Western

Art
Prehistory: 30,000 BC - 3,000 BC
30,000- 15,000 BC: "Venus" Figures
20,000-10,000 BC: Cave Paintings
14,000-10,000 BC:Altamira Cave Paintings

The Art of the Classical Civilization: 3,000 BC

AD 500
8000-600 BC: Mesopotamia3,000-270 BC: Egypt
1230-100 BC: Greece
700 BC-AD 325: Rome
325-1453: Byzantium
The Art of the Middle Ages: 475 1500
475-1000: The Dark Ages
1000-1350: The High Middle Ages
1350-1500: The Late Middle Ages

The Art of Modern Period: 1500 Present

1400-1550: Renaissance
1550-1700: Baroque
1700-1800: Rococo and Classical
1790-1850: Romantic
1850-1910: Realism, Impressionism, Expressionism
1910-1950: Cubism, Abstraction, Modernism, Dada
HISTORY

ART OF EUROPE
- It encompasses the history ofvisual artinEurope.
European prehistoric art started as mobilerock, and
cave paintingart, and was characteristic of the period
between thePaleolithicand theIron Age.
3rd millennium BC
- begin with the art of theAncient Middle East, and the
Ancient Aegean civilizations.
- Parallel with these significant cultures, art of one form or
another existed all over Europe, wherever there were
people, leaving signs such as carvings, decorated artifacts
and huge standing stones.
Before the 1800s
- the Christian church was a major influence upon
European art, the commissions of the Church,
architectural, painterly and sculptural, providing the
major source of work for artists.
- In the same period of time there was renewed interest in
heroes and heroines, tales of mythological gods and
goddesses, great wars, and bizarre creatures which were
not connected to religion.
Secularismhas influenced European art since the Classical
period, while most art of the last 200 years has been
produced without reference to religion and often with no
particularideologyat all. On the other hand, European art
has often been influenced by politics of one kind or another,
of the state, of the patron and of the artist.
European art is arranged into a number of stylistic periods,
which, historically, overlap each other as different styles
flourished in different areas. Broadly the periods are,
Classical,Byzantine,Medieval,Gothic,Renaissance,
Baroque,Rococo,Neoclassical,ModernandPostmodern.
Prehistoric art

- Divided into four main periods:Stone age,

Neolithic,Bronze age, andIron age.
- Most of the remaining artifacts of this period are
small sculptures and cave paintings.
Examples
Lwenmensch
- is a prehistoric ivory
sculpture that was
discovered in the
Hohlenstein-Stadel, a
German cave in 1939. The
name currently used in
German, Lwenmensch,
means "lion-human"
Swimming Reindeer

About 11,000 BCE is one of

the finest of a number
ofMagdaleniancarvings in
bone or antler of animals in
theart of the Upper
Paleolithic, though they are
outnumbered by engraved
pieces, which are sometimes
classified as sculpture.
With the beginning of theMesolithicin Europe figurative
sculpture greatly reduced,and remained a less common
element in art than relief decoration of practical objects
until the Roman period, despite some works such as the:

Gundestrup Trundholm Sun Chariot

Venus of Willendorf Is an 11.1-centimetre-high
(4.4in)statuetteof a female figure
estimated to have been made between
about 28,000 and 25,000BCE.It was
found in 1908 by a workman named
Johann Veranor Josef Veramduring
excavations conducted
byarchaeologistsJosef
Szombathy,Hugo Obermaier and Josef
Bayer at apaleolithicsite
nearWillendorf, a village inLower
Austrianear the town ofKrems. It is
carved from anooliticlimestone that is
not local to the area, and tinted
withred ochre. The figurine is now in
theNaturhistorisches
MuseuminVienna, Austria.
Ancient Classical Art
- TheMinoan cultureis regarded as the oldest civilization in
Europe.The Minoan culture existed inCreteand consisted of four
periods: Prepalatial, Protopalatial, Neopalatial, and the Postpalatial
period between 3650 BC and 1100 BC.
- The most prosperous period of the Cretan civilization was
Neopalatial period and most of the artefacts are from this era. A large
number of artefacts from the Protopalatial can be seen today in
Cretan museums. Pottery most popular in the Protopalatial period
(1900-1700 BC) was characterized by thin walled vessels, subtle,
symmetrical shapes, elegant spouts, and decorations, and dynamic
lines. Dark and light values were often contrasted in Minoan pottery.
The spontaneity and fluidity of the Protopalatial period later were
transformed to a more stylized form of art with dissociation of
- The Minoan Palaces are richly painted with paintings. Minoan
was unique in that it used wet fresco techniques; it was
characterized by small waists, fluidity and vitality of the
figures and was seasoned with elasticity, spontaneity, vitality
and high-contrasting colours.
Example:

