Introduction
In all the forms, art is a reflection of the human civilization. History on the other hand traces
changes in human thinking, society and what is accepted in the society. Bare Essentials of art
since the beginning of the creation of the cave paintings by prehistoric societies up to today art
with the advent of the computer technology in the creation of new form of art of today’s art. In
this essay, it is proposed to describe more detailed the styles of the development of art with an
emphasis on their key movements, artists, and works.
Prehistoric Art
Cave painting is generally considered to be one of the earliest forms of art through which
prehistoric man gave vent to his creative instincts and tried to communicate. This art is a good
source of understanding the lives, and some of the beliefs, of early humans.
Cave Paintings: The most pictographic and far older caves of Lascaux and Chauvet are found in
the area of south west of France. Lascaux caves are those that were found in 1940 and have
approximately six hundred of paintings to do with horses, bisons and dear. Such scenes are
memorable for those in which the depicted animals are moved with ease as if the painters studied
their behavior and, perhaps, the meaning as a symbolism of the animals. This painting is
estimated to be done about 32 thousand years ago in Chauvet Cave which is accorded the world
record in the production of the earliest known painting. These include details like the depiction
of lions, rhinoceroses and bears; complex techniques have been used, for instance, the cross-
hatching that makes one gain the sense of depth.
Venus Figurines: The paleolithic Venus are small carved female figures with massive breasts
and enlarged hips, such as the Venus of Willendorf (c. 28000–25000 BP) and the Venus of
Hohle Fels (c. 35–40 000 BP). For these figurines are considered to have had some connection
with fertility or the mother figure. Among those the most famous is the so-called Venus of
Willendorf, found in Austria; it is striking that the woman depicted in it, focuses on the lower
part of the body and particularly on the breasts, the abdomen and the hips which in the
Paleolithic societies were inextricably linked to fertility.
Ancient Art
Art of prehistoric period has evidently incorporated various antiques of the early societies
including their eloquent gods, systems of government, and inventions.
Ancient Egyptian Art: Egyptian art is heavily restricted with observation of the art being
mainly done for religious or funeral purposes. The pyramids of Giza that includes those more
famous pyramids are of the Fourth Dynasty and this were constructed in the period of c. 2580 –
2560 BC and these are basically tombs of the pharaohs. These pyramids include the three
structure pyramids named after the pyramids of Giza that were constructed for Khufu Pharaoh.
Originally it was also faced with white Tura limestone casing stones reflecting in the sun for the
manifestation of the divinity of the pharaoh.
Hieroglyphs and Tomb Paintings: The interior of Egyptian tombs also contain hieroglyphs and
paintings of the after life on the tomb walls. People’s guide in the afterlife was some sort of
literature that was buried with them in the tombs; the Book of the Dead. In the frescoes of Tomb
of Nebamun, which belongs to the period between 1350 BCE, the common scenes that have been
depicted in the tomb include banquets, hunting and farming activities alluding to the concept of
duality of the life after death and the glorification of daily life.
Ancient Mesopotamian Art: The art of Mesopotamia shows the society‘s religious and social
patterns of the society. The ziggurats as the Great Ziggurat of Ur (c. 2100 BCE) are monumental
religious temples built to enshrine the gods. By construction of a stepped pyramid and temple at
the top, the Ziggurat is also in accordance with the concept of Mesopotamian civilization that is
having links between heaven and earth.
Cylinder Seals: Mesopotamian cylinder seals were employed in their official capacity and many
of these seal represented complex offices and were decorated with scenes and motifs from
mythology and gods. The Stele of Hammurabi, (c. 1754 BCE) is one of the most valuable items
that you would come across from the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations. It bears one of the
examples of the most ancient systems of laws recorded in the form of cuneiform writings. The
top compartment of the stele shows Hammurabi receiving the law from the sun god Shamash –
thus legal authority of the king.
Ancient Greek Art: Greek art is famous for being anthropocentric with the focus made on the
human shape and aesthetic values. Athena Parthenos sculptured by Phidias was located in the
Parthenon building which is a temple of Athena. Constructed during the reign of Perikles, the
building that perhaps best represents the glory of Athens is the Parthenon, which architectural
design was the work of the talented Iktinos and Kallikrates, who were considered the masters of
the Doric column and proportional symmetry.
