PREHISTORIC ART KEY CONCEPTS Realism and naturalism It is important to introduce these commonly reoccurring art terms from the very beginning of the course. Students should understand why art historians use the term naturalism in place of realism. Although the importance of this distinction may not be fully realized until Chapter 27, "Realism to Impressionism," encourage your students to adopt the correct terminology in their written work and class discussions. The notion of style Style, and its change over time, will occupy much of the AP Art History course. Students can begin the discussion of how styles change over time by comparing cave paintings from different sites. Introduce the art of Chauvet, for instance, to demonstrate how these images, which are roughly 5,000 years older than those in Lascaux, are frequently more stylistically advanced. Students should also begin to develop a sense of connoisseurship, as they learn to distinguish between the art of Lascaux and Altamira. This will help them prepare for their first slide identification quiz or test. Meaning of cave art When it comes to interpreting the meaning of these beautiful images, no period of art history is as fascinating, or as frustrating, as Paleolithic cave painting. As students examine the works represented in the text, they should be introduced to the numerous theories about their meaning and use. There is no single theory that everyone accepts. PREHISTORIC ART LATIN TERMS TO KNOW PALEO MESO NEO LITH old middle / between new stone POTAMUSriver (mesopotamia = between rivers) corbelling twisted perspective nomadic sculpture in the round relief sculpture relative dating corbeling dolmen incising capstones passage grave abstraction low relief ware modeling post-and-lintel henge PREHISTORIC ART Woman (Venus) of Willendorf PREHISTORIC ART Woman from Laussel, FranceWoman from Willendorf, Austria Woman (Venus) of Willendorf PREHISTORIC ART About 22,000 years old About 1 tall Carved from Ivory One of the first depicting an accurate (yet abstracted) face Venus (Woman) of Brassempouy PREHISTORIC ART Caves of ALTAMIRA (Spain) Discovered in 1879 some of the first discovered Were originally considered fakes, but mineral deposits wouldve taken 1000s of years to accumulate Mostly Bison from a profile view (Notice that all of the hand paintings are LEFT-HANDED Why do you think that is?) Caves of Altamira PREHISTORIC ART Caves of Lascaux (France) The most extensively decorated caves Caves of Lascaux PREHISTORIC ART Magnificent gallery known as the HALL OF BULLS Caves of Lascaux Caves of Lascaux (France) PREHISTORIC ART Denotes the CONCEPT of a BULL using TWISTED PERSPECTIVE Caves of Lascaux Caves of Lascaux (France) PREHISTORIC ART What is going on ??? Caves of Lascaux Caves of Lascaux (France) PREHISTORIC ART The Chauvet Cave Discovered in 1994 named after the exploration leader, Jean-Marie Chauvet Using c-14 dating, found that these were 15,000 years OLDER than Altamira!! Lions and bears depicted, but never part of the Paleolithic diet (which confuses theory that paintings were part of a hunting ritual) Animals are depicted NATURALISTICALLY not abstractly like other caves Caves of Chauvet PREHISTORIC ART Mr. Darnells SPECIAL CAVES. The Oldest? The First One Found? The Most Extensive? Chauvet Cave (France) Altamira (Spain) Lascaux (France) PREHISTORIC ART Two Bison reliefs made of clay (each about 2 long) Le Tuc dAudoubert, France, ca BCE Human with Feline Head from Hohlenstein-Stadel, Germany ca. 30,000-28,000 B.C.E. mammoth ivory 11 5/8 in. high PREHISTORIC ART Jomon Cooking Vessel (made in Japan) 10,000-8,000 BCE MESOLITHIC PERIOD