Art History Timeline: Western Art

Movements and Their Impact

Fresco painting in St. Charles's church in
Vienna
Estimated Reading Time:  12 minutes
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Last updated:  04.12.19

The foundation of art history can be

traced back tens of thousands of years to
when ancient civilizations used available
techniques and media to depict culturally
significant subject matter. Since these
early examples, a plethora of art
movements have followed, each bearing
their own distinct styles and
characteristics that reflect the political
and social influences of the period from
which they emerged.

Influential genres of art from the

Renaissance to the rise
of Modernism have undoubtedly made
their mark on history. With many artists
today like Banksy, Kerry James
Marshall, Mickalene Thomas,
and Kehinde Wiley consistently infusing
art historical references into
contemporary works, understanding the
historical context and significance of
each period and movement is critical for
collectors and art enthusiasts alike.
Below is a comprehensive art movements
timeline that explores the characteristics,
leading contributors, and important
influences of each prominent period in the
history of Western art.

A Concise Timeline of
WESTERN
ART
HISTORY
Click on the genres below to learn
more about key characteristics and
leading contributors of Western art’s
pivotal periods.

1. Prehistoric Art~40,000–
4,000 B.C.
Lascaux cave paintings, Paleolithic era

2. Ancient Art30,000 B.C.–A.D.

400
Mesopotamia, Code of Hammurabi, 1754 B.C.

3. MedievalA.D. 500–A.D. 1400

Cimabue, Crucifix, 1288

4. Renaissance1400–1600
Raphael, The School of Athens, 1511

5. Mannerism1527–1580
Bronzino, Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time, 1540

6. Baroque1600–1750
Caravaggio, The Calling of St Matthew, 1600
7. Rococo1699–1780
Antoine Watteau, Embarkation for Cythera,
1718

8. Neoclassicism1750–1850
Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon Crossing the
Alps, 1801

9. Romanticism1780–1850
William Blake, The Ghost of a Flea, 1820

10. Realism1848–1900
Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners, 1857

11. Art Nouveau1890–1910

Alphonse Mucha, Princess Hyacinth, 1911

12. Impressionism1865–1885
Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1899

13.Post-
Impressionism1885–1910
Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the
Island of La Grande Jatte, 1886
14. Fauvism1900–1935
Henri Matisse, Woman with a Hat, 1905

15. Expressionism1905–1920
Edvard Munch, The Dance of Life, 1900

16. Cubism1907–1914
Georges Braque, Violin and Palette, 1909

17. Surrealism1917–1950
René Magritte, The Son of Man, 1964

18.Abstract
Expressionism1940–1950s
Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm (Number 30),
1950

19. Op Art1950s–1960s
Bridget Riley, Blaze, 1964

20. Pop Art1950s–1960s

Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962

21. Arte Povera1960s

Mario Merz, Giap’s Igloo, 1968
 22. Minimalism1960s–1970s
Frank Stella, Black Series I, 1967

23. Conceptual Artmid-

1960s–mid-1970s
Joseph Kosuth, One and Three Chairs, 1965

24. Contemporary Art1970–

present
Jeff Koons, Michael Jackson and Bubbles, 1988

Prehistoric Art (~40,000–4,000

B.C.)
The origins of art history can be traced
back to the Prehistoric era, before written
records were kept. The earliest artifacts
come from the Paleolithic era, or the Old
Stone Age, in the form of rock carvings,
engravings, pictorial imagery, sculptures,
and stone arrangements.
Art from this period relied on the use
of natural pigments and stone carvings
to create representations of objects,
animals, and rituals that governed a
civilization’s existence. One of the most
famous examples is that of the Paleolithic
cave paintings found in the complex caves
of Lascaux in France. Though discovered
in 1940, they’re estimated to be up to
20,000 years old and depict large animals
and vegetation from the area.

Ancient Art (4,000 B.C.–A.D.