Snake Goddess Figurine

- The sculpture depicts a goddess or a high priestess holding a
snake in both hands, dressed in traditional Minoan attire, cloth
covering the whole body and leaving the breasts exposed.
Exquisitemetal workwas also a characteristic of the Minoan art.
Minoan metal masters worked with imported gold and copper
and mastered techniques of wax casting,embossing,gilding,
nielo, andgranulation.
Medieval ( Time Period: 6th century to 15th century )
- Most surviving art from theMedievalperiod was religious
in focus, often funded by theChurch, powerful ecclesiastical
individuals such asbishops, communal groups such
asabbeys, or wealthy secularpatrons. Many had specific
liturgical functionsprocessionalcrossesandaltarpieces.
- A great deal of knowledge ofperspectivein art and
understanding of the human figure was lost with the fall
ofRome. But realism was not the primary concern of
Medieval artists. They were simply trying to send a religious
message, a task which demands clear iconic images instead
of precisely rendered ones.
 Early Medieval Art
Migration period art is a general term for the art of
the "barbarian" peoples who moved into formerly
Roman territories.Celtic artin the 7th and 8th
centuries saw a fusion with Germanic traditions
through contact with theAnglo-Saxonscreating
what is called the Hiberno-Saxon style orInsular
art, which was to be highly influential on the rest of
the Middle Ages.Merovingian art describes the art
of theFranks before about 800, whenCarolingian
artcombined insular influences with a self-
conscious classical revival, developing
intoOttonian art.Anglo-Saxon artis the art of
England after the Insular period.Illuminated
manuscripts contain nearly all the surviving
painting of the period, but architecture, metalwork
Byzantine Sculpture
Byzantine art overlaps with or merges
with what we call Early Christian art
until theiconoclasmperiod of 730-843
when the vast majority of artwork with
figures was destroyed; so little remains
that today any discovery sheds new
understanding. After 843 until 1453
there is a clear Byzantine art tradition. It
is often the finest art of the Middle Ages
in terms of quality of material and
workmanship, with production centered
on Constantinople. Byzantine art's
crowning achievement were the
monumental frescos and mosaics inside
domed churches, most of which have not
survived due to natural disasters and the
appropriation of churches to mosques.
 Romanesque Sculpture
Romanesque art refers to the period from
about 1000 to the rise of Gothic art in the
12th century. This was a period of increasing
prosperity, and the first to see a coherent
style used across Europe, from Scandinavia
to Switzerland. Romanesque art is vigorous
and direct, was originally brightly coloured,
and is often very sophisticated.Stained
glassandenamelon metalwork became
important media, and larger sculptures in
the round developed, althoughhigh
reliefwas the principal technique. Its
architecture is dominated by thick walls,
and round-headed windows and arches,
with much carved decoration.
 Gothic Sculpture
Gothic art is a variable term depending on
the craft, place and time. The term originated
with Gothic architecture in 1140, but Gothic
painting did not appear until around 1200
(this date has many qualifications), when it
diverged from Romanesque style. Gothic
sculpture was born in France in 1144 with the
renovation of the Abbey Church of S. Denis
and spread throughout Europe, by the 13th
century it had become the international style,
replacing Romanesque. International Gothic
describes Gothic art from about 1360 to 1430,
after which Gothic art merges into
Renaissance art at different times in different
places. During this period forms such as
painting, in fresco and on panel, become
From Gothic to the Renaissance
During the late 13th century and early 14th century, much of the painting in Italy
was Byzantine in Character, notably that ofDuccioof Siena andCimabueof
Florence, whilePietro CavalliniinRomewas moreGothicin style.
In 1290Giottobegan painting in a manner that was less traditional and more
based upon observation of nature. His famous cycle at theScrovegni
Chapel,Padua, is seen as the beginnings of a Renaissance style.
Other painters of the 14th century were carried the Gothic style to great
elaboration and detail. Notable among these painters areSimone Martini
andGentile da Fabriano.
In theNetherlands, the technique of painting inoilsrather thantempera, led
itself to a form of elaboration that was not dependent upon the application of
gold leaf and embossing, but upon the minute depiction of the natural world. The
art of painting textures with great realism evolved at this time. Dutch painters
such asJan van Eyck andHugo van der Goeswere to have great influence on
Late Gothic and Early Renaissance painting.
ARTISTS, MOVEMENTS
AND STYLES IN WESTERN
ART (330-1600)
BYZANTINE ART
(C.330-1450)
BYZANTINE MOSAIC -
Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna,
Italy
Detail of 'Christ Dressed as a
Byzantine Emperor', 6th century
 Byzantine Artdeveloped when Constantine the Great relocated the capital of the
Roman Empire to the Greek city of Byzantium in AD 330. Byzantium, later
known as Constantinople and more recently as Istanbul, was the gateway
between Asia and Europe.
As a consequence of its location, Byzantine art evolved as a cultural mix of styles
from the east and west. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman
Empire after the conversion of Constantine and it was the duty of the Emperor to
unite the faith across the empire by bringing the various heretical groups into line
and standardizing Christian teaching.
The three main forms of Byzantine art were the large scale mosaics used to
decorate the walls and interior domes of Byzantine churches, the smaller scale
religious icons which were portable panel paintings of Christ and the Blessed
Virgin, and the illuminated manuscripts from the Gospels and other religious
texts. Byzantine figures were stylized in a frontal and symbolic format, inviting
spiritual worship and offering protection to the devout.
Translation of
Christ
GOTHIC ART
(C.1150-1400)

