1.1 paleolithic art 2015
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Paleolithic Art
Art 108: Ancient to MedievalWestchester Community CollegeFall 2014
![Page 2: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Vocabulary
Prehistoric The period before writing, or the recording of history
Paleolithic “Old stone age”
Stone Age The use of stone for making tools and weapons
![Page 3: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Focus Questions1. When/where did art begin?2. Who made it?3. What kind of subject matter was
common in Paleolithic art, and why?
4. What are the common formal/stylistic characteristics of Paleolithic art?
5. What was the purpose or meaning of Paleolithic art?
Doris Day in Teachers Pet (1958)Image source: http://www.dorisday.net/teacher_s_pet.html
Focus Questions
![Page 4: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
When Did Art Begin?“A virtual revolution occurred in the creation of art during the period of the Upper Paleolithic in Europe. Beginning around 40,000 B.C., the archaeological record shows that anatomically modern humans effectively replaced Neanderthals and remained the sole hominid inhabitants across continental Europe.” Tedesco, Laura Anne. "Lascaux (ca. 15,000 B.C.)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/lasc/hd_lasc.htm (originally published October 2000, last revised August 2007)
![Page 5: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
When Did Art Begin?40,000 BCE: anatomically modern man replaces Neanderthal man
Homo Sapiens – “wise man” or “knowing man”
Homo floresiensis & Homo sapiensImage source: http://www.dur.ac.uk/isabella.capellini/reproduction_project.htm
![Page 6: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Origins
“At about the same time . . . . the earliest art was created. These initial creative achievements fall into one of two broad categories. Paintings and engravings found in caves along walls and ceilings are referred to as "parietal" art . . . . The second category, "mobiliary" art, includes small portable sculpted objects which are typically found buried at habitation sites.”
Tedesco, Laura Anne. "Lascaux (ca. 15,000 B.C.)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/lasc/hd_lasc.htm (originally published October 2000, last revised August 2007)
Image source: http://www.mchumor.com/art_cave_painting_cartoons.html
![Page 7: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Although our earliest human ancestors originated in Africa, the largest concentration of Paleolithic artifacts can be found in Europe
Where did Art Begin?
![Page 8: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Mobiliary ArtOur ancestors used stone tools to make decorated weapons and small portable sculptures
Image source: http://booksofart.com/prehistoric-art/neolithic-art/
![Page 9: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
![Page 10: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
![Page 11: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Spear thrower carved as a mammoth, Late Magdalenian, about 12,500 years oldFrom the rockshelter of Montastruc, Tarn-et-Garonne, FranceBritish Museum
![Page 12: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Bison with turned head, fragmentary spearthrower from La Madeleine, France, c. 12,000 BCE. Reindeer horn, 4” long
![Page 13: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Leaping HorseCarved on spear-thrower of reindeer antlerBruniquel, France, late periodMusée de Antiquités Nationales, St. Germain-en-LayePhotograph by Lois Swan JonesImage source: http://www.humanities-interactive.org/ancient/iceage/ex038_02d.html
![Page 14: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Why so many animals?
![Page 15: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Jack Black, in “Year One,” 2009Photo By: Suzanne Hanover, SMPSP. © 2009 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights ReservedImage source: http://www.allmoviephoto.com/photo/2009_year_one_007.html
Context:Think about what life was like in the stone age
![Page 16: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Hunter Gatherer SocietyPeople hunted for meat and foraged for food
Image source: http://www.icecreamnation.org/2012/05/chocolate-hazelnut-ice-cream/hunter-gatherer-cartoon-by-bizarro/
![Page 17: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Hunter Gatherer SocietyThey lived in temporary dwellings suited to their nomadic lifestyle
A dwelling in Mezhirich is made of mammoth bones partially supported by a wooden frame. Hides lining the hut serve as insulationImage source: http://www.donsmaps.com/mammothcamp.html
![Page 18: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
EnvironmentNo carsNo cell phonesNo FacebookNo fast food
Image source: Baloo's Cartoon Blog
![Page 19: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
EnvironmentLife was pretty precarious!
