Cave Art PowerPoint

1. ART 4123 WA01B Art History: Ancient to Renaissance

2. Paleolithic Art

3. Paleolithic is a word that comes from the two Greek
words palaios, meaning old, and lithos, meaning
stone. This period is also referred to as Old Stone
Age.
Why is this time in history the Stone Age?
It is characterized by the use of chipped stone tools.
During this time in history, humans used stone to
make tools was used as part of the actual tool.

4. Venus of Willendorf

5. Venus of Willendorf 28,000-25000 , limestone 4 -1/2”
The Venus of Willendorf was thought to be associated
fertility. There is speculation to the purpose of these
images because of the belief that depictions of nude
women with exaggerated sexual features
represented childbirth and motherhood.
Though a head is present, the only detail to be seen is
a pattern representing a braid or cap; there are no
facial features. Feet too are missing and were
probably never part of the overall design.

6. Bison – 15,000-10,000 BC

7. Bison – 15,000-10,000 BC
Unfired and inspired by rock formation.
The bison are sculpted in clay and were found placed
on the rock formation in the middle of a small
chamber of the cave. This area of placement would
indicate they were important.
The male bison is depicted as following the female.

8. Spotted Horse and
Negative Hand Imprints

9. Spotted Horse and Negative Hand Imprints – ca 22,000
BCE
The Location of the Spotted Horse and Negative
Hand Imprints were found at a cave, Pech-Merle,
France
Material/Technique: Wall painting
The horses are depicted in strict profiles and may
have been inspired by the rock formation. It is
thought that the artist may have been trying to convey
that humans and animals share a world.
The horse is 11 ft tall, from tail to head. The hand
imprint was created by placing it on the wall and
pigment was then blown around it to create a negative
image.

10. 1-01
Excerpted from Meggs’ History of Graphic Design, Fourth Edition. Copyright 2005, All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cave painting from Lascaux

11. Cave painting from Lascaux, c. 15,000 - 10,000 B.C.
Random placement and shifting scale signify
prehistoric people’s lack of structure and sequence in
recording their experiences.

12. Unknown, Rhinoceros, wounded
man, disemboweled bison

13. Unknown, Rhinoceros, wounded man, disemboweled
bison, ca. 15,000-13,000 B.C.E., Paleolithic cave
Perhaps the most perplexing painting in all the
Paleolithic caves shows a man, a rhinoceros, and a
wounded bison. Researchers can be sure of nothing,
but if the figures were placed beside each other to tell
a story, then this is evidence for the creation of
complex narrative compositions involving humans
and animals at a much earlier date than previously
imagined.
This ancient cave painting is located in the Paleolithic
cave at Lascaux, France. It is significant as it is one
of the earliest paintings in prehistoric art where it
depicts the image of a man; furthermore, it also
depicts a man together with an animal in an artwork.

14. Deer Hunt detail

15. Deer Hunt detail of a Neolithic wall painting from level
III, Catal Hoyuk, Turkey, ca. 5750 BCE.
This cave painting depicts a deer hunt, and shows
humans are composed in frontal and profile positions.

16. Plaster Painted with
inlaid cowrie shell

17. Plaster Painted w/ inlaid cowrie shell - 6750-6250 bc
Plaster painted w/ inlaid cowrie shell 3’5/8
Several statuettes were found marking the beginning
of monumental sculpture in the history of art.

18. References
Meggs, P. B., & Purvis, A. W. (2016). Meggs History
of Design.
Clottes, J. (2008). Cave art (9780714845920).
Phaidon Press.