ARTS &

HUMANITIES
HISTORY
OF ART

LESSON 2
 LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
▪ 1. Trace the historical foundation of ▪ 3. Present the history and
arts. movements of the arts through a
timeline.

▪ 2. Identify artistic styles developed ▪ 4. Compare and contrast the

on some certain period of the history. artworks produced during the
different time periods and art
movements
▪ 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.

▪ Influential genres of art from the Renaissance to the rise of Modernism have undoubtedly
made their mark on history.

▪ 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.
 ANCIENT ART
A. Stone Age Art (From c.2,500,000 BCE)
Paleolithic Art (c.2,500,000 – 10,000 BCE)

The earliest art of

prehistory, created during
the Lower Paleolithic Age,
is the Bhimbetka
Petroglyphs, found in the
Auditorium cave in Central
India and dated to at least
290,000 BCE.
Next oldest is the
Venus of
Berekhat Ram
(c.230,000 BCE)
discovered on the
Golan Heights,.
And the Venus of
Tan-Tan
(c.200,000),
discovered in
Morocco.
• Also, stone engravings
have been found at the
Blombos Cave in South
Africa dating from 70,000
BCE.
 The first type of so-
called "cave art", is the
cave painting in
Cantabria, as exemplified
by the abstract El Castillo
cave paintings dated to
39,000 BCE.
 MESOLITHIC ART
(c.10,000-4,000 BCE)

Artworks created by Mesolithic

hunter-gatherers include petroglyphs,
stylized cave paintings, hand stencils - as
in the Cave of Hands (Cueva de las
Manos) (7,000 BCE) in Argentina - body
adornments like bracelets as well as
functional objects like paddles and
weapons.
 Neolithic Art
(c.4000–2000 BCE) Free standing sculpture, statues,
pottery, primitive jewelry and
decorated artifacts become more
Neolithic art, influenced by the common during this time.
development of agriculture, and
animal husbandry, was responsible for
more portable art and less rock/cave The advent of hieroglyphic writing
painting. systems in Sumer heralds the arrival
of pictorial methods of
communication, while greater
Artworks become enhanced by prosperity leads to more religious
the use of precious metals, and the activity and religious art in temples
design of new tools. and tombs.
 Bronze Age
Art
(c.3000-1200 BCE)

'CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION'
around the Mediterranean in the Near East,
during the rise of Mesopotamia - see
Sumerian Art and Mesopotamian art as well
as Mesopotamian sculpture - Greece, Crete
(Minoan civilization) and Egypt.

Other Bronze Age art included

statues, sculptures and paintings of Gods.
 Egyptian Art
(from 3100 BCE)
Ancient Egypt is most famous
for its monumental Egyptian
Architecture (c.3000 BCE - 160 CE),
and its associated Egyptian
sculpture.
In paintings, artists depicted
the head, legs and feet of their
human subjects in profile, while
portraying the eye, shoulders, arms
and torso from the front.
 MINOAN ART (c.1600 BCE)
The first major strand of Aegean Art - Minoan civilization
(named after King Minos) - grew up during the bronze age on the
island of Crete.

By 2100 BCE they had built up a prosperous maritime trade

with countries around the Mediterranean from buying tin and
combining it with copper from Cyprus, to make bronze - the key
metal of the time. This prosperity led to the construction of palaces
and court buildings at Knossos, Phaestus, Akrotiri, Kato Zakros and
Mallia, along with other public buildings.
 Iron Age Art
(c.1500-200 BCE)
▪ The Iron Age saw a huge growth in artistic activity, especially in Greece and
around the eastern Mediterranean. It coincided with the rise of Hellenic (Greek-
influenced) culture. See Art of Classical Antiquity (1000 BCE - 450 CE).

▪ The period is typically classified into several smaller periods: the Dark Ages
(c.1200-900 BCE), the Geometric Period (c.900-700 BCE), Oriental-Style Period
(c.700-625 BCE), the Archaic Period (c.625-500 BCE), the Classical Period
(c.500-323 BCE), and the Hellenistic Period (c.323-100 BCE).
 MYCENEAN ART
(c.1400-1000 BCE)
The term "Mycenaean" or "Mycenean" culture commonly denotes mainland Greek culture as
a whole during the late Bronze Age.

• Mycenean art
encompassed ceramics,
pottery, carved gemstones,
jewellery, glass ornaments,
as well as tomb and palace
murals, frescoes and
sculptures.

VAPHIO CUP
 Classical Greek Art
(500-323 BCE) Classical Greek painting is rather
scarce, sculpture less so, which is
Most original Greek why art historians tend to subdivide
architecture, painting and Greek sculptures from this era into early
sculpture have been destroyed, but its classical, high classical and late
genius survives through Roman copies classical period. The Greek grasp of
and Greek Pottery. linear perspective and naturalist
representation remained unsurpassed
until the Italian Renaissance.
The Parthenon
Built as a tribute to Athena, the goddess of
wisdom for whom the city-state Athens was
named, the Parthenon is a marvel of design,
featuring massive columns contrasting with subtle
details.
Three different types of columns can be
found in ancient Greek architecture. Whether the
Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian style was used
depended on the region and the purpose of the
structure being built.
 Hellenism (323-31 BCE)
During the era of Hellenistic art, classical realism was replaced with
greater solemnity and heroism, an almost Baroque-like dramatization of subject
matter. The principal art-forms were Hellenistic painting, Hellenistic free-standing
sculpture and reliefs.