400)

Unknown, Code of Hammurabi, circa 1792

and circa 1750 B.C. Image via Wikimedia
Commons.
Ancient art was produced by advanced
civilizations, which in this case refers to
those with an established written
language. These civilizations included
Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and those
of the Americas.
The medium of a work of art from this
period varies depending on the civilization
that produced it, but most art served
similar purposes: to tell stories, decorate
utilitarian objects like bowls and
weapons, display religious and symbolic
imagery, and demonstrate social status.
Many works depict stories of rulers, gods,
and goddesses.

One of the most famous works from

ancient Mesopotamia is the Code of
Hammurabi. Created around 1792 B.C., the
piece bears a Babylonian set of laws
carved in stone, adorned by an image of
King Hammurabi—the sixth King of
Babylonia—and the Mesopotamian
god, Shabash.

Medieval Art (500–1400)

 Simone Martini. Sold for $4,114,500
via Sotheby’s (January 2012).
The Middle Ages, often referred to as the
“Dark Ages,” marked a period of economic
and cultural deterioration following the
fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. Much
of the artwork produced in the early years
of the period reflects that darkness,
characterized by grotesque imagery and
brutal scenery. Art produced during this
time was centered around the Church. As
the first millennium passed, more
sophisticated and elaborately decorated
churches emerged; windows and
silhouettes were adorned with biblical
subjects and scenes from classical
mythology.

This period was also responsible for the

emergence of the illuminated
manuscript and Gothic
architecture style. Definitive examples of
influential art from this period include the
catacombs in Rome, Hagia Sophia in
Istanbul, the Lindisfarne Gospels, one of
the best-known examples of the
illuminated manuscript, and Notre Dame,
a Parisian cathedral and prominent
example of Gothic architecture.

Renaissance Art (1400–1600)

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbin, The School of

Athens, 1511. Image via Wikimedia
Commons.
This style of painting, sculpture,
and decorative art was characterized by
a focus on nature and individualism, the
thought of man as independent and self-
reliant. Though these ideals were present
in the late Medieval period, they flourished
in the 15th and 16th centuries, paralleling
social and economic changes like
secularization.
The Renaissance reached its height in
Florence, Italy, due in large part to the
Medici, a wealthy merchant family who
adamantly supported the arts
and humanism, a variety of beliefs and
philosophies that places emphasis on the
human realm. Italian designer Filippo
Brunelleschi and sculptor Donatello were
key innovators during this period.
The High Renaissance, which lasted from
1490 to 1527, produced influential artists
such as da Vinci, Michelangelo, and
Raphael, each of whom brought creative
power and spearheaded ideals of
emotional expression. Artwork throughout
the Renaissance was characterized by
realism, attention to detail, and precise
study of human anatomy. Artists used
linear perspective and created depth
through intense lighting and shading. Art
began to change stylistically shortly after
the High Renaissance, when clashes
between the Christian faith and humanism
gave way to Mannerism.

Mannerism (1527–1580)
 Follower of Giorgio Vasari, The Holy Family,
17th century. Offered for €6,000 – 8,000
via Artcurial (May 2010).
Mannerist artists emerged from the ideals
of Michelangelo, Raphael, and other Late
Renaissance artists, but their focus on
style and technique outweighed the
meaning of the subject matter. Often,
figures had graceful, elongated limbs,
small heads, stylized features and
exaggerated details. This yielded more
complex, stylized compositions rather
than relying on the classical ideals of
harmonious composition and linear
perspective used by their Renaissance
predecessors.

Some of the most celebrated Mannerist

artists include Giorgio Vasari, Francesco
Salviati, Domenico Beccafumi, and
Bronzino, who is widely considered to be
the most important Mannerist painter in
Florence during his time.
Baroque (1600–1750)

Caravaggio, The Calling of Saint Matthew,

circa 1599-1600. Image via Wikimedia
Commons.
The Baroque period that followed
Mannerism yielded ornate, over-the-top
visual arts and architecture. It was
characterized by grandeur and richness,
punctuated by an interest in broadening
human intellect and global discovery.
Baroque artists were stylistically
complex.
Baroque paintings were characterized by
drama, as seen in the iconic works of
Italian painter Caravaggio and Dutch
painter Rembrandt. Painters used an
intense contrast between light and dark
and had energetic compositions matched
by rich color palettes.

