A look at Prehistoric art, including a section on Australian Aboriginal art

1. History of Art HISTORICAL STUDIES CRITICAL STUDIES ART MAKING

2. PREHISTORIC ART Palaeolithic Mesolithic Neolithic

3. PALAEOLITHIC Old stone age Lascaux is the setting of a complex of caves in south western France famous for its Palaeolithic cave paintings. They contain some of the best-known Upper Palaeolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be 17,300 years old. They primarily consist of primitive images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time. World Heritage Site

7. c. 14,000 year old Bull and Cow Bisonfound in the Le Tuc d'Audoubert cave, Ariege, France.

9. Venus of Willendorf Material Oolitic limestone Created 22,000 B.C.E– 21,000 B.C.E. Discovered 1908 near Willendorf, by Josef Szombathy Present location Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria Her small size gives us an important clue to the people who made her: she’s portable, hinting that her makers moved around a lot (hunter-gatherers, in other words). Her female attributes are quite exaggerated, reflecting the cultural reverence for women’s ability to bear children.

11. MESOLITHICMiddle Stone Age The Mesolithic is the period of middle Stone Age, from about 10,000 - 5,000 BC years ago. It corresponds to period of primarily nomadic hunting and gathering which preceded the adoption of domesticated plants and animals

12. Speculation of this scene being part of a local myth is prominent. This Mesolithic painting is evidence of a Ukrainian civilization forming sometime around the Mesolithic period

13. four hunters and their chief, cave painting, Remisia, Castellón, Spain, Mesolithic c. 6,000 B.C.:

14. NEOLITHICNew Stone Age The Neolithic (literally: "new stone") age represents a spree of artistic innovation. Humans were settling themselves down into agrarian societies, which left them enough spare time to explore some key concepts of civilization - namely, religion, measurement, the rudiments of architecture and writing and, art.

15. ART FROM AUSTRALIA

16. ART FROM AUSTRALIA, When? The oldest dates so far found by direct dating of art were obtained by geologist Alan Watchman for layers of pigment in two rock-shelters on Cape York in north Queensland, one of 25 000 years and one of almost 30000 years. There is, however, indirect evidence going back a lot further, leading some archaeologists to argue that the rock art galleries in northern Australia are some of the oldest in the world by modern humans. This is, of course, a contentious area, with recent claims for dates in southern France and northern Italy going back as far as 35 000 years.

18. ART FROM AUSTRALIA, Where? Painting was also used wood, bark and the skin of participants in ceremonies. Wooden sculptures with intricate cross-hatched designs, and delicate engravings on pearl shell were made in the West Kimberley. Geographically, art forms can be found all across Australia using different styles in particular regions. The Wandjina and Mimi spirits from Arnhem land, the Banjil and Baiame from the south east, and the x-ray style from the Northern Territory and Tiwi Islands are some examples. ART FROM AUSTRALIA, Why

19. (above)Nourlangie Rock Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia (below) Ubirr Rock Art

20. ART FROM AUSTRALIA, Why? Traditionally it was made for purely cultural reasons and thought to be only able to be created or viewed by people initiated to the proper level of knowledge. Generally the painting process is thought to have been a significant and spiritual act. The artist wished to tell a story. At many sites, particularly in Kakadu, many images have been painted over each other

21. Wandjina

22. The Wandjina is the Cloud or Rain Spirit of the Wunambul, Wororra and Ngarinyin language people the controller of the "Seasons", the bringer of rain which equals water which equals "life". Common composition is with large upper bodies and heads that show eyes and nose, but typically no mouth. Two explanations have been given for this: they are so powerful they do not require speechand if they had mouths, the rain would never ceaseTo please her is to thrive to insult or do wrong is to bring wrath and recompense to the offenders. The contemporary Wandjina artwork is painted today from stories which have been handed down from generation to generation.

23. Some Postmodern Wandjina’s

24. Spirals In The Dust Aboriginal cave paintings on Uluru (Ayers Rock), near the Mutijulu waterhole. Spirals In The Dust Aboriginal cave paintings on Uluru, near the Mutijulu waterhole.

25. Rock Carvings The sandstone area centred around the Sydney region is known for rock carvings

26. 'Echidna and Fish' site, West Head, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Sydney. 90 cm. Engraved on a horizontal Hawkesbury sandstone platform.

27. Emu @ West Head West Head, Kuringai National Park, Sydney.

28. Fish @ Bantry Bay Aboriginal Engraving Site .The sky has a 30 shot stack over 30 minutes

30. Wiradjuri painting of Baiame, spirit of creation, Wollombi NSW

31. ART FROM AUSTRALIA, How? Paint used traditionally by Aboriginal artists consisted of a pigment, such as ochre or a coloured organic material, and a binder. Ochre is a very finely textured natural rock coloured by iron oxide. Aboriginal artists grind this material and mix it with a binder to ensure the paint sticks to a surface. Traditionally binders such as plant juices or saps, water, saliva or blood, were used. The pigments would have been applied with twigs and pandanus leaves as well as fingers and spraying.

33. NOTES EmuEmu @ West Head Under the near full moon, West Head's Kuringai National Park Sydney.The Emu was lit with a small pen light ~ foreground was lit with large tungsten light and there was 30 minutes of star trails stacked for the sky. Was the Emu done in one exposure than nothing for the next 30 minutes? That’s spot on, all the foreground lighting was done in the one exposure then the next 30 shots where for the sky only. @ West Head Under the near full moon, West Head's Kuringai National Park Sydney.The Emu was lit with a small pen light ~ foreground was lit with large tungsten light and there was 30 minutes of star trails stacked for the sky. Was the Emu done in one exposure than nothing for the next 30 minutes? That’s spot on, all the foreground lighting was done in the one exposure then the next 30 shots where for the sky only.