/les-demoiselles-davignon-pablo-picasso-1907/) [Dalí's "The Persistence of Memory,"](https://www.artchive.com/artwork/the-persistence-of-memory-salvador-dali-1931/) Matisse's "Dance," [Pollock's "Autumn Rhythm."](https://www.artchive.com/artwork/autumn-rhythm-number-30,-1950-1950-by-jackson-pollock/) Modern Art encompasses a wide range of art movements and styles that emerged from the late 19th century through the 1970s, characterized by a deliberate departure from tradition and a search for new forms of expression. *This period marked a shift towards experimentation and a questioning of the conventions of representation, seen in movements such as Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.* Artists sought to express their individual perspective and to reflect the rapid changes in society, technology, and philosophy of their time. Notable figures include *Pablo Picasso*, whose pioneering Cubist works challenged traditional forms of perspective; Salvador Dalí, known for his striking and bizarre Surrealist imagery; Henri Matisse, who was celebrated for his vibrant use of color and fluid draughtsmanship; and Jackson Pollock, whose Abstract Expressionist techniques revolutionized the concept of painting. These artists, among others, pushed the boundaries of what art could be, leading to a diverse and dynamic legacy that continues to influence contemporary art. Neo-expressionism -----------------  Untitled (Skull) -- Basquait, Jean-Michel -- 1981 - Year Range: Late 1970s -- 1980s - Characteristics: Intense subjectivity and raw emotionality, often with aggressive, dynamic brushwork and vivid colors; revival of painting with a focus on figurative work; reaction against conceptual and minimalist art. - Popular Artists: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Anselm Kiefer, Julian Schnabel, Georg Baselitz. - Notable Artwork: Basquiat's "Untitled (Skull)," Kiefer's "Margarethe," Schnabel's "The Walk Home," Baselitz's "The Brücke Chorus." **Neo-expressionism** emerged as a significant art movement in the late 1970s and 1980s, characterized by *a return to the powerful expression of emotion and personal feeling in painting*, as a response to the perceived intellectual dryness and detachment of Minimalism and Conceptual art. Artists in this movement favored large canvases, dramatic colors, and loose, expressive brushwork that often conveyed a sense of urgency or intensity. *The subject matter was frequently figurative, exploring themes of history, mythology, and contemporary culture, including the human condition and personal identity.* Neo-expressionism was particularly prominent in Germany, Italy, and the United States. Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Untitled (Skull)" exemplifies the movement's characteristic raw, emotive style and its engagement with personal and social commentary. Anselm Kiefer's textured, often somber works, such as "Margarethe," confront the dark chapters of German history. Julian Schnabel's "The Walk Home" and Georg Baselitz's "The Brücke Chorus" demonstrate the revival of interest in painterly, narrative, and expressive qualities in art. Neo-expressionism marked a pivotal moment in late 20th-century art, reinvigorating painting with a sense of passion and drama that had been largely absent in the preceding decades. Street Art ---------- Crack is WackCrack is Wack, Keith Haring, 1986 - Year Range: 1970s -- Present - Characteristics: Public spaces as the canvas, often unsanctioned, includes graffiti, stencil graffiti, sticker art, street installation, and murals; vibrant graphics, social and political messages, and an underground or counter-culture ethos. - Popular Artists: Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring. - Notable Artwork: Banksy's "Balloon Girl," Fairey's "Hope" poster, Basquiat's SAMO© tags, Haring's "Crack is Wack" mural. **Street art** is an explosive, contemporary art movement that started in the 1970s and continues to evolve. *It encompasses a wide range of visual art forms created in public locations, typically outside of the traditional art venues.* *Street art often conveys a powerful social or political message and is usually executed without official permission*. *It has grown from its graffiti heritage into a rich and complex form of expression that includes stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheatpasting, and large-scale murals.* Notable artists like Banksy have gained international recognition for their thought-provoking stencil work, such as "Balloon Girl," which combines dark humor with a graffiti execution style. Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster became an iconic image during Barack Obama's presidential campaign, illustrating how street art can influence the political landscape. Jean-Michel Basquiat began his career as a graffiti artist under the tag SAMO© before transitioning to galleries, blending poetry, drawing, and painting. Keith Haring gained attention with his public works in subways and later, with his "Crack is Wack" mural, which became a symbol of social activism. Street art has transformed the way art is created and consumed, often reflecting the voice of the urban environment and its inhabitants, and has firmly established itself as a significant art movement of our time. Land Art -------- - Year Range: Late 1960s -- 1970s - Characteristics: Use of natural landscapes to create site-specific structures, forms, and patterns; integration of art and the natural environment; often large-scale and outdoor; impermanence and the passage of time. - Popular Artists: Robert Smithson, Michael Heizer, Nancy Holt, James Turrell. - Notable Artwork: Smithson's "Spiral Jetty," Heizer's "Double Negative," Holt's "Sun Tunnels," Turrell's "Roden Crater." Land art, also known as **Earth art**, emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily in the United States, as part of the wider conceptual art movement. *This movement sought to move art outside the confines of the gallery, using the earth itself as the medium.