Rococo (1699–1780)
 Antoine Watteau, The Embarkation for
Cythera 1717. Image via Wikimedia
Commons.
Rococo originated in Paris, encompassing
decorative art, painting, architecture, and
sculpture. The aesthetic offered a softer
style of decorative art compared to
Baroque’s exuberance. Rococo is
characterized by lightness and elegance,
focusing on the use of natural forms,
asymmetrical design, and subtle colors.

Painters like Antoine Watteau and

Francois Boucher used lighthearted
treatments, rich brushwork, and fresh
colors. The Rococo style also easily
translated to silver, porcelain,
and French furniture. Many chairs and
armoires featured curving forms, floral
designs, and an expressive use of gilt.

Neoclassicism (1750–1850)
 Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon Crossing the
Alps, 1801. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
As its name suggests, the Neoclassical
period drew upon elements from classical
antiquity. Archaeological ruins of ancient
civilizations in Athens and Naples that
were discovered at the time reignited a
passion for all things past, and artists
strove to recreate the great works of
ancient art. This translated to a renewed
interest in classical ideals of harmony,
simplicity, and proportion.

Neoclassical artists were influenced by

classical elements; in particular, a focus
on idealism. Inevitably, they also included
modern, historically relevant depictions in
their works. For example, Italian sculptor
Antonio Canova drew upon classical
elements in his marble sculptures, but
avoided the cold artificiality that was
represented in many of these early
creations.
Romanticism (1780–1850)

William Blake, The Descent of Man into the

Vale of Death. Sold for $225,000
via Sotheby’s (January 2016).
Romanticism embodies a broad range of
disciplines, from painting to music to
literature. The ideals present in each of
these art forms reject order, harmony, and
rationality, which were embraced in both
classical art and Neoclassicism. Instead,
Romantic artists emphasized the
individual and imagination. Another
defining Romantic ideal was an
appreciation for nature, with many turning
to plein air painting, which brought artists
out of dark interiors and enabled them to
paint outside. Artists also focused on
passion, emotion, and sensation over
intellect and reason.
Prominent Romantic painters include
Henry Fuseli, who created strange,
macabre paintings that explored the dark
recesses of human psychology,
and William Blake, whose mysterious
poems and images conveyed mystical
visions and his disappointment in societal
constraints.

Realism (1848–1900)

Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners, 1857.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Arguably the first modern art movement,
Realism, began in France in the 1840s.
Realism was a result of multiple events:
the anti-Romantic movement in Germany,
the rise of journalism, and the advent of
photography. Each inspired new interest
in accurately capturing everyday life. This
attention to accuracy is evident in art
produced during the movement, which
featured detailed, life-like depictions of
subject matter.
One of the most influential leaders of the
Realist movement is Gustave Courbet, a
French artist committed to painting only
what he could physically see.

Art Nouveau (1890–1910)

Alphonse Mucha, Princess Hyazinthe, 1911.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Art Nouveau, which translates to “New
Art,” attempted to create an entirely
authentic movement free from any
imitation of styles that preceded it. This
movement heavily influenced applied arts,
graphics, and illustration. It focused on
the natural world, characterized by long,
sinuous lines and curves.
Influential Art Nouveau artists worked in
a variety of media, including architecture,
graphic and interior design, jewelry-
making, and painting. Czechoslovakian
graphic designer Alphonse Mucha is
best-known for his theatrical posters of
French actress Sarah Bernhardt. Spanish
architect and sculptor Antoni Gaudi went
beyond focusing on lines to create
curving, brightly-colored constructions
like that of the Basilica de la Sagrada
Familia in Barcelona.

Impressionism (1865–1885)

Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Impressionist painters sought to capture
the immediate impression of a particular
moment. This was characterized by short,
quick brushstrokes and an unfinished,
sketch-like feel. Impressionist artists used
modern life as their subject matter,
painting situations like dance halls and
sailboat regattas rather than historical
and mythological events.
Claude Monet, a French artist who
spearheaded the idea of expressing one’s
perceptions before nature, is virtually
synonymous with the Impressionist
movement. His notable works include The
Water Lily Pond (1899), Woman with a
Parasol (1875), and Impression,
Sunrise (1872), from which the name of
the movement itself is derived.

