Unit II: WESTERN ART HISTORY

Lesson 7: Art in Early Civilizations

• Stone Age – is the term used to describe a period of
history when stones were used to make tools for
survival
• • Conjures - an image of men and women dressed in
skins, huddling before a fire in a cave. (Fitcher –
Rathus. 2013)
• • Storytellers – serve as the complex rational
capabilities to tell their story through written records
and accounts, some artifacts in the form of cave
paintings and sculptures
Three Periods of the Stone Age Culture (14,000 – 2,000 BCE)

• Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)

• Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)
• Neolithic (New Stone Age)
Prehistoric Art
• Archaeological explorations reveal that there has been a
gradual shift from a nomadic lifestyle of early humans to
those permanent settlements, paving the way for the rise
of early civilizations.
• Paleolithic Art – is a product of climate change. As a
climate got colder, part of the early humans instinct is to
look for shelters that would provide them with warmth.
• Caves – protective havens for the early humans and the
birth of their first attempt to create art.
Hall of Bulls – a cave painting found in Lascaux,
France.
Mesolithic
• During Mesolithic phase,
some important inventions
appeared. One such
invention was the
microlith, a small, pointed
blade of stone used for
knives.
Venus Of Willendorf
Neolithic Art has developed especially when life for the early
humans has become more stables.They have learned to
cultivate the land and domesticate animals.
As the Neolithic Period drew to a close,it was evident that
different elements of civilization flourished in various parts
of the world.It is also notable that most early civilizations
emerged and flourished in river valleys:the Nile in
Egypt,Indus in India and Tigris and Eurphrates in
Mesopotamia and Huang Ho River in China.
Egyptian Art
• The fertile ribbon the banks of the nile river,which flows north to
africa and ventures into the Mediterranean.It is in this very
ribbon where early Egyptians recognized the integral role of the
Nile River to their daily lives.The egyptian art must be
something religious and spiritual.

Divided into three periods:

1.Old
2.Middle
3.New Kingdom
 Old Kingdom
• it was evident that religion was bound
to the afterlife.A concrete
manifestation of this would have to be
the erection of tombs.
• one of the cosmetic palettes found in
egyt was called the Narmer Palette.it
was palette that utilized and applied
dark colors around King Narmers
eyes.The palette was also a symbol
that commemorates the unification of
upper and lower egypt.The unification
was significant because it marked
the beginning of their civilization.
• At the back of the palette King Narmer can be seen wearing
the crown of Upper Egypt looking victorius over a slain
enemy.To his right is a falcon,the God Horus perched on
papyrus stalks which is the symbols of lower egypt.
• The Narmer Palette is one of the artifacts that emphasizes the
kings supreme and absolute authority.The King is not just an
authority figure but can be depicted and revered as a Deity.
• Permanence was imPortant because these sculptures would
serve as the house of the KA or SOUL once the remains of the
mummy disintegrate.
• The pyramids in GIZA serves as tombs
since their main purpose a restling place
for the pharaohs.The constructionof the
pyramids highlighted the ingenuity and
advancement of the egyptian for their
time.These pyramids are massive in size
and were constructed using roughly more
than two million limestone blocks,a lot of
workers died or punished for not reaching
the quota.The egyptian also ensured
excellent qualityof the outside.
 Middle Kingdom
-One of the features of the Middle Kingdom is a shift in the
political hierarchy.
Art during the Middle Kingdom had some references from the
Old Kingdom,how ever there is some experimentation in terms
of style that transpired during this period.
-PORTRAIT SCULPTURES and FRESCO PAINTNG that
were freely drawn are some of the styles that emerged during
this period.
-The egyptian made rock-cut tombs by carving out a living
rock
 New Kingdom
• It was the time of expansionism through terrotorial
acquisition.Consequently with the expansion came an increase in
wealth leading not only to economic but also poltical stability.
• The art of New Kingdom had references from the both the preceding
kingdoms.
• Temples were carved out of living rocks,served not olny a sanctuary
for the dead but also a place of worship for the living.
• During this period,Egypt has established itself as a more advanced
and powerful civilization.
 After New Kingdom
• Egypt witnessed the Amarna Revolution led by King
Akhenaton and Queene Nefertiti.He moved the
capital to Tel EL-Amarna.During his reign he
wanted to revolutionize the arts and religion.He
later on changed his name to Akhenaton,which
came from Aton who is the sun of God.This
changing of names also signified the shift in
religion.
• Egypt became monotheistic
• During this period had curving lines and full bodied
forms.
• Most artist created artworks that are natural and
seemingly real hihglighting the features of
their subjects.
Bust of Queen Nefertiti
• When King Akhenaton died,the use of naturalism
in artworks was rather short-lived.They also
destroyed images and figures of Aton and
subscribe to monotheism.
• One the greatest discoveries from the Egyptian
Civilization was the Tomb of Tutankhamen,he
became king at very young age and died at the
age of 18.Howard Carter discovered his tomb
1922.They were astonished to find gold
artwrorks and that the coffin was made out of
solid gold.The body of the young king was
covered in linen and a gold mask covered his
face.
Lesson 8:Art of Emerging Europe
• Art has been an integral part in europe history.
• Art has been used to communicate ideologies and belief
systems prevalent within their context.
• Greek and Roman Civilization were also known as the
Classical World Because both cultures and aimed to
embody the highest possible standard of quality in all
aspect of their societies
• There movement has a distinctive characteristic to them
highlightning the different trends and changes as they
transition from one period to the next.
Ancient Greece
• The Greeks were know to excel in various fields and
aspects of society.They also valued poetry,drama and
philosophy which remain interesting fields of study for
the contemporary times.For those who want to be
involved in the arts-paintings,sculpture,and
architcture-one is required to have a certain skill sets
and body of knowledge.
• The Greeks were known to place prime impotance in the
use of reason. Man was at the centet of society and how
they trained their minds could be the very foundation of
how they lived their lives.The humanist ideals of the Greeks
were reflected in their democratic form of government.This
certain level of freedom was also reflected in their
artworks,architecture,literature, and philosophy.
• The Greeks were notably passionate about natural
phenomenon and believed that nature should be in perfect
order.This principles, belief system, and ideologies are at
the core of Greek art and architecture.
The development of Greek Art can be divided into four periods:

