The Development of Visual Arts: Painting Instructor: Elvis Galasinao Who made the first painting? • Paintings of the olden times are believed to be made by primitive people, mostly cave dwellers or Neanderthals in the prehistoric era. • These people would sculpt and paint on the walls, making symbols that were used to represent the language of those times, and this is how they would communicate with each other. How Did Early Humans Begin Painting? • It is believed that our early African ancestors began painting to communicate among themselves and leave a sign for future generations. • Due to these enhancements in humans, it is said that this ability was the greatest innovation among humans and not tools and weapons. How Did Early Humans Begin Painting? • The first humans would blast charcoal dust onto their own hands that were placed on the cave walls using tubes made out of wood. • Among these paintings, the most common was the painting of huge animals like mammoths and bison, or activities like farming and hunting of these animals. How Did Early Humans Begin Painting? • They started using pigments of various flowers to incorporate color into their painting and even started using straws to paint these cave paintings. This was the first paintbrush that was used in the history of painting. • In Eastern countries, apart from the wall paintings, humans had started to paint on big leaves so they could be carried around and shown to others. Paintings in the Middle Ages • Middle Ages witnessed the uprisings of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian religions among humans. • This gave rise to paintings that were mostly religious in nature and appeased the various gods that the artists would follow. Paintings in the Middle Ages • But apart from the religious paintings, there was an explosion of famous landscape paintings that beautifully depicted the reality of the vast and serene landscapes all across the world. • Fan Kuan in the east and Jacob Van Ruisdael in the west started to make a name for their landscape with exceptional beauty and detail. Paintings in the Middle Ages • Now that the world was ruled by kings and queens, the demand for paintings started to increase as they wanted paintings to increase the beauty of their palaces. • Conquerors wanted the paintings to depict their hardfought battles, governors wanted them to depict their well-governed cities. Paintings From the Renaissance (15th and 16th centuries) • Painting was at its most popular stage ever in history as the globe entered the Renaissance era. • Apart from its use as something to ponder over, paintings were now also being used as currency in the world. • Many famous painters like Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Rafael were household names as their paintings had achieved celebrity status. Paintings From the Renaissance (15th and 16th centuries) • This was considered to be the best time in the history of painting as an art although other arts like sculpting were also gaining popularity. • Many famous paintings like the Mona Lisa, Creation Of Adam, and The Last Supper were credited to the Renaissance era. Evolution of Painting into Rococo and Baroque • In the beginning, the paintings of the Baroque period were stylized with great drama, deep color, and intense light and dark shadows. • For the first time in the history of paintings, they were meant to evoke emotion out of the viewer, which was in stark contrast to the peaceful and serene paintings from the Renaissance. Evolution of Painting into Rococo and Baroque • Among some of the greatest Baroque period artists, the most famous were Carravaggio, Reubens, and Poussin. • In Italy, especially the Baroque style was epitomized by religion and mythology, often getting displayed on the roof of churches. Whereas in the Dutch art community, easel painting of everyday subjects became more popular. Evolution of Painting into Rococo and Baroque • The mood and emotions of the subjects were rather muted in the Rococo movement of art, which represented a revolutionary period in the history of paintings. • It first took shape in France, where commissions from the court of the king of France were the most common outlook for art and paintings in general. Evolution of Painting into Rococo and Baroque • Similar to Baroque, Rocco still possessed complex forms and intricate patterns but also had new concepts of asymmetry and oriental designs. • Many French masters of painting, like Watteau, Boucher, and Fragonard, were the greatest advocates of this movement. 20th-Century And Modern Paintings • The 19th century rolled up in the art world, and the hype around painting as a household item started to die as media and technology started to take over the world. • But, it wasn’t completely dead yet and still had a pretty strong hold on the political and social community in the Western world. 20th-Century And Modern Paintings • The 20th century itself was filled with turmoil, wars, and social unrest all around. • One of the biggest art movements that revolutionized the art of painting was called “abstraction of art.” • In this movement, painters were able to move away from the long-going tradition of portraying realism. 20th-Century And Modern Paintings • This same movement took part in various ways under various different names in multiple countries. • The movement’s evolution led to what we know today as modern art and paintings.