Post-Impressionism (1885–
1910)

George Seurat, A Sunday on the Island of La

Grande Jatte, 1884. Image via Wikimedia
Commons.
Post-Impressionist painters worked
independently rather than as a group, but
each influential Post-Impressionist painter
had similar ideals. They concentrated on
subjective visions and symbolic, personal
meanings rather than observations of the
outside world. This was often achieved
through abstract forms.
Post-Impressionist painters include
Georges Seurat, noted for
his pointillism technique that used small,
distinct dots to form an image. Vincent
van Gogh is also considered a Post-
Impressionist painter, searching for
personal expression through his art, often
through rugged brushstrokes and dark
tones.

Fauvism (1900–1935)

Henri Matisse, Woman With a Hat, 1905.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Led by Henri Matisse, Fauvism built upon
examples from Vincent van Gogh and
George Seurat. As the first avant-garde,
20th-century movement, this style was
characterized by expressive use of
intense color, line, and brushwork, a bold
sense of surface design, and flat
composition.
As seen in many of the works of Matisse
himself, the separation of color from its
descriptive, representational purpose was
one of the core elements that shaped this
movement. Fauvism was an important
precursor of Cubism and Expressionism.

Expressionism (1905–1920)

Edvard Munch, The Dance of Life, 1899.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Expressionism emerged as a response to
increasingly conflicted world views and
the loss of spirituality. Expressionist art
sought to draw from within the artist,
using a distortion of form and strong
colors to display anxieties and raw
emotions. Expressionist painters, in a
quest for authenticity, looked for
inspiration beyond that of Western art and
frequented ethnographic museums to
revisit native folk traditions and tribal art.
The roots of Expressionism can be traced
to Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch,
and James Ensor. Prominent groups
including Die Brücke (The Bridge) and Der
Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) formed so
artists could publish works and express
their ideals collectively.

Cubism (1907–1914)

Violin and Palette, Georges Braque, 1909.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Cubism was established by Pablo
Picasso and Georges Braque, who
rejected the concept that art should copy
nature. They moved away from traditional
techniques and perspectives; instead,
they created radically fragmented objects
through abstraction. Many Cubist
painters’ works are marked by flat, two-
dimensional surfaces, geometric forms or
“cubes” of objects, and multiple vantage
points. Often, their subjects weren’t even
discernible.

Surrealism (1916–1950)

René Magritte, The Son of Man, 1964. Image

via Wikipedia.
Surrealism emerged from the Dada
art movement in 1916, showcasing works
of art that defied reason. Surrealists
denounced the rationalist mindset. They
blamed this thought process on events
like World War I and believed it to repress
imaginative thoughts. Surrealists were
influenced by Karl Marx and theories
developed by Sigmund Freud, who
explored psychoanalysis and the power of
imagination.
Influential Surrealist artists like Salvador
Dalí tapped into the unconscious mind to
depict revelations found on the street and
in everyday life. Dalí’s paintings in
particular pair vivid and bizarre dreams
with historical accuracy.

Abstract Expressionism
(1940s–1950s)
Shaped by the legacy of Surrealism,
Abstract Expressionism emerged in New
York after WWII. It’s often referred to as
the New York School or action painting.
These painters and abstract
sculptors broke away from what was
considered conventional, and instead
used spontaneity and improvisation to
create abstract works of art. This
included colossally-scaled works whose
size could no longer be accommodated by
an easel. Instead, canvases would be
placed directly upon the floor.
Celebrated Abstract Expressionist
painters include Jackson Pollock, known
for his unique style of drip painting,
and Mark Rothko, whose paintings
employed large blocks of color to convey
a sense of spirituality.

Op Art (1950s–1960s)
Heightened by advances in science and
technology as well as an interest in
optical effects and illusions, the Op art
(short for “optical” art) movement
launched with Le Mouvement, a group
exhibition at Galerie Denise Rene in 1955.
Artists active in this style used shapes,
colors, and patterns to create images that
appeared to be moving or blurring, often
produced in black and white for maximum
contrast. These abstract patterns were
meant to both confuse and excite the eye.
English artist Bridget Riley is one of the
most prominent Op Art practitioners. Her
1964 artwork Blaze features zigzag black
and white lines that create the illusion of
a circular decent.

