ART IN EARLY CIVILIZATION

-Stone age is a term used to describe a period of history when stones were used to make tools for
survival.

PREHISTORY – refers to the period relating to or denoting the period before written records.

- Though prehistoric humans would not necessarily possess the complex rational capabilities to tell their
story through written records and accounts, some artifacts in the form of cave paintings and sculptures
would serve as “storytellers.”

-The early people produce such materials that reflect their attitudes and belief systems on spiritual,
social, political, and economic matters.

-The first evidence of human arts is found predominantly in Spain and France. This period of human
history is called, prehistoric period

What does the found paintings suggests about the early humans?

Give some examples of the dominant features in the paintings that was mentioned.

What are the tools that are used in hunting? Stone, glass, animal bone

Classification of pre historic art

Stationary Arts – Arts that didn’t move, cave painting, many elements are symbolic rather than realistic

Portable Arts – necessary small in order to be portable, depicted something recognizable whether
animal or human in form.

THREE STONE AGE CULTURE

Paleolithic – during this period, the appearance of tools made of sharped stone and animal bone are
discovered hence the name stone age

Paleo – Old or Ancient ; Lithos – Stone

Mesolithic – Middle Stone Age During the Mesolithic period early humans depend heavily on hunting
and gathering fruits as a source of food

As the climate change from ice age to a warmer climate, most of the animal food source are gone
because of migration. So human in Mesolithic period became nomadic, wonderers as they follow the
migrating animals.

Meso – middle; Lithos – stone

Neolothic – During this period, humans started to settle in one place and form a small village, they also
discovered agriculture and farming.

Tribes – village – cities – city state – Egyptian Empire

Neo – New; Lithos – Stone

Because of climate change Human travels for greener pasture.

During Pre-Historic Era, Early humans stared to become Nomadic because they are hunting

EGYPTIAN PERIOD

-How does the size of a figure play an important role in every figure of ancient Egyptian?

Symbolic- power

-What are the important things to note in Egyptian art?

Great pyramid of pisa

To ensure happiness in after life

-EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE

-Egyptian Sculpture was highly symbolic and only those closest to the pharaohs could see the sculptures.
Sculpture was used heavily to present the gods or Pharoahs to remind people of the heroism.

-Egyptian plaintings, sculpture, architectural innovation, and symbolism would help shape the art of
ancient Rome and Greece and still evident in contemporary arts

CLASSICAL GREEK

-Artistic production in Greek era were influenced by the art of ancient Egyptians

-Five forms of Greek Art (architecture, sculpture, pottery, painting, and jewelry making)

-Greek architecture is not only impressive, it is timeless

-You don’t have to dig ruins to find Greek architecture, its all around you. Example, National Museum of
Natural History, Bank of the Philippine Islands, the Philippine post office, department of tourism and the
university of the Philippines

CLASSICAL PERIOD

-The classical period was also the time when some of the most impressive bronze sculpture were made

-During the classical period, Greeks began sculpting more realistically, this paved the road for even more
realistic sculpture to come in Roman art

Paintings during classical era were mostly found in vases, tomb and also panels

Greek Methods of Painting

Fresco – water-based pigments on a freshly applied plaster usually on a wall surfaces (Ideal for murals)

Encaustic – use heating and melting bees wax and then pigments was added and used for painting
Greek art set the foundations for many modern art practices from our representation of human figure to
the techniques used in pottery and paintings more importantly its societal emphasis on the arts remains
influential

ROMAN ART

-Romans produced art in a vast array of forms although they only imitate their artwork from the Greeks.

-Romans were obsessed with technology and very successful in using it to make the thing bigger, better,
faster and stronger.

What Is the difference between Roman Art and Greek Art?

--Roman invented the stone arch design, used concrete, science of surveying, the dome (perfected and
took to a higher level)

-The Patheon, The Colosseum (Greatest Ampitheater in Rome)

-Sculpture another art that they inherited from the Greek, but they did contribute a few developments

4 characteristic types of Roman Sculpture

1. Freestanding
2. The bust – representation of human figure (shoulders and head)
3. Monuments – narrative relief (battles)
4. Sarcophagi – a tomb-above ground curving of the deceased, commemorative of their life,

The ancient Romans build mosaic in both public buildings and their private residences

PREHISTORIC PERIOD
*prehistory – before written records

*Paintings – way of communicating, rituals, burials

*Cave Paintings in Western Europe during Paleolithic period (old Stone age)

*Cave paintings are far more non-figurative art, - many elements are symbolic rather than realistic

*Cave arts – created by Shaman, early alphabet,

*Early ancestors are capable to do art work

Human travel for greener pasture – learned to make tools and created art as a source of
communication,

Paleolithic – during this period, the appearance of tools made of sharped stone and animal bone are
discovered hence the name stone age

Paleo – Old or Ancient ; Lithos – Stone

Mesolithic – Middle Stone Age During the Mesolithic period early humans depend heavily on hunting
and gathering fruits as a source of food

As the climate change from ice age to a warmer climate, most of the animal food source are gone
because of migration. So human in Mesolithic period became nomadic, wonderers as they follow the
migrating animals.

Humans started to become nomadic (wonderers) as they follow the migrating animals

Meso – middle; Lithos – stone

Neolothic – During this period, humans started to settle in one place and form a small village, they also
discovered agriculture and farming.

