Introduction to Paleolithic Art

Origin And Background:

Paleolithic cave art began around 30,000BCE to 10,000BCE. Homo sapiens were originally the first peoples to roam the earth and were also the first artists and writers. During that time, Homo sapiens began to start using their minds to be creative, making tools for survival or creating images in cave walls for entertainment. There are over two hundred caves throughout Europe, some are famous for its art and research like in south-west France or northern Spain. When the Homo sapiens started doing the paintings, its theme was based on animals that lived around that period. There are three different categories that were drawn: Humans, Animals and Signs for communication or symbolism. Some of the creations on the wall are evidence of what use to live during the Paleolithic period, every drawing of an animal that looks very different from the animals today are the generations from the past animals that were here before our time. Researchers would study the symbols that the Homo sapiens used to figure out what they mean.

Wall Paintings of horses, rhinos and aurochs in Chauvet cave (32000-30000 BCE)

Why is it important?

This art is important because this shows us the creation of humans making art for the first time in history. Cave paintings is one of the oldest art in the world, its the birth of painting and sculpting. Scientists work to study these paintings and these artifacts to study our stone age ancestors and what they used and what the painted. Showing these different species of animals gives scientists to study more and finding information of these old creatures. This is also important to people that want to become artists or story book illustrators, these prints and figures on the walls are made from minds of people who were here over 45,000 BCE. Till present day, people visit the caves in Europe to look at the artwork from the Paleolithic period to study or to be fascinated. Till present day artists  are bringing back the style of cave paintings but onto canvas paper instead of the cave walls. 

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