Pop Art (1950s–1960s)

 Andy Warhol. Sold for $17,327,500
via Sotheby’s (May 1998).
Pop art is one of the most recognizable
artistic developments of the 20th century.
The movement transitioned away from
methods used in Abstract Expressionism,
and instead used everyday, mundane
objects to create innovative works of art
that challenged consumerism and mass
media. This introduction to identifiable
imagery was a shift from the direction of
modernism.
Pop artists like Andy Warhol and Roy
Lichtenstein sought to establish the idea
that art can draw from any source and
there is no hierarchy of culture to disrupt
that. Perhaps the most famous pop culture
work of art is Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup
Cans production.

Arte Povera (1960s)

Translating literally to “poor art,” Arte
Povera challenged modernist,
contemporary systems by infusing
commonplace materials into creations.
Artists used soil, rocks, paper, rope, and
other earthen elements to evoke a pre-
industrial sentiment. As a result, many of
the notable works during this movement
are sculptural.

Italian artist Mario Merz, in conjunction

with other Italian artists such as Giovanni
Anselmo and Alighiero Boetti, created
anti-elitist works by drawing upon
materials from everyday life. His
1968 Giap’s Igloo, one of what would soon
become his signature series of igloos,
focused on his occupations with the
necessities of life: shelter, warmth, and
food.

Minimalism (1960s–1970s)
The Minimalist movement emerged in New
York as a group of younger artists began
to question the overly expressive works of
Abstract Expressionist artists. Minimalist
art instead focused on anonymity, calling
attention to the materiality of works.
Artists urged viewers to focus on
precisely what was in front of them, rather
than draw parallels to outside realities
and emotive thoughts through the use of
purified forms, order, simplicity, and
harmony.
American artist Frank Stella was of the
earliest adopters of Minimalism, producing
nonrepresentational paintings, as seen in
his Black Paintings completed between
1958 and 1960. Each features a pattern of
rectilinear stripes of uniform width printed
in metallic black ink.

Conceptual Art (1960s–1970s)

Conceptual art completely rejected
previous art movements, and artists
prized ideas over visual components,
creating art in the from of performances,
ephemera, and other forms. Polish
performance artist Ewa Partum’s Active
Poetry consisted of her scattering single
alphabet letters across various
landscapes. American artist Joseph
Kosuth explored the production and role
of language within art, as seen in his
1965, One and Three Chairs. In it, he
represents one chair in three different
ways to represent different meanings of
the same object. Because this type of art
focused on ideas and concepts, there was
no distinct style or form.

