Thoughts on the evolution of art and when art began to be a part of everyday life, ways to help you better understand and appreciate artwork, and how art has developed over the years. How has Art History evolved? How have different types of art developed? What is the history of artwork? All these questions are answered at The Evolution of Artwork, a blog about the development of Art History.
Open your eyes to the world of artwork, from cave paintings to modern art. Learn about the history and development of different types of artwork, as well as what makes some art more valuable than others. Find out about artists and their work, including old masters and modern artists.
Learn more about this fascinating topic at The Evolution of Artwork .
Throughout art history there are many different styles that have been left behind. Whether it is a style of painting or a sculpture, all of them have one thing in common: they were created by humans. The evolution of art can be summed up as the development of style, technique and form.
The earliest known artwork dates back to about 35,000 BC. This type of artwork consists mainly of cave paintings which were discovered in France. This date is based on the radiocarbon dating method; which measures the decay rate of radioactive carbon isotopes 14C (Carbon-14). The next period in the evolution of artwork is called the paleolithic period, from approximately 10,000 BC until 4500 BC. It includes cave paintings found in Spain and France. This period also includes the early pottery made by hunter-gatherers before they started farming. The next period in the evolution of artwork is called the neolithic period; roughly 4500 BC – 2000 BC. It includes various sculptures including statues, masks and vessels and paintings found in places such as Malta, Jordan and Syria. The final period in the evolution of artwork is called prehistoric times; 2000 BC – 100 AD. It includes sculptures such as Venus figurines which portray goddesses and gods, as well as
The evolution of art is a matter of both science and history. We think of evolution as strictly a biological process, but art has also evolved. The development of artistic styles over time can be traced.
Art evolves in a similar way to biological evolution. It begins with the emergence of new forms and gradually develops into more complex and more sophisticated forms.
The origins of art are not entirely clear. Although there is evidence of artistic expression in early humans, the first known artistic creations are those found at Neanderthal sites dating back to around 35,000 BCE. These early works were rudimentary and consisted mainly of small carvings and cave paintings. The purpose behind these works is unknown, though some scientists believe that they were used for shamanistic purposes or may have been connected to religious rituals.
How did the earliest forms of art evolve into the complex styles that we see today? Art evolved along with humanity’s technological advances and its understanding of the world around it. For example, as humans evolved into agricultural societies, they began to develop farming-related artwork. This was manifested in pottery with geometric designs painted on it as well as animal figurines used as religious symbols or dioramas depicting farming life. As humans developed into urbanized societies, they became increasingly aware of their
ART IS AN important part of every society, and its importance seems to have remained constant throughout history. The earliest human beings made pictures, and they are now among the most valuable objects in existence. In the last fifty years or so interest in prehistory has burgeoned. This has led to a considerable re-evaluation of the art of those remote periods.
Tribal art was almost always intensely symbolic. Certain objects were used for certain occasions, like decorations for a headdress or a belt; weapons were decorated for war; and so on. They were symbols as well as useful objects, and so it makes sense that they were also often religious symbols, like the Anasazi sun god petroglyphs in America (see panel 1). It is also possible that prehistoric artists simply enjoyed making a range of different things and enjoyed experimenting with different ideas.
Some tribal art has always been quite sophisticated: the Australian Aboriginal rock paintings are highly complex (see panel 2), but the pictures are not just decorative: they tell stories about the Dreamtime, when all living things came into being. The painting that shows a man’s tracks crossing a large pool of water suggests that he came back again afterwards—it tells us that he was an ancestor who had come back
The history of art is full of fascinating people and periods, and many different styles. The history of art is also a style as it has a beginning and an end.
Towards the end of the 18th century there was a definite shift in the imagery that was used in painting. The paintings became more realistic, more detailed and more extravagant. There was even a movement which made art accessible to everyone by using basic shapes and colors. This movement is known as “The Barbizon School”.
The Barbizon school was located in the forest of Barbizon, France. It was founded around 1830 by Jean Francois Millet, Charles Daubigny, Narcisse Diaz de la Pena and Constant Troyon. They sought to portray nature with greater realism than had been seen previously.
However, the idea of art is actually much more complex than it seems. Though most of us seem to believe that art is what we see in museums and galleries, this does not truly represent the entirety of art. Art can be found everywhere, from a beautiful piece of music to an interesting piece of machinery.
The fact that we use the word “art” so frequently can be traced back to its original meaning, which came from the Latin word “ars,” which means skill or knowledge. It was then later altered in the 14th century to make “art.” The reason for this was because people were using the words “craft” and “art” interchangeably.
Celtic Art is art produced during the Iron Age and Early Medieval period of Celtic culture, in Europe. The Celts spanned several centuries and many countries with various styles, though the best known is that of Ireland, Britain and France.
Towards the end of the first millennium BC a new form of art emerged in central Europe that would shortly spread to the areas occupied by Celtic speakers. This was Celtic art.
Celtic art is mostly known from archaeological finds, but from these we can identify four distinct styles: La Tene in Switzerland, especially at Lake Neuchâtel; Insular (or “Celtic”) art in Ireland and Britain; Art Nouveau in France; and Broighter Style in Northern Ireland.
Scattered examples appear to show a fusion of the styles, especially in metalwork, sometimes near what appears to have been a stylistic boundary between neighbouring cultures.