Scene from “Year One,” starring Jack BlackImage source: http://www.collider.com/2009/06/18/year-one-review/
![Page 20: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
ValuesSurvival:Reliance on animalsLimited control over natural eventsMystery of life and death
Image source: http://www.coxandforkum.com/archives/000512.html
![Page 21: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Mobiliary ArtIn addition to animals, small figurines of women made from ivory, bone, or stone, have been found in abundance
Venus of Willendorf, c. 28,000-25,000 BCE
![Page 22: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
The Venus FiguresWhen they were first discovered, archaeologists referred to them as “Venus” figures
Venus of Willendorf, c. 28,000-25,000 BCE Venus de Milo
![Page 23: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
The Venus FiguresThat’s like a future archaeologist finding a toilet and calling it an “altar” or a “sacred basin”
David Macaulay, The Motel of the Mysteries
![Page 24: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Venus of Willendorf, c. 28,000-25,000 BCE
![Page 25: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Venus of Willendorf, c. 28,000-25,000 BCE
Common features:Exaggerated breasts, buttocks and pubic region
Other parts of the body (head, face, arms, feet) are de-emphasized
![Page 26: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Female Figurine (Venus of Kostenki), c. 23,000- 21,000 BCE Limestone; Hermitage Museum
Venus von Moravany, Mammoth Ivory, 22 000 - 24 000 Slovak Academy of Sciences in NitraImage source: http://www.donsmaps.com/moravanyvenus.html
![Page 27: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Venus of Laussel, c. 25,000- 23,000 BCE Limestone; 17”Dordogne, France (Musee d’Aquitaine, Bordeaux)
Venus of Dolni Vestonice Molded of clay and bone ash; 4 1/2 “ Dolni Vestonice, Czechoslovakia, 34000-26500 BChttp://donsmaps.com/dolnivenus.html
![Page 28: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Venus of Lespuge, Mammoth tusk carving, 18.000 BCEImage source: https://mathildasanthropologyblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/cro-magnon-clothing-a-venus-not-in-furs/
Savignano VenusImage source:
http://www.donsmaps.com/savignanovenus.html
![Page 29: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Why?
![Page 30: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
PurposeMost agree that the figures have something to do with fertility
Venus of Willendorf, c. 28,000-25,000 BCE
![Page 31: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
![Page 32: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Venus of Willendorf, c. 28,000-25,000 BCE
The Venus FiguresThe Venus of Willendorf was once believed to be one of the oldest representations of a human being
![Page 33: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
The Oldest Woman in the WorldThe discovery of the Venus of Hohle Fels in 2008 changed all that
Venus of Hohle Fels, c. 35,00-40,000 BCEImage source: http://johnfrederickwalker.com/2009/05/15/oldest-prehistoric-ivory-venus-figure/
![Page 34: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
The Oldest Woman in the World2.4 inches tallDates to 35,000 BCEThe oldest example of the so-called Paleolithic “Venus” figures
Image source: http://rokus01.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/neanderthal-are-us/
![Page 35: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Cave PaintingsThe most spectacular examples of Paleolithic art can be found in the painted caves of France and Spain
![Page 36: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Cave PaintingsLascaux cave was discovered in 1940
It was closed to the public in 1963 for preservation
Entrance to the Lascaux Cave at the end of September, 1940. From left to right: Leon Laval, Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal and Henri BreuilImage source: http://www.american-buddha.com/lascaux.7a.htm
![Page 37: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Cave PaintingsThe Lascaux cave is a complex network of tunnels and chambers
(about 400 ft end to end; a little larger than a football field)
Image source: http://www.american-buddha.com/lascaux.3.htm
![Page 38: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Cave PaintingsSome paintings are located in remote chambers that are difficult to access
Image source: http://www.american-buddha.com/lascaux.3.htm
![Page 39: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Cave PaintingsThe pictures had to be made using torches, and in some cases scaffolds were built to reach high ceilings and walls
Image source: http://www.american-buddha.com/lascaux.3.htm
![Page 40: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
MaterialsGround minerals mixed with water or animal fat
Brushes made from animal hair or natural fibers
Write this down!