Greek Pottery and Sculpture: On pottery, there were the classic examples on pottery including
the black-figure and red-figure techniques which included scenes from mythology and day to day
life. Another technique, known as black-figure, emerged after 700 BC and consisted in painting
the figures in slip black on the red clay. Innovations to the ceramic making technique for which it
was called the red-figure style, began in the Flanders region about 530 BCE, which enabled the
painters to create fine details and a closer resemblance to the human form. The specialists in
sculpture, Praxiteles and Lysippus produced figures like Aphrodite of Knidos and the
Apoxyomenos (Scraper) that erred towards realism and the norm of beauty.
Ancient Roman Art: As became clear when the art of the Romans became more realistic and
monumental, it was based on the Greeks’ samples. Even as late it is in these pieces that the rarer
Smiths of man-Williams, Julius Caesar and Cicero marbles were produced where the refinements
of portraiture were attained. As opposed to the Greek busts which depicted the elasticity of
trading and diminished the personality of the portrayed people, these busts were important to the
Romans as they represented people’s individuality.
Roman Architecture: Throughout their existence, the romans built many styles of structures;
the roman engineering marvels embraced the use of arch, the vault and the dome. The Pantheon
was built in the year 126 CE and is famous for the large dome and the hole in it – the oculus. In
terms of architectural design and technology such as the use of concrete in the construction of the
dome the Church of San Lorenzo was one of the largest in the world prior to the Renaissance.
Probably the most famous amphitheater is the Colosseum in Rome built for gladiatorial combat
and other public events; it could hold 50 000 people. This is in the design of the building which
incorporates aspects such as the arches and construction with concrete an aspect that the Roman
valued greatly being engineering and entertainment.
Medieval Art
Medieval art covers the time from the late antique period to the early renaissance and covers
such styles as Early Christian, Byzantine, Romanesque, and, finally, Gothic art.
Early Christian Art: The first stages of Christian art formed in the context of the ongoing
growth of the Christian church in the Roman Empire. Some early Christian paintings and graffiti
has been identified in the catacombs of Rome such as the Catacombs of San Callisto. For again,
Good Shepherd can be symbolic for Christ which is a figure of care and protection. Others are
the fish (ichthys) that was convention believed as a symbol of Christian faith; and pictures from
Old Testament aiming to depict and disseminate the doctrines of Christianity.
Byzantine Art: East Roman fine art is noted for using a lot of icons and mosaics and it evolved
at the East Roman Empire. The largest single area of surviving mosaic ornament is in the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre, the kingly Hagia Sophia built by Justinian I in 537 AD, boasted of one of
the world’s largest domes. Among these are the philosophy and art works in the Basilica of San
Vitale in Italy especially the Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora panels. These mosaics
portray the emperor and the empress in a sacred as well as protocolary situation to stress on
pietas as well as aegis.
Romanesque Art: The features which are associated with the Romanesque art include the round
arches, thick walls, and the barrel vaults. Churches erected in this period like the abbey church of
Sainte Foy in Conques were the most decorated sculpturally especially on the portals and the
capitals. The Last Judgment tympanum found at Autun Cathedral by Gislebertus is one of the
best examples of the representation of the end of the world with Gothic iconographical motifs in
describing the main medieval pre-occupations that include issues to do with salvation and after-
life.
Gothic Art: The Gothic art started in the 12th century and is characterized by vertical lines and
complication of light. These are Notre-Dame de Paris and Chartres Cathedral; they contain
ribbed vaults, flying buttresses and large areas of stained glass windows. Although more minor
than the Chartres Cathedral, the remarkable feature at the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, extending the
Gothic love of light and, particularly, colour, one feels as if one is in a sacral space in daylight.
Illuminated Manuscripts: Illuminated manuscripts also fall under gothic art examples of these
are the book of hours and the très riches heures du duc de berry. These manuscripts were
produced by the monks and artists in the monastic centre and they have had decorations,
miniatures paintings and borders. The Très Riches Heures is said to have been created for the
Duke of Berry and is also highly recognizable by its calendar and illustrations of the aristocratic
way of life and of the seasons.
Renaissance Art
Often used interchangeably with ‘Rebirth’, the term ‘Renaissance’ refers to the period from the
fourteenth to the seventeenth century that is associated with a dramatically changed approach to
art and culture.
