08/31/2022
ARTH 1301: Prehistoric Art in the Paleolithic Period
Quizzes 0 Some due September 2nd
Stonehenge Assignment 0 Due September 7th
Formal Analysis Packet o Read everything in it
"Paleolithic" o Latin Means "old stone"
Time Periods o Austral rock art may be as old as 50,000 BC O In Europe Paleolithic (50,000 BC - 8,000 BC) Cave art, mammoth bone shelter, female figurines, string, incised bones, Shamanism Examples: "Venus" of Willendorf, "Venus" of Laussel, cave paintings at Chauvet and Lascaux in France Mesolithic (8,000 BC - 6,000/4,000 BC) Bow, arrow, some pottery, wood, plant domestication (which led to agriculture)
Paleolithic Female Figurines of Fertility o Example: Woman ("Venus") of Willendorf - From Willendorf, Austria - Limestone carving, in-the-round, 4 and 3/8" height Circa 24,000 BC o Found from south of France to Turkey Images of men on caves to depict hunts and small figurines of women as sculptures
Plan of Lascaux (15,000 BC) O Largest cave structure found 01,600 paintings (handprints of children and more) o 1,500 engravings
Hall of Bulls (15,000 BC) Lascaux, Dordogne, France Lascaux caves discovered in 1905, early 1900s o Caves became introduced to humans and the elements after thousands of years
08/31/2022
o In 1964, Lascaux cave with the Hall of Bulls was closed Today, there's a reproduction that's vivid and accurate Lots of layering - To create perspective? No. -Different groups came to make art on the walls. But why? : Generations make art and depict which animals are in season We see broken spears, rope, and chip marks . Spears thrown at paintings, perhaps to symbolize that the kill will happen outside of the cave Lascaux bulls have composite pose : Shown in profile Both horns shown Turning of animal like this is called a "composite pose" Signals thought and attention to detail o Limestone canvas o Pigments Colored powders made from organic substances (plants, animals) or inorganic substances (minerals, stones) Black pigment was made from either manganese dioxide or charcoal o Binder or medium - Binds pigment together and to canvas as well - Included animal fat, veggie juices, water, urine, or blood No paint brushes found - Pigment applied with fingers, moss, matted fur
Plan of Altamira (12,500 BC) o Found by accident o Spain o Has bison art 3D effect of bison is achieved using wall contours Horns turned to face the viewer o Also has human hands, horned owls, bears, dots - Dots may be a rudimentary language or number system
Apollo 2 Cave South Africa, specifically Drakensberg o Open-mouthed cave o Herds of animals on walls: Game Pass Shelter Legally protected o Has people moving (maybe a shaman) and animals
Other Art o Bird-headed man with bison in Lascaux cave o Much art has connection with spirits and divine during these periods o Num: Personal energy or potency that a community can ac