A Timeline of Art

By Seth Cole
(1). Overview 8. Romanticism
(2). Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and 9. Realism
Neolithic Art
10. Impressionism
(3). Classical Art
11. Post-Impressionism
(4). Medieval Art
12. Expressionism
(5). Renaissance
13. Cubism
i. Artist Spotlight: Leonardo da
i. Artist Spotlight: Pablo Picasso
Vinci
14. Surrealism
(6). Baroque & Rococo
15. Pop Art
(7). Neoclassicism
i. Artist Spotlight: Andy Warhol
Since the beginning of mankind, human beings have attempted
to demonstrate their feelings on life, love, religion, and other
topics by creating art. Whether it is architecture and paintings,
or sculpture and cave drawings, their art has acted as a time
capsule, and allowed us to see how artists viewed the world in
their time.
As time and technology progressed, so did art, and art history
has been divided into periods based on techniques and common
trends. In this presentation I will further delve into some of
these periods, and explore the techniques, trends, works, and
artists that have defined humanity through art.
Even in ancient times, Homo
Sapiens have created art.
These pieces of art often
involved stone; whether it was
stacking them, painting them,
or carving into them. Later in
the era, pottery, as well as
weaving, developed.
These works shared a common
theme of food, fertility, basic
human figures, and animals.
 Stonehenge
Wiltshire, England
Circa. 2500 BC
Gobustan Petroglyphs
Gobustan, Azerbaijan
Circa. 10,000 BC
Lascaux Cave Paintings
Southwestern France
Circa. 17,300 BC
Developed by the Greeks, Classical Art
dates back to as early as 500 BC. To
honor their vast pantheon of gods, the
Greeks created beautiful sculptures and
elegant architecture with marble. Their
artists were highly focused on
portraying the beauty of humans, and
created sculptures that were highly
naturalistic. Despite popular belief,
these sculptures were not white when
completed, but were painted a vast
array of colors.
Following their conquering of the Greeks,
the Romans adapted the Greeks' artistic
style for they believed it was
unparalleled. In fact, most of the
Classical Art that has survived today is
Roman, not Greek.
 Bronze Sculpture
National Archeological Museum, Athens, Greece
Circa. 460 B.C.
 Augustus of Prima Porta
Vatican Museums, Vatican City
1st Century A.D.
 Laocoon and His Sons
Vatican Museums, Vatican City
Circa. 25 B.C.
 Following the collapse of the Roman
Empire in 476 AD, Western Europe
became largely decentralized, except
for the centralizing power of the
Catholic Church. Also after the
collapse of the Roman empire,
Europe saw a period of artistic
backwardness, as the highly refined
methods of art from the Classical
period were forgotten.
Characteristics of Medieval art include:
- Focus on religious (Christian) themes
- Disproportionate and little perspective
- Two-Dimensional and flat
- A Hieratic Scale
 Maesta
Duccio di Buoninsegna
1311 AD
The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew
Duccio di Buoninsegna
1308 AD
 Christ on the Mount of Olives
Master of the Trebon Altarpiece
1380 AD
Due to contact with the Arab world and
the rediscovery of ancient Greek and
Roman texts, the Renaissance
brought a change in Europe
culturally. Following the Greek's and
Roman's methods before them,
Renaissance artist's paintings were
focused more on celebrating the
human individual, rather than
entirely on religion as it had during
the Medieval era. Characteristics of
Renaissance art include:
- Realism and focus on humans
- Accurate Perspective
- Natural Background
- Light and Shadowing
The Creation of Adam
Michelangelo
1511 AD
 David
Michelangelo
1504 AD
Born in 1452 in Italy, Leonardo
da Vinci was the archetypal
“Renaissance Man”. Along
with being an outstanding
artist, Leonardo was also an
accomplished scientist,
musician, architect, sculptor,
mathematician and engineer.
Because he was a gargantuan
procrastinator and his
techniques were sometimes
destructive, only around
fifteen of his paintings have
Self Portrait
survived.
1512 AD
Mona Lisa The Last Supper
1519 AD 1498 AD
To appeal and compete with Protestant
churches for worshipers following the
Protestant Reformation, the Catholic
church sponsored the creation of
impressive religious art and architecture,
known as the Baroque movement.