* Artists engaged with the landscape to create large-scale interventions that transformed natural spaces into artworks. These works often emphasized the transient nature of art and its interplay with the environment, highlighting ecological concerns and the passage of time. Robert Smithson's "Spiral Jetty," a coil of rocks and earth extending into the Great Salt Lake in Utah, is one of the most iconic works of the movement, embodying the synthesis of human creativity and natural forces. Michael Heizer's "Double Negative," a massive intervention in the Nevada desert, involves two large trenches cut into the mesa, playing with notions of presence and absence. Nancy Holt's "Sun Tunnels" consists of large concrete cylinders in the Utah desert that align with the sun during solstices, blending art with astronomical phenomena. James Turrell's ongoing "Roden Crater" project transforms a volcanic crater into a monumental work of art that focuses on light and perception.  2,462 Art Landscape Philippines Images, Stock Photos, 3D \... Postmodern Art -------------- The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, Damien Hirst, 1991 - Year Range: 1970s -- Present - Characteristics: Eclecticism, skepticism towards grand narratives, blending of high and low culture, use of pastiche, irony, and paradox, questioning of artistic authority and conventions. - Popular Artists: Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst. - Notable Artwork: Koons's "Balloon Dog," Sherman's "Untitled Film Stills," Basquiat's "Untitled (Skull)," Hirst's "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living." *Postmodern art emerged in the 1970s as a reaction against the perceived elitism and rules of modernism, challenging the previously dominant narratives and conventions of art history and criticism.* It is characterized by a diverse range of styles and attitudes, often incorporating elements from popular culture, history, and other art movements in a pastiche that questions the role and definition of art. Postmodern artists employ irony, paradox, and playfulness to critique societal norms and the art world itself, blurring the boundaries between high art and popular culture. Jeff Koons's work, such as "Balloon Dog," exemplifies the postmodern fascination with consumer goods and kitsch, transforming them into high art. Cindy Sherman's "Untitled Film Stills" challenge traditional roles and representations of women in media by placing herself in various cinematic guises. Jean-Michel Basquiat's raw, expressive works blend graffiti with elements of Neo-Expressionism, addressing themes of race, identity, and social tensions. Damien Hirst's exploration of death and decay, as seen in "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living," questions the nature of art and its relationship with contemporary life. Postmodern art's legacy lies in its ongoing influence on contemporary art, continually challenging and expanding the boundaries of what art can be. Contemporary Art ---------------- - Year Range: 1970s -- Present - Characteristics: Diversity of subjects and techniques, digital technology use, conceptual art, interactive installations, a global perspective, and social and political commentary. - Popular Artists: Ai Weiwei, Jeff Koons, [Damien Hirst](https://www.artchive.com/artists/damien-hirst/), Cindy Sherman. - Notable Artwork: Ai Weiwei's "Sunflower Seeds," Jeff Koons's "Balloon Dog," Damien Hirst's "[The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living](https://www.artchive.com/artwork/the-physical-impossibility-of-death-in-the-mind-of-someone-living-damien-hirst/)," Cindy Sherman's "Untitled Film Stills." *Contemporary art encompasses the works of art produced from the 1970s to the present day, characterized by a wide-ranging global diversity in terms of style, medium, and content. This period reflects a departure from the conventions of traditional art forms, embracing instead a myriad of practices including digital art, installation art, performance art, video art, and conceptual art. Artists of this era are known for their innovative use of materials and technology, as well as for engaging with social, political, and cultural issues. The movement is marked by its global perspective, with significant contributions from artists around the world.* Notable artists include Ai Weiwei, known for his politically charged installations; Jeff Koons, who explores consumerism and pop culture; Damien Hirst, who challenges notions of beauty, decay, and mortality; and Cindy Sherman, renowned for her conceptual portraits challenging female stereotypes. Contemporary art venues like the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris are key locations where this diverse and evolving art form is displayed, reflecting the complex and interconnected world of today.