During this period, new forms secular patrons of the visual arts emerged
who influenced the choice of subject matter in sculpture, painting and mosaics.
 The famous marble
statue known as the "Venus
de Milo", now in the Louvre
Museum, Paris, was
completed around 100 BCE.
 SACRED ART
Religious art or sacred art is artistic imagery using religious inspiration and motifs and is often intended
to uplift the mind to the spiritual.

CHRISTIAN ART
▪ Christian sacred art is produced in an attempt to illustrate,
supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of
Christianity, though other definitions are possible.
▪ Most Christian groups use or have used art to some extent,
although some have had strong objections to some forms of
religious image, and there have been major periods of iconoclasm
within Christianity.
▪ Images of Jesus and narrative scenes from the Life of Christ are
the most common subjects, especially the images of Christ on the
Cross.
 SACRED ART
Religious art or sacred art is artistic imagery using religious inspiration and motifs and is often intended
to uplift the mind to the spiritual.

BUDDHIST ART
▪ Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the
historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and
thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread
throughout Asia and the world.
▪ Buddhist art followed believers as the dharma spread, adapted,
and evolved in each new host country.
▪ The Buddhist art flourished and even influenced the development
of Hindu art, until Buddhism nearly disappeared in India around
the 10th century due in part to the vigorous expansion of Islam
alongside Hinduism.
 SACRED ART
Religious art or sacred art is artistic imagery using religious inspiration and motifs and is often intended
to uplift the mind to the spiritual.

ISLAMIC ART
▪ A prohibition against depicting representational images in
religious art, as well as the naturally decorative nature of Arabic
script, led to the use of calligraphic decorations, which usually
involved repeating geometrical patterns and vegetal forms
(arabesques) that expressed ideals of order and nature. These
were used on religious architecture, carpets, and handwritten
documents.

▪ Islamic art has reflected this balanced, harmonious world-view. It

focuses on spiritual essence rather than physical form.
 SACRED ART
The arabesque in Islamic art is often used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature
of God.
 SACRED ART
Religious art or sacred art is artistic imagery using religious inspiration and motifs and is often intended
to uplift the mind to the spiritual.

HINDU ART
▪ There are 64 traditional arts that are followed that start with the
classics of music and range all the way to the application and
adornment of jewelry.

▪ Since religion and culture are inseparable with Hinduism recurring

symbols such as the gods and their reincarnations, the lotus
flower, extra limbs, and even the traditional arts make their
appearances in many sculptures, paintings, music, and dance.
GOD VISHNU
 SACRED ART
Religious art or sacred art is artistic imagery using religious inspiration and motifs and is often intended
to uplift the mind to the spiritual.

TAOIST ART

▪ Daoist Art (also spelled as Taoist art) relates to the Taoist

philosophy and narratives of Lao-tzu (also spelled as Laozi) that
promote "living simply and honestly and in harmony with nature.“

“Knowing others is intelligence;

Knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
Tao Te Ching. Ch. 33, translated by Stephen Mitchell (1992)
Lao Tzu – Tao Te Ching –
Whatsoever Things Are Lovely
 MEDIEVAL ART
Medieval art which includes a wide
variety of art and architecture refers to a period
also known as the Middle Ages.

Work produced during this era emerged

from the artistic heritage of the Roman Empire
and the iconographic style of the early Christian
church, fused with the “barbarian” culture of
Northern Europe.

Grand monuments and architectural

masterpieces such as the Hagia Sophia in
Constantinople, celebrated mosaics in
Ravenna, and illuminated manuscripts like the
Lindisfarne Gospels all emerged from the
medieval period.
 GOTHIC ART
The term "Gothic style" refers to the style of
European architecture, sculpture (and minor arts)
which linked medieval Romanesque art with the Early
Renaissance.
In Gothic design, the planar forms of the
previous Romanesque idiom were replaced by a new
focus on line.
And its soaring arches and buttresses
permitted the opening up of walls for huge windows
of stained glass filled with beautifully inspirational
translucent images of Biblical art, far surpassing
anything that wall painting or mosaic art had to offer.
Among famous medieval artists in the Gothic style were Giovanni Pisano and
Simone Martini of the Sienese School of painting.
 BAROQUE ART
The term Baroque (derived from the Portuguese 'barocco' meaning, 'irregular pearl
or stone') describes a fairly complex idiom, originating in Rome, which flowered during
the period c.1590-1720, and which embraced painting, and sculpture as well as
architecture.
Many Catholic Emperors and monarchs across Europe had an important stake in the
Catholic Church's success, hence a large number of architectural designs, paintings and
sculptures were commissioned by the Royal Courts of Spain, France, and elsewhere - in
parallel to the overall campaign of Catholic Christian art, pursued by the Vatican - in order
to glorify their own divine grandeur, and in the process strengthen their political position.
By comparison, Baroque art in Protestant areas like Holland had far less religious
content, and instead was designed essentially to appeal to the growing aspirations of the
merchant and middle classes.
ART BEFORE
THE CONTEMPORARY TIME
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “modern” is defined as, “of or
relating to the present time.” The word “contemporary” is defined as “happening or beginning
now or in recent times.”

The modern art movement began in the 1860’s during the period of the Industrial Revolution.
With the advent of photography, artists no longer saw the necessity to make art for the sake of
portraying reality exclusively.

Contemporary art, on the other hand, is typically less well-defined as the former topic. This
style is most commonly described as belonging to artists still living today.

While contemporary art and modern art may sound similar, in form and practice they are quite
contrasting. In many ways, modern art has laid the groundwork for contemporary art, as both
seem to have arisen directly as a result of technological advancements in society and are
concerned with being indicative of popular culture or social issues of their respective time period.