![Page 41: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
TechniquesPaint was also applied using blow tubes or spitting
Write this down!
Spotted horses and negative hand prints, Pech-Merle, France, c. 22,000 BCE
![Page 42: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
Subject MatterAnimals dominate the imagery of the painted caves
Hall of Bulls, Lascaux, c. 15,000-13,000BCE
![Page 43: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
Hall of Bulls, Lascaux, c. 15,000-13,000BCE
The Hall of Bulls (also called the Rotunda) is decorated with three groups of animals: horses, cattle (cows and bulls), and stags
![Page 44: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
The axial gallery includes horses, cows, a black bull, and a bison
Axial Gallery, Lascaux, c. 15,000-13,000BCEPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_02.xml
![Page 45: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
The Great Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01.xml
The animals are very large in scale, and are often painted (or “super imposed”) one on top of the other
![Page 46: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
Subject MatterThe random placement of the imagery suggests that a coherent “scene” or narrative story was not intended
The Great Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00.xml
![Page 47: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
Formal AnalysisImages are drawn using a contour line (outline), or in silhouette
Write this down!
![Page 48: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
Second Bull, Great Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00_07.xml
![Page 49: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
The Great Black Cow, The Nave, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_04_00_05.xml
![Page 50: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
PerspectiveAnimals are shown in profile
Write this down!
![Page 51: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
Why did they only show
animals from the side?
![Page 52: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
Write this down!
Image source: http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-6322985-farm-animal-silhouette-collection.php
“Only the profile view is completely informative about the animal's shape." (Gardner's Art Through the Ages, p. 3)
![Page 53: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
Poor guy! He only has two
legs!
![Page 54: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
Twisted PerspectiveAnother technique that was used is called twisted perspective
Second Bull, Great Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00_07.xml
![Page 55: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
Second Bull, Great Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00_07.xml
The head is shown from the side, but the horns are twisted to the front – so we are sing a combination of two different viewpoints
![Page 56: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
It is based on what the painter knew to be true (a conceptual image), rather than on whatWas actually seen (optical perspective)
![Page 57: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/57.jpg)
Common Subjects So what is the dominant subject matter ofPaleolithic art?
Doris Day in Teachers Pet (1958)Image source: http://www.dorisday.net/teacher_s_pet.html
Focus Questions
![Page 58: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
Common Subjects
So far, we have seen only animals and
women . . .
![Page 59: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)
Common SubjectsWhat – no men?
Image source: http://unclestinky.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/caveman-must-wash/
![Page 60: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/60.jpg)
Common Subjects Men are actually RARE in Paleolithic art!
Doris Day in Teachers Pet (1958)Image source: http://www.dorisday.net/teacher_s_pet.html
Focus Questions
![Page 61: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/61.jpg)
The Well SceneThe Well Scene is located in a remote part of the Lascaux cave
It includes a rare representation of a man
The Shaft Scene, Lascaux
![Page 62: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/62.jpg)
The Shaft Scene, Lascaux
The man is just a stick figure, and appears to be threatened by a wounded Bison
![Page 63: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/63.jpg)
The Shaft Scene, Lascaux
The scene is rare because it represents a man, AND because it actually suggestsa narrative story!
![Page 64: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/64.jpg)
Subject MatterThe so-called Unicorn panel in the Hall of Bulls at Lascaux may also be a representation of a man in animal costume
The Unicorn, Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00_00.xml
![Page 65: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/65.jpg)
![Page 66: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/66.jpg)
ChauvetDiscovered in 1994Oldest cave to be discovered
Chauvet Pont d’Arcc. 30,000-28,000 BCE or 15,000-13,000 BCE
![Page 67: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/67.jpg)
Sophisticated techniques include the use of shading to create the illusion of 3D volume, And over-lapping to create perspective and depth
![Page 68: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/68.jpg)
Animals also engage with one another, rather than being placed randomly (as in theFighting rhinos seen here), thus creating the effect of a “narrative” scene (rare in
Paleolithic art)
![Page 69: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/69.jpg)
Predatory animals are also dominant (they were rare in the other caves), and the use ofrepetition and overlapping creates the effect of movement over time
![Page 70: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/70.jpg)
Virtual Tours
http://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php#/en/00.xml
http://www.culture.gouv.fr/fr/arcnat/chauvet/en/
![Page 71: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/71.jpg)
Focus Questions1. When/where did art begin?2. Who made it?3. What kind of subject matter was
common in Paleolithic art, and why?