Learned how to produce food by cultivating the land.

Neo – New; Lithos – Stone

Lasted for 9,000 years

Tribes became– village became – cities became – city state then started the Egyptian Empire

EGYPTIAN EMPIRE – 3150 – 332 BCE

-Artworks were not intended to be seen, not meant for the living

“Egyptian art is not meant to be for the living”

-The artworks of ancient Egyptian have fascinated people for thousand of years

-Early Egyptian art was functional and created for a practical purpose while later art was intended for
aesthetic pleasure.

-Egyptian is obsessed with over death and the afterlife, they believe that after a ruler die they will
become god in the afterlife.

“Fowling Scene”

Egyptian Sculpture -Symbolic, it was used to present the gods or Pharoahs to remind people of the
heroism.

Columns also started in Egyptian arts.

Egyptian paintings, sculpture, architecture innovation, and symbolism would help shape the art of Rome
and Greece and still evident in contemporary arts.

ARTS OF THE CLASSICAL GREEK

Artistic production in Greek era were influenced by the art of ancient Egyptians

Greek arts are best known for its temples (ex parthenon)

Greek architecture – timeless

3 orders of Greek columns

-Doric, Ionic, Corinthian

*Classical period was also the time when some of the most impressive bronze sculptures are made.
(proportion)

*began sculpting more realistically, and relaxed

*Aprodite was the most innovative and influential sculpture and popularized by contrapposto pose
(Pose of a human body when it relaxes) –

POTTERY – classical Greek – pottery is use in everyday

Paintings during classical era were found in vases, tombs and also panels

Subjects were battle scenes, mythological and everyday scene

Greek Methods of Painting

Fresco – water-based pigments on a freshly applied plaster usually on a wall surfaces (Ideal for murals)

Encaustic – use heating and melting bees wax and then pigments was added and used for painting

ANCIENT ROMAN ART

-Romans produced art in a vast array of forms although they only imitate their artwork from the Greeks.

-Romans were obsessed with technology and very successful in using it to make the thing bigger, better,
faster and stronger.

What Is the difference between Roman Art and Greek Art?

ARCHITECTURE

Greek – used lintel and post method – limited in terms of durability

--Roman invented the stone arch design, used and developed concrete, science of surveying (building of
the roads, the dome (perfected and took to a higher level)

-The Patheon, The Colosseum (Greatest Ampitheater in Rome)

-Sculpture another art that they inherited from the Greek, but they did contribute a few developments

SCULPTURE

more realistically, with with expressive faces,

4 characteristic types of Roman Sculpture

1. Freestanding – more dynamic

2. The bust – representation of human figure (shoulders and head)
3. Monuments – narrative relief (battles )
4. Sarcophagi – a tomb-above ground curving of the deceased, commemorative of their life,

The ancient Romans build mosaic in both public buildings and their private residences

PAINTINGS

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius – most of the historical paintings were found

*Roman painters use fresco method of painting

MOSAIC

Pieces of glass, stones

Decorate walls

As Rome slowly lost its status as the hub of the Empire Roman art began to decline as well, and gave
way to new styles and techniques

Byzantine art would fill Rome with cathedral and basilica’s inspired by the design and construction
techniques of ancient Rome

Roman art would inspire of breathtaking art during the Italian Renaissance

BYZATINE EMPIRE
Byzantine takes its name from Byzantanium later called Constantinople and now called Istanbul.

Byzantine art is generally characterized by a move away from the naturalism of the classical tradition
towards the more abstract and universal rather than realistic

The paintings of Greek and Rome lived on in Byzantine but for Christian subjects.

Byzantine art started after the fall of the Roman Empire and continued through the renaissance.

Themes were primarily religious and imperial or combined

4 most Important types in Byzantine ART

Illuminated Manuscript – used to highlight the important script, used for those people who can’t read
what is written

Mosaic – historical art forms

Relief Sculpture – used for book covers, reliquery boxes and similar objects, goldwork, embroidery,
enamel work

Architecture – Byzantine architech were diverse and having a range of sources.

Distinctive features - domed roof, marble columns and inlay, gold coffered ceilings, inlaid stone
pavements

Paintings (symbolism) -in 730 A.D Emperor Leo the third initiated a movement called Iconoclasm
(rejection or destruction of religious images as heretical)

In contrast, earlier Christian art had relied more on allegory and symbolism.

Ex. (Lamb or Fish to represent Christ or human form)

Their art became more realistic.

RENAISSANCE
Time of rebirth, expansion for religious interpretation, scientific discovery, exploration of new lands and
flourishing of the arts.

Nicholas Capernicus,

Renaissance Artists

Michael Angelo,Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci

It’s art is known for its Realistic Scenery, Linear perspective and innovative light and dark shadowing

Although Renaissance architecture is a return of the ideals of Greeks and Romans, it is not slavish
imitation, but rather a free use of materials found in classic architecture.

The designers got their ideas from Greece and Rome, but they used these ideas freely, according to their
own tastes, I a way that was original.

Example: Saint Peter’s Basilica’s inner dome, which was designed by Michel Angelo, is one of the
characteristics of Renaissance.

Literary movement

Images with dimensions and death

Beginning of style, let to the path of modernity.