History of Graphic Design / History of Art

Week 1:
Timeline for the History of art from the ancient art to the contemporary.

Prehistory:
Paleolithic Art (Old Stone Age) - 30,000-10,000 B.C

The Paleolithic (literally: "Old Stone Age") period covered between two and one-half to three million years, dependent upon which scientist has done the calculations. For the purposes of Art History, though, when we refer to Paleolithic Art, we're talking about the Late Upper Paleolithic period. This began roughly around 40,000 years ago and lasted through the Pleistocene ice age, the end of which is commonly thought to have occurred near 8,000 B.C. (give or take a few centuries). This period was marked by the rise of Homo sapiens and their ever-developing ability to create tools and weapons.

Horse (c. 15,000-10,000 BC), Lascaux, France.  Scan © Mark Harden, used with permission

Sources taken from 
http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/paleolithic.htm.

What was going on?

There was a lot more ice, for one thing, and the ocean shoreline was different from that with which we're familiar. Lower water levels and, in some cases, land bridges (which have long since disappeared) allowed humans to migrate into the Americas and Australia. The ice also made for a cooler climate, world-wide, and prevented migration to the far north. Humans at this time were strictly hunter-gatherers, meaning they were constantly on the move in search of food.

What kinds of art were created during this time?

There were really only two kinds. Art was eitherportable or stationary, and both of these art forms were limited in scope.

Portable art during the Upper Paleolithic period was necessarily small (in order to be portable) and mainly consisted of either figurines or decorated objects. These things were carved (from stone, bone or antler) or modeled with clay. We refer to most of the portable art from this time as figurative, meaning it actually depicted something recognizable, whether animal or human in form. The figurines are often referred to by the collective name of "Venus," as they are unmistakably females of child-bearing build.

Stationary art was just that: it didn't move. The best examples exist in (now famous) cave paintings in western Europe, created during the Paleolithic period. Paints were manufactured from combinations of minerals, ochres, burnt bone meal and charcoal mixed into mediums of water, blood, animal fats and tree saps. We've guessed (and it's only a guess) that these paintings served some form of ritualistic or magical purpose, as they are located far from the mouths of caves where everyday life took place. Cave paintings contain far more non-figurative art, meaning many elements are symbolic rather than realistic. The clear exception, here, is in the depiction of animals, which are vividly realistic (humans, on the other hand, are either completely absent or stick figures).

What are the key characteristics of Paleolithic art?
It seems a bit flippant to try to characterize the art from a period that encompasses most of human history (however helpful one is attempting to be). Paleolithic art is intricately bound to anthropological and archaeological studies that professionals have devoted entire lives toward researching and compiling. The truly curious should head in those directions. That said, to make some sweeping generalizations, Paleolithic art:

Mesolithic Art (ca10,000-8,000 BC)

Otherwise known as "Middle Stone Age", the Mesolithic Age covered a brief span of around 2,000 years. While it served as an important bridge between the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages, the art of this period was, well, sort of boring.

From this distance, it's not nearly as fascinating as the discovery of (and innovations in) the art of the preceding era. And the art of the subsequent Neolithic era is exponentially diverse, besides being more well-preserved and offering us thousands of examples of itself, instead of a "handful." Still, let's briefly cover the artistic events of the Mesolithic Age because, after all, it's a distinct era from any other.

What kind of art were created during this time?

There was pottery, though it was mostly utilitarian in design. In other words, a pot just needed to hold water or grain, not necessarily exist as a feast for the eyes. The artistic designs were mainly left up to later peoples to create.

The portable statuary of the Upper Paleolithic was largely absent during the Mesolithic Age. This is likely a result of people settling down and no longer requiring art that could travel. Since the invention of the arrow had occurred, much of this period's "carving" time seems to have been spent knapping flint, obsidian and other minerals which lent themselves to sharp, pointy tips.

The most interesting Mesolithic Age art that we know of consists of rock paintings. Similar in nature to the Paleolithic cave paintings, these moved out of doors to vertical cliffs or "walls" of natural rock, often semi-protected by outcroppings or overhangs. Though these rock paintings have been found in locations ranging from the far north in Europe to southern Africa, as well as elsewhere around the globe, the largest concentration of them exists in eastern Spain's Levant.

While no one can say with certainty, the theory exists that the paintings' locations weren't chosen at random. The spots may have held sacred, magical or religious significance. Very often, a rock painting exists within close proximity to a different, more suitable spot upon which to paint.

Week 3: 
EGYPTIAN ART
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIVmhvVjlSRFp0b2s/view?usp=sharing


Week 4: 
AEGEAN ART
Neo-expressionism: What is Fauvism?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIUFpnemZVY0JCeHM/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIYjBXQmdPS2lSeU0/view?usp=sharing

Ancient & Medieval History
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIWWNVX0VBZmQwMWc/view?usp=sharing

What is Neo- Classicism?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIczhhQk90RnU2VlU/view?usp=sharing

Week 5: 
GREEK ART
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCITERaR0t6UDFOaVU/view?usp=sharing

Week 6: 
ETRUSCAN ART
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIM1lDSmFaV1YyUGc/view?usp=sharing


Week 7: ROMAN ART
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIM0NLdVBWYWY0MWs/view?usp=sharing

Week 8:
Byzantine Art & Medieval Art

Byzantine Art
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIMnE2RWZOckEzTFU/view?usp=sharing

Medieval Art
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIcmozay1nZ3lhMXM/view?usp=sharing

Week 9:
MEDIEVAL ART
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIZkRsV1pDWXJrdnM/view?usp=sharing

Week 10:
15 & 16th Century
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIX0xacVJTb1pWNTg/view?usp=sharing

Week 11-13:
18 & 19th Century
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIeU1iZkhJdmpmeDg/view?usp=sharing

Mid -Term Revision
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIeU1iZkhJdmpmeDg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCINU82NldzeDh2bVU/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzOdGgegIYCINU82NldzeDh2bVU

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIX0xacVJTb1pWNTg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIMnE2RWZOckEzTFU/view?usp=sharing


Final Revision

Week 10: 
15 & 16th Century
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIX0xacVJTb1pWNTg/view?usp=sharing

Week 11-13: 
18 & 19th Century
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCIeU1iZkhJdmpmeDg/view?usp=sharing

20th Century
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzOdGgegIYCISlFXTzhMOHRjeTQ/view?usp=sharing