CIMABUE (1240-1302)
'Maest (Majesty)',
c.1280- 85 (tempera on
panel)
 Gothic Artdefines much of the late medieval art that grew out of the
Byzantine and Romanesque traditions. These were very formal artistic
traditions with rigorous religious conventions that limited the personal
creativity of the artist. At this time, the quality of an artwork was judged
by the richness of the materials used to create it and the skill with which
they were applied.
Gothic art is distinguished from its predecessors by an increasing
naturalism in the shape and posture of the figures, and an expressive use
of line, pattern and color, allowing the artist more freedom of
interpretation. Gothic art started in 13th century Italy and developed
throughout Europe until the 15th century.
The term Gothic, originally related to the barbarity of the Gothic tribes
(the Ostrogoths and Visigoths) in their destruction of the art of Ancient
Rome. It was first coined by 16th century Italian Renaissance critics as a
term of abuse for various developments in medieval art and architecture
up to the start of the 14th century.
INTERNATIONAL
GOTHIC
(C.1375-1425)

GENTILE DA FABRIANO
(c.1370-1427)
'The Adoration of the Magi',
1423 (tempera on panel)
 International Gothicis the term used to describe the transition of styles
across Northern Europe and Italy during the period between Byzantine
Art, Late Gothic Art and Early Renaissance art.
International Gothic was an elegant, detailed and decorative style that
comprised miniatures, illuminated manuscripts and ornate religious
altarpieces. These artworks were populated by more natural and sensual
figures than their Byzantine and Gothic counterparts, but were still
composed within the flattened pictorial space common to all Gothic art
before the development of perspective drawing in the 15th century.
MANNERISM
(C. 1520-1580)

BRONZINO (Agnolo di
Cosimo) (1503-1572)
'Portrait of Laura Battiferri',
1555 (oil on canvas)
 Mannerismis a 20th century term that was used to describe several
exaggerated or mannered styles of art that evolved towards the end of the
High Renaissance. Mannerist artists valued a personal and idealized
response to beauty over the classical ideal of truth to nature.
The more robust qualities of Mannerism are found in the exaggerated
physiques and contorted figures from the late work of Michelangelo,
Raphael, Tintoretto and El Greco. A more refined response to the Mannerist
style is seen in the elegant and elongated figures from the paintings of
Agnolo Bronzino, Parmigianino and Jacopo Pontormo.
Madonna with long neck
Thank
You!