Contemporary Art (1970–

present)
The 1970s marked the beginning of
contemporary art, which extends through
present day. This period is dominated by
various schools and smaller movements
that emerged.
 Postmodernism: In reaction against
modernism, artists created works that
reflected skepticism, irony, and
philosophical critiques.
 Feminist art: This movement arose in an
attempt to transform stereotypes and
break the model of a male-dominated
art history.
 Neo Expressionism: Artists sought to
revive original aspects of
Expressionism and create highly
textural, expressive, large works.
 Street art: Artists such as Keith Haring,
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Barry McGee,
Banksy, and more created graffiti-like
art on surfaces in public places like
sidewalks, buildings, and overpasses.
 The Pictures Generation: Artists Cindy
Sherman, Louise Lawler, Gary Simmons,
and others who were influenced by
Conceptual and Pop art experimented
with recognizable imagery to explore
images shaped our perceptions of the
world.
  Appropriation art: This movement
focused on the use of images in art with
little transformation from their original
form.
 Young British Artists (YBA): This group of
London artists were notorious for their
willingness to shock audiences through
their imagery, and a willingness to push
beyond limits of decency. They’re also
known for their zestful, entrepreneurial
spirit.
 Digital art: The advent of the camera
lent way to this artistic practice that
allowed artists to use the infusion of art
and technology to create with mediums
like computers, audio and visual
software, sound, and pixels.
VIEW FULL INFOGRAPHIC
Art movements throughout the history of
Western art have offered a swath of
diverse, influential styles, techniques, and
media across the globe. Each movement
shed light on
distinctive painting, sculpture,
architectural achievements, and other
defining works. Understanding the
timeline of art history and how each
period has influenced later movements is
paramount to building a thoughtful,
cohesive collection.
Sources: The Metropolitan Museum of
Art | Owlcation | Encyclopedia
Britannica |  History | The Art
Story | Oxford Art Online | ThoughtCo.
Art Periods/ Characteristics Chief Artists and Major Historical Events
Movements Works
Stone Age Cave painting, fertility Lascaux Cave Painting,
Ice Age ends (10,000
(30,000 b.c.–2500 goddesses, megalithic Woman of Willendorf,8,000 b.c.); New Ston
b.c.) structures Stonehenge and
first permanent
settlements (8000 b.c
2500 b.c.)
Mesopotamian Warrior art and narration Standard of Ur, Gate of Sumerians invent writi
(3500 b.c.–539 in stone relief Ishtar, Stele of (3400 b.c.); Hammura
b.c.) Hammurabi’s Code writes his law
code (1780 b.c.); Abra
founds monotheism
Egyptian (3100 Art with an afterlife Imhotep, Step Narmer unites
b.c.–30 b.c.) focus: pyramids and Pyramid, Great Upper/Lower Egypt (3
tomb painting Pyramids, Bust of b.c.); Rameses II battl
Nefertiti the Hittites (1274 b.c.
Cleopatra dies (30 b.c
Greek and Greek idealism: balance, Parthenon, Myron, Athens defeats Persia
Hellenistic (850 perfect proportions; Phidias, Polykleitos, Marathon (490 b.c.);
b.c.–31 b.c.) architectural Praxiteles Peloponnesian
orders(Doric, Ionic, Wars (431 b.c.–404 b
Corinthian) Alexander the Great’s
conquests
(336 b.c.–323 b.c.)
Roman (500 b.c.– Roman realism: practical Augustus of Julius Caesar assassin
a.d. 476) and down to earth; the Primaporta, (44 b.c.); Augustus
arch Colosseum, Trajan’s proclaimed
Column, Emperor (27 b.c.);
Pantheon Diocletian splits Empi
(a.d. 292); Rome falls
(a.d. 476)
Indian, Chinese, Serene, meditative art, Gu Kaizhi, Li Cheng, Birth of Buddha (563
and Japanese(653 and Arts of the Floating Guo Xi, Hokusai, Silk Road opens (1st
b.c.–a.d. 1900) World Hiroshige century b.c.);
Buddhism spreads to
(1st–2nd centuries a.d
and Japan
(5th century a.d.)