Early Renaissance: Early Renaissance was characterized by the appearance of new trends and
the emphasis on the exposure of the world. Giotto di Bondone who painted the frescoes in Arena
Chapel abandoned the kind of art work that was basically two-dimensional and symbolic, to
provide an art that resembled real life though in a somewhat idealistic manner. His subsequent
work, such as the Lamentation, shows a certain ‘live- ness’ and concern with deeper planes of
emotion. Again, the areas where Giotto established himself as a painters of immense importance
were the subjects’ use of space and perspective.
High Renaissance: The High Renaissance, reaching its zenith in the late 15th and early 16th
centuries, is associated with three of the most influential artists: The sort of adorning that can
almost instantly be thought of with Italian renaissance portray are characters as Leonardo da
Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael and artists such as Raphael. Da Vincian artistic masterpieces
like the Mona Lisa and the Last supper cover sfumato, and human psychological aspects. The
Mona Lisa painting is one of the most renowned of Leonardo’s works through the enigmatic
smile of the lady in the painting and she, and the detailed background.
Michelangelo: Michelangelo, despite that he is most famous for his sculpture works, also
achieved great deal in painting. His David, done in marble, is the biblical giant depicted from a
single piece of stone and with a dignity and temperate vigor. The Chapel ceiling was painted by
Michelangelo between the years 1508 and 1512 containing the stories of genesis from the bible,
the creation of man being one of them. The frescoes are complex in their compositions and rich
in detail that cannot conceal Michelangelo’s comprehension of the human body and his penchant
for-theological exegesis.
Raphael: Raphael, worked on the principles of harmonious compositions, he produced art that
embodied the Roman classical and the humanist’s themes. The School of Athens is fresco
painting by Raphael completed in 1509-1511 that depicts some of the great philosophers and
scientists in assembly such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates standing in a great hall-like
architectural structure. The compositions, value of the linear perspective, and harmonization of
the coloration define the gains in terms of science and art of the renaissance as depicted Raphael.
Northern Renaissance: Similar to the Italian Renaissance, The Northern Renaissance can also
be dated back and was also mainly realistic in terms of detail. Jan van Eyck is a prime example
of this movement; he employed oil paint the best way and had a focus for the texture and
luminosity. The specific details, which make the Arnolfini Portrait so interesting, are, in fact,
shadows of the objects and people portrayed, and the texture of their clothes, the convex mirror
on the wall and its reflection, the chandelier with a single burning candle that might symbolize
the presence of God.
Albrecht Dürer: Woodcuts and engravings made by from the German artist Albrecht Dürer
played a part in the Northern Renaissance. The series of his woodcuts – The Apocalypse – is
based on observations as well as imagination: the scenes are taken from The Revelation. In the
same sense of the sort of self exploration, the writings of Dürer, especially the Self-Portrait at 28
(1500), point to a fascination with the human form and the concept of the individual, as observed
through the lens of art and ‘personhood.’
Baroque and Rococo Art
The Baroque is from the late 16th to the 18th century and it is flamboyant which is evident by
the light, movement as well as emotions. The Rococo style which succeeded it is characterised
by lightness, elegance and theatrical, frivolous themes.
Baroque Art: It looked to evoke response and try to offer more than what was expected, a larger
than life experience. The Baroque style with evident chiaroscuro can be seen in one of the most
popular painters of that period, Caravaggio, in such artwork as The Calling of Saint Matthew,
1599–1600. Other artists were to follow Caravaggio’s use of light, and the heightened naturalism
was to become one of the primary characteristics of Baroque style along with, of course, fervor.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini: Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a famous artist of the Baroque period, was
engaged in the production of sensational and spirited sculptures like St Teresa’s Rapture (1647–
52). Standing in the Cornaro Chapel in Rome, the sculpture captures the probably real or at least
vivid feeling of Saint Teresa’s rapture in the to the style of Baroque movement that emphasized
spirituality and the might of an experience. These innovations are also seen in Bernini’s
architecture, for instance in Baldachin in St. Peter’s Basilica; the Baroque artists love dramatic
effects and grandeur.