• 1.GEOMETRIC PERIOD
was a time when greece was starting to get back from the onslaught
of what seemed to be their Dark Ages.It was a period when geomaetric shapes
and patterns have taken the spotlight in most of the artworks.

2. ARCHAIC PERIOD
on the othern hand ,placed importance on human figures.This was primarily a
result of Greece's trading activities with other civilizations.The peak of greek
sculpture and architecture was during the classical period.It was during this time
when the Greeks found themselves rebuilding their temples and focusing on
creating artworks.
The time of Alexander the Great was called Hellenistic Period.
• When it comes to both art and architecture, both
civilizations intended to promote the possibility of having
an objective and widely accepted standards for beauty.
The influence and impact of both classical worlds are far-
reaching.Most art movements have taken inspiration
from the certain artistic elements from the two
civilizations.
• There are different art movements that emerged within
the different time periods in Europe. Each movement
has a distinctive charateristic to them highlighting the
different trends and changes as they transition from one
period to the next.

• ilosophy. Which remain interesting fields of study for the

contemporary times. For those who want to be involved
in the arts --- painting,sculpture, and architecture --- one
is required to have a certain skill sets and body of
knowledge.
• The Greeks were notably passionate about natural
phenomenon and believed that nature should be on
perfect order. These princoples, belief systems, and
ideologies are at the core of Greek art and
architecture.
• The Geometric period was a time when Greece was
starting to get back from the onslaught of what
seemed to be their Dark Ages. It was a period when
geometric shapes and patterns have taken the
spotlight in most of the artworks.
• The Archaic Period, on the other hand placed
importance on human figures. This was primarily a
result of Greece's trading activities with other
civilizations. The peak of Greek sculpture and
architecture qas during the Classical Period. It was
during this time when the Greeks found themselves
• Rebuilding their temples and focusing on creating artworks.
The time of Alexander the Great was called the Hellenistic
Period During this time, art was primarily focused on
showcasing emotions and depicting reality. Helenistic
sculptures started to emphasize balance while showcasing
dynamic poses and a number of emotions evoked by the
subjects. One of the famous Hellenistic sculptures is the
"Lacoon and His Sons". The sculpture depicts was a result of
Lacoon's instructions during the Trojan War. He instructed to
keep the gates of Troy locked up because he felt that the
wooden horse offered by the Greeks as a gift to the Athena
was a trick Poseidon
• The origins of theater and drama can be traced back
during the Greek civilization.
• The followers of Dionysus -the god of fertility- started
the greek theater.People who were devoted to
dionysus would dance during ceremonies while
giving their offerings to their god.
• Eventually,the dionysians devised a more structured
form of drama involving dances and choral songs,
which depicted Greek mythologies. Eventually e
Greeks organized theatrical contests where the
performances were held in front of large citizens.
• Ancient Rome
• The Roman Republic was established around 500 BCE. this
civilization eventually transformed into one of Western Europe's
mightest empires.Since they had expanded and covered many
territories, they interacted with neighboring civilizations,particularly
with the Greeks.
• It can be said that Roman civilization came of age during the
Hellenistic Period. As mentioned earlier, it was a period of when the
Greek Culture's influence has reached it's peak in the mediterranean
world. The Romans were fond of the Greeks and their achievements
in the arts.The fusion of Greek and Roman cultures can be seen in
most Roman artworks.
• Some would argue that the Romans merely copied greek art. this eventually
made the romans produce artworks that are often looking stern,harsh, and
strong. they also invoked the priniciples of realism in most of their
works,highlighting the feares of human beings. Aside from this,the Romans
were also known to be master builders, which earned their reputation for
grand monuments and
• architectural infrastructures. One of their architectural achievements would
have to be the Colosseum. This amphitheater was planned and constructed
during the reign of Emperor Vespasian. One of its main uses was for
entertainment purposes like public events and gladiator games.This
structure was a concrete manifestation of Roman builder's craftmanship
which focused on logical organization of the entire edifice.
• Ancient Greece had a huge impact in the formation
Roman culture. there are a lot of Greek influences
evident in Roman theater and Drama. Writers of
comedy like platus and Terence have patterned their
works to those of greek works. Since the Roman
audience was not as enthusiastic about theatrical
works unlike their greek counterparts,most plays had to
be included in the Roman games.
• MIDDLE AGES
• As theterm denotes,it is the period between the decline
of the Roman Europe and the Renaissance. it was period
that is characterized by ignorance and darkness Another
dominant characteristic of the period was that the church
was the central figure and authority of the period .Since
the church was the most important figure the most
important products of the early Middle Ages would have
to be copied of the Christian scriptures. These copies
were also done with illustrations and decorations
• Which highlight the religous focus of the period. During
the time,great