4. What are the common formal/stylistic characteristics of Paleolithic art?
5. What was the purpose or meaning of Paleolithic art?
Are we finished?
Doris Day in Teachers Pet (1958)Image source: http://www.dorisday.net/teacher_s_pet.html
Focus Questions
![Page 72: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/72.jpg)
It looks like nobody really knows – its all just theories
No! We still have to explain why they made it and what it
means
![Page 73: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/73.jpg)
'Some archaeologists think that it is impossible to know what rock art means and that the researcher's role is to study motifs and techniques, try to date the works, establish as far as possible whether these images were structurally linked, but not attempt to interpret them. From their point of view, we are faced with a choice: either say nothing at all about meaning, or make up stories that might seem interesting but would lack any objective, scientific basis.’Dr. Jean Clottes, “World Rock Art,” 2002http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/chauvet_cave_paintings.php
![Page 74: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/74.jpg)
Interpretation of MeaningWhy did they make it and what did it mean?
![Page 75: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/75.jpg)
Art for Art SakeCave paintings were made for “decoration”
Image source: http://blog.cartoonbank.com/2009/12/04/joie-de-vivre/
![Page 76: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/76.jpg)
Art for Art Sake1. People didn’t live in caves2. Caves are dark3. Considerable effort to make them
Jack Unruh, National Geographic illustrationhttp://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/09/07/mysteries_of_prehistoric_rock/
![Page 77: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/77.jpg)
Theories of Interpretation
“Other scholars have suggested that the prehistoric hunters attributed magical properties to the images they painted and sculpted." (Gardner's Art Through the Ages, p. 20)
Image source: http://theimpactnews.com/retired-columnists/ytk/2013/06/02/movie-now-you-see-me/
![Page 78: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/78.jpg)
Sympathetic MagicTheory originated by Abbe Henri Breuil
Based on the principle of “like produces like”
Image source: http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/?p=3662
![Page 79: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/79.jpg)
“What is done to the properly made image of an object is done to that object itself, as when a sorcerer sticks pins in a doll resembling his victim in an effort to destroy him. By making images of animals penetrated by spears, the cave hunters were attempting to kill the animals the images resembled, or, more precisely, to render the game susceptible to being killing by hunting parties.”Hunting Magic and Abbe Breuil Second Bull, Great Hall of Bulls, Lascaux
Photo credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00_07.xml
![Page 80: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/80.jpg)
Sympathetic Magic1. Create an image of an animal2. “Kill” it3. Then go out and hunt
Second Bull, Great Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00_07.xml
![Page 81: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/81.jpg)
Many of the paintings appear to have spears or arrows
![Page 82: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/82.jpg)
Trouble is – these aren’t the animals they ate! They ate mostly fish and reindeer!