Rococo Art: A different style after Baroque is the Rococo style that was likely to start from the
early 18th century; it was more frivolous and ornate. French painter François Boucher a Rococo
master has painted The Toilet of Venus (1751) and other paintings are filled with sweet pastel
tints and fuzzy texture. As to the content, the painting represents a mythological scene with
Venus and her maids as most of the paintings of the period associated with the Rococo style that
focused on the idea of love and beauty. The Rococo is best brought to life by Jean-Honoré
Fragonard’s The Swing (1767) by virtue of the subject: a young woman on a swing coyly
reminiscent of her lover, appropriate for the intimate feel of the movement.
Neoclassicism and Romanticism
Neoclassicism which began in the late 18th century was a reaction against the Rococo art which
were full of excesses and attempted to emulate the classical art.
Neoclassicism: Neoclassicism was to some extent provoked by archaeology and philosophy of
the Enlightenment period. It was painted by the Neo-classical master Jacques-Louis David who
was into specially commissioned paintings such as; Death of Socrates 1787 and Oath of the
Horatii 1784. In ‘The Death of Socrates,’ there is an expliciteed focus on the pre-death Socrates
and the philosophical and logical aspects In ‘The Oath of the Horatii’ there is an association with
the concept of heroism and the willingness to die. Both clarity and simplicity of Neoclassical art
may be traced in the painting and sculptures of David, which are elaborate and systematic.
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, who was popular for his
area named as portraits and history paintings, became one of the Neoclassicism artists by
painting that of the Grande Odalisque (1814). As it will be remembered many artists from the
early stages of Romantics used the forms of Neoclassicism, however the values of which they
stick are different; Ingres, like many artists of the change of epochs is focused and the external
vrile, the exotic topics.
Romanticism: The latter, Romanticism, begun in early nineteenth century was based on emotion
and the notion of the sublime. Romantic painters included in the movement were Eugène
Delacroix who made artworks such as Liberty Leading the People done in 1830 and closely
related to radicalism which symbolizes freedom. Thus, the choice of bright clear colors and the
rather free composition of the works is typical of the Romantic craving for emotions and
personal eloquence. Even though his works are as a rule narrative and depict history and literary
pieces, he expressed dramatic and passionate sentiments.
Francisco Goya: Francisco Goya, a Spanish artist, painted the society especially in his series,
the Los Caprichos, which was done in 1799, contains the Satirical imagery. Again, in his later
works such as The Third of May 1808 (1814), Goya met the historicisms of Romanticism in
senses, painting the sufferings of the war. The painting presents the story of Spanish rebels being
executed by the French soldiers; thus, it reflects Goya’s negative attitude towards political
violence and repression.
19th-Century Art
The nineteenth century is seeming as the era of the recording fast and dynamism in respect of art
where various styles such as Realism, Impressionism, and post-Impressionism clicked into being.
Realism: Realism appeared as an art movement in the mid 19th century and aimed at portrayal
of the real, the mundane. Gustave Courbet’s The Stone Breakers (1849) and Jean-François
Millet’s The Gleaners (1857) depict the themes of the proletariat and workers’ respect for them
and their liveliness. In Courbet’s painting two laborers are seen snapping stones and the artist has
not personalised the labour work in anyway. This work of millet depicts peasants, three of them
in this particular picture, picking remaining grains showing strength of countryside.
Impressionism: In impressionists who starting to move from the mid of the 1870 it was the
luminosity, vividness and, above all, the temporality of the modernity. Impression, Sunrise by
Claude Monet painted in 1872 shows the beauty of the sun rise but. This is the title that became
the name of the movement and fully corresponds to Monet’s intention to depict the effects of the
light at a certain part of a day. Another Impressionist was Edgar Degas, who painted ballerinas;
he attempted to convey movement in a work like The Dance Class painted in 1874. Some of the
most defining aspects of Degas’s works were that he introduced new angles, and cut off
compositions.
Post-Impressionism: The movement after Impressionism is post-impressionism where the
artists like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne are found. The painting by Vincent Van Gogh
The Starry Night painted in 1889, has very expressive and dynamic brush, which goes in
accordance with the artist’s emotion and vision. The painting is done when van Gogh was
staying at Saint- Rémy asylum in France the painting has features of his mental status and his
interest in the stars. Such subjects of Cézanne’s paintings as landscapes with the Mont Sainte-
Victoire depicted the emphasis on the structure. Thus Paul Cézanne’s methods of construction of
composition and of colour showed a great impact for the modernist art.