• During the Renaissance Period,artists valued the

"individual"as a subject of arts.The influence of
humanism shifted the focus of some artworks during
the Renaissance Period to empower the "Individual".
Most artworks emphasized naturalism,which was Also
an influence of humanism since there was a great
emphasis on the proportionalityof the human body.
Most artists also added perspective of depth wherein
spaces were explored in different artworks.
• his technique provided a three-dimensional
perspective of most Renaissance Paintings
• Renaissance artists also gave importance to non-
religous themes or subjects. This was also brought
by the privatizations of the art during the Renaissance
Period,however most artworks remained religious in its
focus and theme.
• During the Renaissance Period, there was also a
revival od Roman theatrical plays. These plays were
performed during special occasions at the courts of
Italian princes. The plays were done in such a way that
showcased grand and lavish entertainment stages and
costumes for the actors Eventually, this would lead to
Italy's opera, which have greatly influenced their
traditionof popular theater.
• MANNERISM
• Mannerism was a period in art history,which was a
product of the Renaissance Period.During the
Renaissance ,artists would observe nature and try their
best to emulate it based on their ,observations.As the
Renaissance ended,artists started directly copying
subjects from existing works of art. Most artworks during
this period displayed distorted figures, two - dimensional
spaces. Discordant hues and colors and lack of defined
focal point.
• BAROQUE AND THE ROCCO
• The term "baroque" is derived from the PORTUGUESE
term Barocco which is translated as "irregularly shaped
pearl." This is a suitable description that Rome was the
birthplace of the Baroque Period, which according to
some historians was a response to Protestanism.This
period roughly spanned from 1600 to 1750. Although it
was a period following the Renaissance. It can be said
that a lot of artists have developed styles and techniques
different from their Renaissance predecessors . Most
artists used colorful palettes and ornamentation in their
works.
• This was a time when italy in particular,strengthened
not only their religion but also for other aspects like
politics and art . Expansion was the central theme of
this period,which became very much evident in the
artworks produced during this time
• Motion and space were taken into consideration by
artists like the use of dramatic lighting and the
concept of time. Aside from art and music also
flourished during the Baroque Period.
• This is because people believe that music could serve
as a powerful tool to communicaye messages that can
evoke certain feelings among its listeners. Baroque
music was able to clearly distinguish loud from soft and
solo from ensemble. Since the birthplace of this period
was in Rome. It did not come as a surprise that most
composers come from italy. This include Vivaldi,corelli
and Monteverdi. Eventually , the influence of baroque
music spread outside italy and reached other parts of
Europe.
• Other well-known Baroque composers include
Germany's bach and handel. Since Baroque
composers,through their works,tried to evoke certain
emotions from their audience they began to make
initially ,this kind of music was limited only to powerful
institutions like the Church and Individuals like the
patrons.Eventually,auch performances would be made
accessible to tye middle class and the masses.
• NEOCLASSICISM
• These seems to be a debate among historians as to the
beginnings of modern art. There are accounts that would
attribute for the emergence of the kind of art during the
French Revolution in 1789 . However, other historians
claim that it was the year 1863 When there was an
emergence of modern painting exibitions.
• • Neoclassicism was a movement in europe that
transpired during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth
centuries. It was the dominant Art movement that time
which basically Aimed to revive and rekindle the
influences of Greek and Roman into art and
architecture.The ancient greeks and Europeans had
Romanticism

• As an art movement used central themes of Neoclassicist artworks as a

springboard.Romanticists have highlighted heroic elements into their
work.During the age of revolutions, there has been a tremendous focus on
patriotic and nationalistic movements.One of the major revolutions in
history would be the French Revolutions Such revolutionary movements
became the focal point of most Romantic Works.

The major and Central themes of Romanticism movement include the

emphasis on the goodness of mankind. Most works also promoted
justice,equality, social order. Artists also emphasized emotions and
feelings of man, which was a deviation from the humanist principles of
rationalism
Realism
• as a style