The Earliest Art Objects

Prehistory and the Ancient Middle East

Main Areas

• Prehistory– Paleolithic– Neolithic

• Ancient Egypt• Ancient Mesopotamia (Middle East)

• Styles and themes unique and recognizable

Paleolithic or “Old Stone Age”Prior to 8000 B.C.

• Early humans trying to establish control over the elements (like the Aborigines)

• Two primary kinds of artifacts:• Cave paintings

– Mystical “creative” powers– Hunting rituals

• Carved objects - like caveman snapshots– Fertility figures

Cave Painting

Sleeping BisonAlta Mira, Spain

Lascaux, France • discovered in the 1940s

Lascaux, France

Lascaux, France

Carved Objects

Venus of Laussel Venus of Willendorf

Carved Objects

Bison carved from reindeer antlerLaMadeleine, France

• Began with the dev’t of written language• New, more civilized groups of people

– Animal husbandry– City, or at least tribal living– Spiritual ideas, primitive religions

• Similar to today’s tribal living (Amazon, bushmen, etc.)

Neolithic or “New Stone Age”Around 8000 B.C.

Neolithic Carvings

“Jericho Spirit Trap”7000 BC

StonehengeAround 2000 B.C.

• Post and lintel system

“Long Meg and her Sisters”Cumbria, England

Stone Circles

Dolmens

“Spinster’s Rock” (Dolmen)Cumbria, England

Ancient Egypt(3000-1162)

Ancient Egypt(3000-1162)

• Neolithic groups assemble to form organized societies

• Government based on religion

• First written Egyptian language – hieroglyphics– 604 characters– Combines phonetic

sounds and pictures

Where are we?

• Papyrus - the first “paper”• “Style” - from Roman word “stylus”

• The oldest work of art recording a historic event (3000 BC)

• Narmer conquered and united all of what is now Egypt

• Loaded with symbolic images• First recognizable style in art

history• “Law” of Frontality

Palette of King Narmer

The Step Pyramid

• “Divine Kingship”• Imhotep - the first

recorded architect in history

Funerary district and step pyramid of King

Zozer

TheGreat Pyramids

at Giza

• The world’s largest tombstonesThe world’s largest tombstones– Cheops (2530 BC) - the biggestCheops (2530 BC) - the biggest– Chefren (2500) - w/limestone topChefren (2500) - w/limestone top– Mycerinus (2470)Mycerinus (2470)

• All geometrically perfect and aligned All geometrically perfect and aligned at the same angleat the same angle

TheGreat Sphinx

• 2500 BC• Depicts “Ra,”

the sun-god • “Animism”

“Cubic” Portrait Sculpture

Prince Rahotep and NofretLimestone - 2580 BC

“Seated Scribe” - 2400 BC

• Around 1600 BC• Relaxation of some

artistic standards– New, fluid, life-like

forms

Portrait Bust of Queen Nefrotete - 1360 BC

King Tut

• Pharoah by age 9• Married at 12• Dead at 18 (1340 BC)• Tomb discovered in

1922• All tombs filled with

gold, riches

Coffin lid, King Tut

Tomb Contents

Vulture = “Nekhbet”(local god of upper Egypt)

The Ancient Middle East

Where are we?

Firsts in History• First real cities• First written language (cuneiform) around 3000 BC• Invented the wheel - around 3300 BC• Led to potter’s wheel - Pottery• Democracy... descended into military/divine kingship• Organized warfare - continued ever since• Pantheism - a “pantheon” of gods• Bill of Rights - Law Code of Hammurabi

Cuneiform• The first written

language• A reed stylus

pressed into wet clay

The Ziggurat• Man-made

“mountains” for their gods

• Tower of Babel (Genesis 11)

• Glazed brick, no stone nearby

“The White Ziggurat” 3500-3000 BC

Early Sculpture• Eyes were the window to

the soul• Everything else is

simplified

Sumerian statuettes2700-2500 BC

Later on...

• More flexible than Egyptians

• Built, rather than carved

• Gold shows trade with Egypt

Gold Incense burner from Ur2600 BC

Typical Style• Attempt at

genuine likeness• Headdress• Beard• Curls• Themes

– Lion Hunt– Warfare– Animism

Head of Akkadian Ruler2300-2200 BC

Inlay from Harp2600 BC

Egyptian vs. Mesopotamian Styles

Egyptian - Palette of King Narmer

Mesopotamian - Victory Stele of Naram-Sin 2300 BC

Persepolis – Capitol of Persian Empire

Persepolis – Capitol of Persian Empire

Guardian Figures

• Human head• Body of animal

Walled Cities

• Glazed brick• Protection from

nearly constant warfare

Terms about Sculpture that YOU want to know!

Sculpture Terms to Know• Low relief sculpture

• Low relief sculpture• High relief sculpture

Sculpture Terms to Know

• Low relief sculpture• High relief sculpture• Sculpture “in the round”

Sculpture Terms to Know

More about Drawing!!

3 Tricks that Indicate 3D Depth

• Overlapping shapes• Modeling (shading) • Linear perspective

Overlapping Shapes• If one thing blocks your view of another, it must be

closer to you

Overlapping Shapes• If one thing blocks your view of another, it must be

closer to you

Modeling (shading)• A light source is implied that casts shadows around

the object

Modeling (shading)• A light source is implied that casts shadows around

the object

Linear Perspective

• Objects appear to get smaller as they get further away

Horizon Line(eye level)

Linear Perspective• Receding straight lines meet at a vanishing point

on the horizon line

One-point perspective

Horizon Line(eye level)

Vanishing Point

One-point perspective

Horizon Line(eye level)

Linear Perspective• Receding straight lines meet at a vanishing point

on the horizon line

Linear Perspective• Receding straight lines meet at a vanishing point on the horizon line

Two-point perspective

Horizon Line(eye level)

Linear Perspective• Receding straight lines meet at a vanishing point on the horizon line

Two-point perspective

Horizon Line(eye level)

Vanishing Point Vanishing Point