Modern Art
Art in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries witnessed new trends in styles and idea
known as modern art movements they include; culmination, surrealism, abstractionism, and pop
art among others.
Cubism: Futurism from Italy broke the curved lines and Futurism from Russia broke the smooth
curves and musculature of form to depict more than one view at the same time, and both
movements were pioneered by Picasso and Braque. Style: Cubism Piece: Les Demoiselle
d’avignon painted by Pablo Picasso in the year 1907. The painting alters what did people
anticipate to be painted and brings in a new way of portraying the human form. Violin and
Palette by Georges Braque made in the year 1909 is another work that can clearly to the
fragmented forms and multi view point of Cubism.
Surrealism: For the surrealism appeared in the beginning of the twentieth century in the 1920s,
some of the works was focused on the idea of the unconscious mind and dreams. The trip and
distorted landscape of Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory of 1931, the famous work
with the clocks melting, is the work of the irrational and the fabulous. As a whole the painting
can be related to Dalí’s fascination with the subject of time and perception. Reflecting too on the
surrealist interest in language and vision, the infamous ‘This is not a pipe’ is explored in René
Magritte’s The Treachery of Images (1928–1929).
Abstract Expressionism: Abstract Expressionism which had emerged in the mid-20th century
also did not depict objects or scenes. One can consider Jackson Pollock’s concept of the drip
paintings referring to its No. 5, 1948 as one of the key works that best reflects the aspect in
question. Dripping and pouring of the paint on the canvas brought energy and liveliness in to the
paintings and is regarded as representation of the sub-conscious processes by Pollock. The
example of Mark Rothko’s color fields, his large billboard like paintings with overlapping colors
in forms, contain meaning of emotion and even the spiritual.
Pop Art: New Realims that appeared in the second half of the 20th century popularised the
technique of using pictures from the life of the day and consumption activity. Two pieces of art;
Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych (1962) and Roy Lichtenstein’s Whaam! Some of the most
important works, such as Splitting II (1963) address mannersim and celebrity culture in
communication and advertising inspired by commercial art and media. Marilyn Diptych can be
viewed as an example of Pop Art because the subject matter, Marilyn Monroe, the repeated
images of Marilyn Monroe relate to the superficial emptiness and the duplication of the cult of
celebrity. Lichtenstein’s Whaam! As a photocomix and an art reaction to comic books, it
examines the presence of art in the low culture.
Contemporary Art
Contemporary art may contain almost everything that is possible and available in the today’s
world. It comprises Conceptual art, Installation art and Digital art.
Conceptual Art: Idea art treats ideas as the basis of the artwork as opposed to form, materiality
and aesthetical value; this kind of art has been termed as Conceptual Art Fountain (1917) by
Marcel Duchamp of a urinal with the signature R. among the factors which caused the
emergence of Conceptual Art, one of the most important is the delay of Duchamp’s work, which
contains critical reflection on the problem of artistic degeneration and ownership.
Installation Art: Installation Art is therefore the creation of new contexts for the viewer in terms
of place and sensory experience. Yayoi Kusama’s sculpture installations including the popular
Infinity Mirror Rooms including The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away (2013) among
others employs reflective surfaces and LED light in generating the endless space. People
watching Kusama’s installations can have various perceptions about the world and the idea of
infinity with which they are presented.
Digital Art: Digital art uses technology as a way and as a subject of artwork and can be any type
of artwork that is created through the use of technology. Often they include digital interference
and interactive solutions; such artists as Cory Arcangel and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Like his
alterations of video games, Arcangel points out the social and technological effect of mass
media. 33 Questions per Minute by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer which he created in 2007 also
encompasses live data in its interactivity and who is a postmodern artist whose art is a product of
technological advances.
Conclusion
In some ways, it can be said that it is actually the history of people’s search for meaning, for the
beautiful, for a voice. Starting from scratch as the ancient artists were, painting pictures on the
walls of the caves they lived in to the modern artists who present their works on the Internet, art
is still changing and developing. Every era and trend in art history can be understood as a way to
depict human existence in the light of the values of a particular epoch, its concerns and
developments. Studying all these forms of creativity one can only understand the importance of
art in people’s lives as well as in history.