Baroque art is characterized by rich
color, Christian themes, intense
shadowing, and highly dramatic scenes
that are heavily foreshortened
In France during the late 1750's, the “Late
Baroque” period, or Rococo emerged.
Rococo art was much different than
Baroque art, as many Baroque artists
gave up their symmetry for the ornate
and playful style of Rococo. Rococo art
was often used by nobles for displaying
their wealth.
Elevation of the Cross
Peter Paul Rubens
1611 AD (Baroque)
 David
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
1624 AD (Baroque)
 The Swing
Jean-Honore Fragonard
1767 AD (Rococo)
Inspired by the Enlightenment,
Neoclassicism grew as a response
to the declining Rococo
movement. Neoclassical art was
had a much darker subject matter
than Rococo art, and was often
used in French politics under such
leaders as Maximilian
Robespierre as well as Napoleon
Bonaparte. Additionally,
Neoclassicism adopted many
characteristics of Greek and
Roman Classicism, which is
evident in the poses of figures,
the types of paint, and the drapery
of fabrics.
Oath of the Horatii
Jacques-Louis David
1784 AD
The Death of Marat
Jacques-Louis David
1793 AD
The Intervention of the Sabine Women
Jacques-Louis David
1795 AD
The Romanticism movement
originated as a revolt against the
Age of Enlightenment and the
Scientific Revolution of early
modern Europe. Unlike
Neoclassicism, Romanticist
artists created paintings far more
dreamy and imaginary than
Neoclassical artists, and were
often narratives. Additionally,
Romanticism paintings appealed
to the emotions of trepidation and
awe, through nightmarish
narratives and awe inspiring
natural shots.
Liberty Leading the People
Eugene Delacroix
1830 AD
The Nightmare
Henry Fuseli
1781 AD
Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
Caspar David Friedrich
1818 AD
Realism began as a rejection of the
imagination and subjectivism of
Romanticism, and focused more
on accurate observation of the
ordinary world. Realist artists
were characterized by painting
everyday people in ordinary
situations, as well as being
audacious by painting explicit
subject matter like prostitutes.
Additionally, Realism paintings
were often en plein air, which
means they were painted while
outdoors.
 The Gleaners
Jean-Francois Millet
1857 AD
Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet
Gustave Courbet
1854 AD
A Burial at Ornans
Gustave Courbet
1850 AD
During the Industrial Revolution
in France, the Impressionist
movement began. Like
Realists, Impressionists
sought to capture a specific
moment in time, but laid much
more emphasis on the effects
of light than the Realists.
Additionally, Impressionism is
characterized by small, but
visible, brush strokes, open
composition, and real life
subject matter.
Woman with a Parasol
Claude Monet
1875 AD
Paris Street, Rainy Day
Gustave Caillebotte
1877 AD
Children on a Farm
Camille Pissarro
1887 AD
Unhappy with the trivial subject
matter of Impressionism, the
Post-Impressionism movement
began in France in the late 19th
century. Like Impressionism,
Post-Impressionism had a
strong emphasis on light, as
well as distinguishable
brushstrokes. Additionally,
Post-Impressionism became an
even greater medium for
expression, as it was not afraid
to have unorthodox subject
matter.
The Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh
1889 AD
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island La Grande Jatte
Georges Seurat
1886 AD
Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?
Paul Gauguin
1897 AD
Originating in Germany at the
end of the 19th century,
Expressionism was focused
more on the emotion of
color rather than the reality
of it, and often times
appeared abstract.
Expressionist artists sought
to express the meaning and
emotion of an experience,
often times distorting their
works greatly for added
emotional effect.
 The Scream
Edvard Munch
1893 AD
Amedeo Modigliani
Diego Rivera
1914 AD
Sokea Soittoniekka (Blind Musician)
Alvar Cawen
1922 AD
Beginning at the start of the 20th
century, Cubism emerged. Rejecting
naturalistic depiction of prior
movements, Cubists preferred
compositions of shapes and forms
used in an abstract way. Cubism can
be further divided into two
branches: Analytical and Synthetic
Cubism. Analytical Cubism had
greater depth and focused on
breaking down forms into simple
geometric shapes, while Synthetic
Cubism was much more flat and
often used mixed media and collage.