Byzantine and Heavenly Byzantine Hagia Sophia, Andrei Justinian partly restor
Islamic (a.d. 476– mosaics; Islamic Rublev, Mosque of Western Roman Emp
a.d.1453) architecture and amazing Córdoba, the (a.d.
maze-like design Alhambra 533–a.d. 562); Iconoc
Controversy (a.d. 726
843); Birth of Islam (a
610) and Muslim
Conquests (a.d.
632–a.d. 732)
Middle Ages Celtic art, Carolingian St. Sernin, Durham Viking Raids (793–106
(500–1400) Renaissance, Cathedral, Notre Battle of Hastings (10
Romanesque, Gothic Dame, Chartres, Crusades I–IV (1095–1
Cimabue, Black Death
Duccio, Giotto (1347–1351); Hundre
Years’ War (1337–145
Early and High Rebirth of classical Ghiberti’s Doors, Gutenberg invents
Renaissance culture Brunelleschi, movable type (1447);
(1400–1550) Donatello, Botticelli, conquer
Leonardo, Constantinople (1453
Michelangelo, Raphael Columbus lands in Ne
World (1492); Martin
Luther starts Reforma
(1517)
Venetian and The Renaissance spreads Bellini, Giorgione, Council of Trent and
Northern north- ward to France, Titian, Dürer, Bruegel, Counter-Reformation
Renaissance the Low Bosch, Jan van (1545–1563);
(1430–1550) Countries, Poland, Eyck, Rogier van der Copernicus proves the
Germany, and England Weyden Earth revolves around
Sun (1543
Mannerism Art that breaks the rules; Tintoretto, El Greco, Magellan circumnavig
(1527–1580) artifice over nature Pontormo, Bronzino, the globe (1520–1522
Cellini
Baroque (1600– Splendor and flourish for Reubens, Rembrandt, Thirty Years’ War betw
1750) God; art as a weapon in Caravaggio, Palace of Catholics and Protest
the religious Versailles (1618–1648)
wars
Neoclassical Art that recaptures David, Ingres, Greuze, Enlightenment (18th
(1750–1850) Greco-Roman grace and Canova century); Industrial
grandeur Revolution
(1760–1850)
Romanticism The triumph of Caspar Friedrich, American Revolution
(1780–1850) imagination and Gericault, Delacroix, (1775–1783); French
individuality Turner, Benjamin Revolution
West (1789–1799); Napoleo
crowned emperor of
France (1803)
Realism (1848– Celebrating working class Corot, Courbet, European democratic
1900) and peasants; en plein Daumier, Millet revolutions of 1848
air
rustic painting
Impressionism Capturing fleeting effects Monet, Manet, Renoir, Franco-Prussian War
(1865–1885) of natural light Pissarro, Cassatt, (1870–1871); Unificati
Morisot, Degas Germany
(1871)
Post- A soft revolt against Van Gogh, Gauguin, Belle Époque (late-19
Impressionism Impressionism Cézanne, Seurat century Golden Age);
(1885–1910) Japan
defeats Russia (1905)
Fauvism and Harsh colors and flat Matisse, Kirchner, Boxer Rebellion in Ch
Expressionism surfaces (Fauvism); Kandinsky, Marc (1900); World War
(1900–1935) emotion distorting (1914–1918)
form
Cubism, Pre– and Post–World Picasso, Braque, Leger, Russian Revolution (1
Futurism, War 1 art experiments: Boccioni, Severini, American women
Supremativism, new Malevich franchised
Constructivism, forms to express modern (1920)
De Stijl life
(1905–1920)
Dada and Ridiculous art; painting Duchamp, Dalí, Ernst, Disillusionment after
Surrealism (1917 dreams and exploring the Magritte, de Chirico, World War I; The
–1950) unconscious Kahlo Great Depression
(1929–1938); World W
(1939–1945) and Naz
horrors;
atomic bombs droppe
Japan (1945)
Abstract Post–World War II: pure Gorky, Pollock, de Cold War and Vietnam
Expressionism abstraction and Kooning, Rothko, (U.S. enters 1965); U.
(1940s–1950s) expression Warhol, Lichtenstein suppresses Hungarian
and Pop Art without form; popular revolt (1956)
(1960s) art absorbs consumerism Czechoslovakian revo
(1968)
Postmodernism Art without a center and Gerhard Richter, Cindy Nuclear freeze movem
and reworking and mixing Sherman, Anselm Cold War fizzles;
Deconstructivism past styles Kiefer, Frank Gehry, Communism collapse
(1970– ) Zaha Hadid in Eastern Europe and
U.S.S.R. (1989–1991)
Ancient Art
 Anders Blomqvist / Getty Images

