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Looking for an art exhibit slightly different from the Lourve? Within prehistoric caves in the city of Lascaux, France lies a resource of close to 2,000 works of art. The paintings consisting largely of images of animals rivals the collection at the Lourve, and with its canvas of stone wall, surpasses it in endurance. Some of the paintings are estimated to be 16,000 years old. With the artistry that is present and knowing so little of what we know about prehistoric man, one ponders what the purpose and meaning of the paintings could be.
In searching for the meaning of the paintings found
in the Caves of Lascaux, there are some key points to consider.
Art as we see it today is a form of expression. That expression can be one of emotional importance to the artist or a message that is to be communicated. When we then look into the history of art in prehistoric times, we must apply the same level of scrutiny. In order to perceive the meaning of the collection of paintings, I have selected a singular example to discuss.
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The image to the left depicts a group of bison or antelope. The animal in the focal point of the image is facing the opposite direction as the animals surrounding it. This creates what we would describe today as a rhythm with the graphic elements.
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The intended meaning of any work of art is subjective. “No act of creativity can be said to come without meaning or substance.” This would also hold true for the art in question. What I derive from the painting is a theme of isolation or straying from the pack.
While the message or meaning of each painting can vary based on the artist’s intent, the function of them all appear to have common ground. Given findings that the caves where the paintings are located were not utilized as dwelling places it is believed that the paintings were not merely placed for decoration. Findings that the collection of paintings was created over a long period of time further suggest that the caves were specifically designated for the purpose of displaying the artwork contained within. Over centuries further paintings were added to enhance the beauty of the cave and perhaps document the beauty of the world surrounding the artists.
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| Today these paintings serve as a glimpse into the craftsmanship and artistry of prehistoric man.
Man, who our culture dubs as “primitive”, displayed not only
an eye for beauty,but a great mastery of the art of three dimensional illusion.
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With the effort that was put into placing the art into a gallery of sorts, with preservation and display being of large importance, it becomes evident that the works of Lascaux were intended for
the very purpose they are being utilized for today. They were created and preserved to show the beauty of the prehistoric world to 21st century man.
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