Prehistoric Art

Prehistoric Periods Paleolithic: 40,000 – 8, 000 BCE Neolithic: 8,000 – 2,300 BCE Bronze Age: 2,300 – 1, 000 BCE Iron Age: 1,000 BCE 

Virtual Tour http://www.lascaux.culture.fr/

What we know about cave painting Cave people didn’t live where they painted Worked by light of lamps fueled with animal fat Used ocher (iron mineral) ground to powder, mixed with saliva, applied with brushes or blown onto surface through hollow bones Dominant colors: black, brown, yellow, red, white “Impressionistic” look at animals Used undulations of the wall to give “bulk” and perspective to animals

What we don’t know… Why exactly they made these paintings? Art for the sake of art? To influence real animals? Guarantee a successful hunt?) Religious expression? Visions/hallucinations? No single explanation suffices!

Conclusions Art is about being human Art expresses all that is best in us When there are humans, there is art Art may change, but it does not get better (Sister Wendy) “We have invented nothing!” (Picasso)

Location of the Lascaux Caves

The Caves today… 1940-1963 over 100,000 annual visitors Impact? Carbon dioxide Raising temperatures Water vapor – condensation Fetid air- people fainted Fungus 1972 – full-sized replica – Lascaux II 300,000 visitors a year visit

Hall of the Bulls, Lascaux Caves Artists: Unknown 15,000-10,000 BCE Style: Pre-history

The Well Scene, Lascaux Caves Artists: Unknown 15,000-10,000 BCE Style: Pre-history

Sister Wendy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9-TSeybLfI

Venus of Willendorf (or Woman of Willendorf) Artist: Unknown 25,000-20,000 BCE Style: Pre-history Height: a little over 4”