What we consider ancient art is what was created

from around 30,000 B.C.E. to 400 A.D. If you
prefer, it can be thought of as fertility statuettes
and bone flutes to roughly the fall of Rome.
Many different styles of art were created over this
long period. They include those of prehistory
(Paleolithic, Neolithic, the Bronze Age, etc) to the
ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and
the nomadic tribes. It also includes the work
found in classical civilizations like the Greeks and
Celts as well as that of the early Chinese
dynasties and the civilizations of the Americas.
The artwork of this time is as varied as the
cultures that created it. What ties them together is
their purpose.
Quite often, art was created to tell stories in a time
when oral tradition prevailed. It was also used to
decorate utilitarian objects like bowls, pitchers,
and weapons. At times, it was also used to
demonstrate the status of its owner, a concept that
art has used forever since.

Medieval to Early
Renaissance Art

Jean-Philippe Tournut / Getty Images

Some people still refer to the millennium between

400 and 1400 A.D. as the "Dark Ages." The art of
this period can be considered relatively "dark" as
well. Some depicted rather grotesque or otherwise
brutal scenes while others were focused on
formalized religion. Yet, the majority are not what
we would call cheery.
Medieval European art saw a transition from the
Byzantine period to the Early Christian period.
Within that, from about 300 to 900, we also saw
Migration Period Art as Germanic people
migrated across the continent. This "Barbarian"
art was portable by necessity and much of it was
understandably lost.
As the millennium passed, more and more
Christian and Catholic art appeared. The period
centered around elaborate churches and artwork
to adorn this architecture. It also saw the rise of
the "illuminated manuscript" and eventually the
Gothic and Romanesque styles of art and
architecture.

Renaissance to Early
Modern Art

 alxpin / Getty Images

This period covers the years 1400 through 1880

and it includes many of our favorite pieces of art.
Much of the notable art created during the
Rennaissance was Italian. It began with the
famous 15th-century artists like Brunelleschi and
Donatello, who led to the work of Botticelli and
Alberti. When the High Rennaissance took over in
the next century, we saw the work of Da Vinci,
Michelangelo, and Raphael.
In Northern Europe, this period saw the schools of
Antwerp Mannerism, The Little Masters, and the
Fontainebleau School, among many others.
After the long Italian Renaissance, Northern
Renaissance, and Baroque periods were over, we
began to see new art movements appear with
greater frequency. 
By the 1700s, Western Art followed a series of
styles. These movements included Rococo and
Neo-Classicism, followed by Romanticism,
Realism, and Impressionism as well as many
lesser-known styles.
In China, the Ming and Qing Dynasties took place
during this period and Japan saw the Momoyama
and Edo Periods. This was also the time of the
Aztec and Inca in the Americas who had their own
distinct art.

Modern Art

 PHILIP FONG/AFP/Getty Images

Modern Art runs from around 1880 to 1970 and

they were an extremely busy 90 years. The
Impressionists opened the floodgates on new
paths to take and individual artists such
as Picasso and Duchamp were themselves
responsible for creating multiple movements.
The last two decades of the 1800s were filled with
movements like Cloisonnism, Japonism, Neo-
Impressionism, Symbolism, Expressionism, and
Fauvism. There were also a number of schools and
groups like The Glasgow Boys and the Heidelberg
School, The Band Noire (Nubians) and The Ten
American Painters.
Art was no less diverse or confusing in the 1900s.
Movements like Art Nouveau and Cubism kicked
off the new century with Bauhaus, Dadaism,
Purism, Rayism, and Suprematism following close
behind. Art Deco, Constructivism, and the Harlem
Renaissance took over the 1920s while Abstract
Expressionism emerged in the 1940s.
By mid-century, we saw even more revolutionary
styles. Funk and Junk Art, Hard-Edge Painting,
and Pop Art became the norm in the 50s. The 60s
were filled with Minimalism, Op Art, Psychedelic
Art, and much, much more.

Contemporary Art

 Dan Forer / Getty Images

The 1970s is what most people consider as the
beginning of Contemporary Art and it continues
to the present day. Most interestingly, either fewer
movements are identifying themselves as such or
art history simply hasn't caught up yet with those
that have.
Still, there is a growing list of -isms in the art
world. The 70s saw Post-Modernism and Ugly
Realism along with a surge in Feminist Art, Neo-
Conceptualism, and Neo-Expressionism. The 80s
were filled with Neo-Geo, Multiculturalism, and
the Graffiti Movement, as well as BritArt and Neo-
Pop.
By the time the 90s hit, art movements became
less defined and somewhat unusual, almost as if
people had run out of names. Net Art,
Artefactoria, Toyism, Lowbrow, Bitterism, and
Stuckism are some of the styles of the decade. And
though it's still new, the 21st century has its own
Thinkism and Funism to enjoy.