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VCU ARTH 103 - ARTH 103: Prehistoric Art and Architecture

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ARTH 103: Prehistoric Art and Architecture- Prehistoric Eraso Defined by tool making technology and food gathering/growing (nomadic=following their food); predates writingo Dates/Ages (BCE= Before Common Era): Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): 40,000-10,000 BCE Neolithic (New Stone Age): 10,000-2,000 BCE Bronze Age/Iron Age: 3,200-1,200 BCE - -lithic: stone- -paleo: old- -neo: newo There aren’t any written/documented accounts explaining the artwork or reasoning behind it, so nothing is absolutely certain. Most “explanations” are guesses based on details/facts known about each historical area.o Paleolithic = a basic awareness of stone for the purpose of tools Going to their source of food meant that they had a difficult time surviving. Most of their time was consumed with trying to find food, shelter, and safetyo Neolithic = birth of domestication, increased knowledge of tools, creation of different tools for different purposeso Bronze/Iron Age = literally just using bronze and iron; sophistication in terms or tool creation and uses- Interpreting Prehistoric Arto Using formal analysis = using adjectives to describe the physical appearance of the artworko The interpretation of Prehistoric Art is due to the collective efforts of art historians, archaeologists, and anthropologists- What We Knowo Art had a functiono Art was significant o Types of art/technologies were usedo Likely related to cosmological beliefs (also somewhat unsure about this one) Cosmology = the idea that we are here for a reason; some form of spiritualforces out, above, and beyond us that control the universe; what religion emerges from- What we don’t know (for sure…)o What those functions wereo Details about cosmological beliefso The definitive relationship between art and culture/society (many things were lost and destroyed)- Paleolithic Arto We begin in hunter/gatherer nomadic societieso Cave paintings and small ritual objects/talismans (good luck charms, perhaps?) Leaving their mark Visited over the span of thousands of years Caves usually located in “difficult places” (not easily accessible) Humans were usually depicted as stick figures (compared to the more realistic animal figures), sometimes wielding spears Usually considered “magical” = the people that painted these probably hoped to gain something (often the object of their painting); their method of trying to influence the universe/other daily occurrences such as survival, success, and the fertility of the animals they hunted (to increase food supply) Lascaux (France)- It is known that the caves weren’t used as dwelling or living spaces(there is evidence of this—fire pits were only used for light, not forcooking)- Other evidence that this was not a dwelling or living space, is that that caves like this were often designated for sacred purposes- Most well known for animal pictures that were fairly naturalistic; cave features were utilized to create a 3-D effect Peche Merle (France) - Hand prints found; probably made by women (because they were so small in size) using a prehistoric spray-painting method: chew up burnt bark and spit it out/spray onto hand using hand as a stencil- Possibly the first art signatures to be found in history (?)o Small figurines Woman from Willendorf (possibly a depiction of the goddess Venus?)- There are many art historians who call this figurine by Venus, who was the Roman goddess of love. However, it has been proven that prehistoric art predates the Roman Empire, therefore deeming the nickname Venus inappropriate. It is safer to refer to this figurine as “Woman from Willendorf”- Dated: 24,000-22,000 BCE- Medium: limestone with red ochre traces (the figurine was probably painted red, but overtime the color has faded away)- 4.3 inches tall (incredibly small = portable)- Found in Willendorf- Currently held at Naturhistoriches Museum, Vienna- Interpretation through formal analysis: o Well maintained shapeo Size = actual measurement of the piece; important; helps to determine the function of the figurine (nomadic beings; need to carry around without difficultyo Scale = relative size of the piece (“tiny” in comparison to an/the actual object it represents. In this case, the figurine issmall compared to a human woman); certain parts of the figurine of the Woman of Willendorf = skewed in comparison to the actual object (alterations in scale); certain proportions (breasts, hips, thighs) = off- All of the enlarged parts (breasts, hips, stomach, and thighs) relate to health and fertility. A large woman like this represents someone well-fed who is prepared to birth a baby under safe circumstances (producing a healthy child).- The figurine doesn’t have a face, but there is a braid-like texture onher face (takes away a sense of identity/individuality) = more universal symbolism of fertility and health (not just geared towardsa single woman); broad interpretation- Neolithic Arto Time period associated with the development of agriculture and the domesticationof animals (following seasons and learning more about conditions of seeds); pelts and furs becoming more popularo More permanent settlements, which means better art (more time to dedicate to art)o Permanent settlements brought on permanent architecture o People thinking more about cosmology o Terms:  Passage grave: larger change in the understanding of cosmology/universe (interested in life cycles and seasons; specific architecture) Megalith: “big stones” that were altered in some way or moved by humans- Dolmen: part of a passage grave (three rocks) that were used as entrances; also referred to as post and lentil- Henge: stones that are arranged in a circular/semi-circular manner- Menhir: a stone put in a particular place for some purposeo New Grange (Ireland) There is a mound of dirt that covers the architecture- Long passage/entrance that leads to a room that splits into two rooms, one on either side- After it was built, it was covered in dirt- The entrance is aligned with the midwinter sunrise (sun bounces off the wall and casts light onto the wall in the passage at the end) Wasn’t a permanent passage grave, but possibly a transitional place. The midwinter sunrise possibly possesses some magical powers to move a person (perhaps the chief) from one realm to another Spiral shapes: solar symbols that appeared on stones of this architecture aswell as


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VCU ARTH 103 - ARTH 103: Prehistoric Art and Architecture

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