![Page 83: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/83.jpg)
Sympathetic Magic1. Hunting Magic – brings luck in the
Hunt2. Fertility Magic – ensures survival
of the species and the herds
Venus of Willendorf, c. 28,000-25,000 BCE
![Page 84: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/84.jpg)
Third Chinese Horse, Axial GalleryPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_02_00_08.xml
Images of pregnant horses support the theory of Fertility Magic
![Page 85: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/85.jpg)
ShamanismA recent theory is that cave paintings were created as part of shamanistic rituals
Jean Clottes and David Lewis-Williams, The Shamans of Prehistory, 1998
![Page 86: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/86.jpg)
ShamanismBased on ethnographic comparison with the San people of Africa
San healing ritual, Bradshaw Foundationhttp://www.bradshawfoundation.com/rari/page3.php
“Noting the similarity of prehistoric rock art with that created by some contemporary traditional societies, archaeologists Jean Clottes and David Lewis-Williams suggest that the ancient images were created by shamans, powerful individuals who were able to contact the spirit world through trance and ritual.”http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/books/shamans_of_prehistory.php
![Page 87: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/87.jpg)
ShamanismShamanism would explain the Unicorn at Lascaux, and the “Sorcerer” from the cave at Trois-Freres
The Unicorn, Hall of Bulls, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_01_00_00.xml
![Page 88: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/88.jpg)
Questioning AssumptionsBeware of cultural biases informing our understanding of “magic” and “shamanism”
Ruairi Robinson, Caveman, CG model for Canadian Milk Adhttp://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=3099&page=
![Page 89: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/89.jpg)
Signs of IntelligenceThe people who painted the caves had the same brain capacity as us
![Page 90: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/90.jpg)
Signs of IntelligenceAlexander Marshack studied the Blanchard Bone
The Blanchard Bone, c. 25,000-32,000 BCE carved segment of reindeer bone found in the Blanchard rock shelter, FranceImage source: http://donsmaps.com/cavepaintings.html
![Page 91: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/91.jpg)
Signs of IntelligenceHe discovered it is a lunar calendar accurately charting the phases of the moon for a 3 month period
http://www.mstrmnd.com/files/marshackblanchard.JPG
![Page 92: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/92.jpg)
Why would that be Important?
![Page 93: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/93.jpg)
It means they could predict the change
of seasons and when the animals would begin their
migrations
Which means they could have
control over their
environment
![Page 94: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/94.jpg)
Seasonal CalendarsSeasonal calendars indicate under-standing of seasonal cycles and migration habits of animals
Alexander Marshack, “Exploring the Mind of Ice Age Man,” National Geographic
![Page 95: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/95.jpg)
The markings on this bone all indicate things that happen in Spring
![Page 96: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/96.jpg)
Star MapsDr. Michael Rappenglueck proposes that many of the “dots” that appear on Lascaux cave painting are actually star maps that correlate with constellations
![Page 97: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/97.jpg)
Theories of InterpretationOthers suggest that the lines, dots, meanders, and tectiforms represent an early form of writing
“Perhaps they had special symbols for special ceremonies, or they may have been associated with the telling of special.”http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1251766/Previously-dismissed-doodles-French-caves-mans-attempts-write.html
![Page 98: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/98.jpg)
StructuralismAndré Leroi-Gourhan determined that the placement of animals was not random – certain animals tend to appear in certain places
Note the high frequency of bison-horse pairs in the open part of the galleries (B, D, G), the presence of mammoths in the transitional areas, and that of bears and representations of men in the turning passages.
![Page 99: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/99.jpg)
The Sistine Chapel of PrehistoryNorbert Aujoulet proposes that animals in caves follow a sequence that corresponds to the changing seasons
Image source: http://www.american-buddha.com/lascauxtoc.htm
![Page 100: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/100.jpg)
The Sistine Chapel of PrehistoryAnimals are depicted with identifiable seasonal attributes, and behaviors specific to mating season
Horses – early springAurochs – summerStags - Autumn
http://www.american-buddha.com/lascaux.6e.htm#Chronology_of_Parietal_Events
![Page 101: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/101.jpg)
These two bison are seen in their summer and winter coat
Does the image suggest the direction of their seasonal migration?
The Crossed Bison, The Nave, LascauxPhoto credit : N. Aujoulat © MCC-CNPhttp://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?fichier=02_04_00_09.xml
![Page 102: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/102.jpg)
Theories of InterpretationWere caves classrooms?
Spotted horses and negative hand prints, Pech-Merle, France, c. 22,000 BCE
![Page 103: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/103.jpg)
Theories of InterpretationWas Lascaux the Sistine Chapel of prehistory?
Michelangelo, Sistine Ceiling, The Vatican, Rome
![Page 104: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/104.jpg)
Theories of InterpretationWere the calendars made by women charting their menstrual cycles?
![Page 105: 1.1 Paleolithic Art 2015](https://reader037.vdocument.in/reader037/viewer/2022102712/55c3c553bb61eb535c8b4638/html5/thumbnails/105.jpg)
Theories of InterpretationOr was it just graffitti?
© www.CartoonStock.com