Woman with a Guitar
Georges Braque
1913 AD
Born in Spain in 1881, Pablo Picasso,
along with Georges Braque, are often
considered the creators of the Cubism
movement. His style of art changed
dramatically through his life, and his
work can be divided into many periods
including the Blue, Rose, African-
Influenced, Cubist, and Surrealist
periods. Additionally, Picasso's Cubism
often featured a distorted reality to
demonstrate that things could be seen
from many different perspectives.
Picasso's work was often times based
on world events, such as Guernica, a
portrayal of the German bombing of the
Spanish city of Guernica, as well as a Self Portrait
distorted portrait of Josef Stalin that got
him into trouble with his fellow 1907 AD
communists.
Three Musicians Guernica
1921 AD 1937 AD
Girl with a Mandolin (Fanny Tellier) Les Demoiselles d'Avignon
1910 AD 1907 AD
After World War I, art in the
Western World tended to be
dominated by dark themes such as
uncertainty and anxiety. Surrealism
was one of the darkest of these
movements, and Surrealists placed
realistic objects in unrealistic
situations in order to confuse the
viewer's sense of reality.
Additionally, other characteristics
of Surrealism include a dreamlike
setting, and disturbing visuals.
The Persistence of Memory
Salvador Dali
1931 AD
The Elephant Celebes
Max Ernst
1921 AD
Without Hope
Frida Kahlo
1945 AD
Toward the late 1950's, a
movement known as Pop Art
emerged. Pop Art focused on
subjects that wouldn't normally be
considered art, such as
advertisements, pop culture, and
consumerism. Additionally,
because Pop Art incorporated pop
culture, it was easily accessible to
the average person.
Just What Is It That Makes Today's Homes So Different, So Appealing?

Richard Hamilton
1956 AD
 Drowning Girl
Roy Lichtenstein
1963 AD
Born in Pennsylvania in 1928,
Andy Warhol was a leading
figure in the Pop Art movement.
Andy Warhol had many talents,
and throughout his career he was
an accomplished painter, an
unconventional filmmaker, a
commercial illustrator, and a
record producer. In addition to
painting pictures of Campbell's
soup cans or Coca-Cola bottles,
Warhol also did much printing.
Some of his subjects for printing
Camouflage Self Portrait
included Elvis Presley, Marilyn
Monroe, and Mickey Mouse. 1986 AD
Mickey Mouse
1981 AD Campbell's Soup I
1968 AD
 Eight Elvises
Green Coca-Cola Bottles 1063 AD
1962 AD
 Bibliography
 Barron's: AP World History by John McCannon
 AP World History 2009 by Kaplan
 Wikipedia.com
 Edhelper.com
 Huntfor.com
 Time.com
 Youtube.com
 Uncredited Artwork
 Poulnabrone Dolmen in Ireland The Betrothal of the Virgin by Raphael
 Rock Painting at Bhimbetka, India Small Cowper Madonna by Raphael
 Female figure at Catal Huyuk, Turkey La Primiveria by Bottecelli
 Fresco from the Villa of the Mysteries: Adoration by Peter Paul Rubens
Pompeii, Itally
The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis
 Greek Pottery at Athens, Greece David
 The Seated Scribe at the Louvre The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of
his Sons by Jacques-Louis David
 Scenes from the Life of Christ –
Bondone The Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet
 The Rocky Mountains: Lander's Peak Bather Sleeping by the Brook by Gustave
by Albert Bierstadt Courbet
 The Raft of the Medusa by Theodore The End of the Working Day by Jules
Gericault Breton
 Uncredited Artwork

 Still Life with Fruit Dish and Mandolin
Dancer with a Bouquet of Flowers
by Juan Gris
(Star of the Ballet) by Edgar Degas
 Portrait of Picasso by Juan Gris
 The Cliff at Etretat after the Storm by
Claude Monet  Lion, Cheval, Dormeuse Invisibles by
Salvador Dali
 Water Lilies by Claude Monet
 Portrait by Joan Miro
 Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van
Gogh  I was a Rich Man's Plaything by
Eduardo Paolozzi
 The Cyclops by Odilon Redon
 Still Life #20 by Tom Wesselmann
 On White II by Wassily Kandinsky
 Rehe im Walde by Franz Marc
 Pair of Women (Women embracing each
other) by Egon Schiel
 L'Ange du Foyer ou le Triomphe du
Surréalisme by Max Ernst