1. Prehistoric Art

2. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
Cave paintings are some of the earliest forms of art ever created, and they date to a time before writing had been developed.

3. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
Most of the paintings in the Lascaux caves of France depict animals, specifically those that were hunted and those that were predators.

4. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
The bulls and other animals are painted in a twisted perspective, with a profile view of the body and head, and a frontal view of the horns. For this reason, art historians believe that naturalism, or accurately drawing the animal from memory, was not always the goal.

5. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
If naturalism was not the goal, then what was the purpose of these cave paintings?

6. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
Most of the cave’s paintings are located at a distance from the cave’s entrance, and in remote chambers. Historians believe that these images may have been used for magical, or ceremonial purposes to improve hunting.

7. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
Scratch marks and gouges on the cave walls support this theory. It is believed that Paleolithic humans used these cave paintings as “target practice” and in a ceremonial way that would bring them success in their hunts.

8. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
In addition to the painted images, Lascaux is full of engravings of animals as well as abstract designs. Because there was no natural light, these works could only have been created with the aid of torches and stone lamps filled with animal fat.

9. Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art Hall of the Bulls. Lascaux Cave. ca. 15,000-10,000 BCE. Dordogne, France
The pigments used to paint Lascaux and other caves were derived from readily available minerals and include red, yellow, black, brown, and violet colors. No brushes have been found, so pigment was likely applied using mats of moss or hair, or by other means.