pre-historic art history

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/prehistoric/blombos-cave-art.htm

Art Through the Ages

Hall of the Bulls

France

Lascaux

C 15000-13000 bce

http://coolschool.k12.or.us/courses/119900/lessons/02/index.php

The paintings at Lascaux (pronounced las-co) were immediately recognized as the work of Stone Age man. Carbon-dating, a scientific method which dates the age of plant or animal remains by the amount of carbon 14 left, was used to date the pictures at Lascaux. In this case, carbon-dating placed the paintings at about 17,000 years old - even older than Altamira. The cave was covered with a thin transparent layer of calcite, which served as a kind of protective coating over the limestone rock walls. This protective covering kept the paintings from fading in the thousands of years since they were drawn. The paintings at Lascaux were in several sections. These were later designated as six galleries:



1. The Painted Gallery

2. The Great Hall of the Bulls

3. The Chamber of Felines

4. The Chamber of Engravings

5. The Main Gallery

6. The Shaft of the Dead Man

 

The mysterious painting, Bird Headed Man, of the man, the bison, the spear or assegi, and the rhinoceros turning away has stumped art scholars for many years. Many theories about the meaning of the painting have been suggested.

One really interesting and mysterious thing to consider is the location of the painting. It is not in the main galleries, but well hidden, in a very hard-to-reach place. This cave, called the well, could only be reached by climbing down a narrow shaft. Why is this painting hidden in such a heart-to-reach place? What makes this secret location significant? There are other mysteries as well. Why does the man have a bird face? The bison is wounded and appears to be ready to charge. Or, perhaps he has just charged. The man has fallen. Is he dead? On top of the spear is a bird. This painting, unlike the others, seems composed as a story that has a beginning, middle, and end. But what does it mean? No one is sure. One theory is that the picture is symbolic, representing a death scene.