The Cave Painter Of Lascaux

On a school field trip to the famous Lascaux Cave in southern France, a young girl encounters a primitive man who had created the remarkable paintings on the cave's walls. Includes a section with information on early homo sapiens.

Whitley, one of the world's leading experts on cave paintings, rewrites the understanding of shamanism and its connection with artistic creativity, myth, and religion by interweaving archaeological evidence with the latest findings of cutting-edge neuroscience.

Describes the 1994 discovery made in Chauvet, France, of a cave with Stone Age rock paintings, and discusses the significance of cave art to people living in prehistoric as well as modern times.

The Cave Painters is a vivid introduction to the spectacular cave paintings of France and Spain—the individuals who rediscovered them, theories about their origins, their splendor and mystery. Gregory Curtis makes us see the astonishing sophistication and power of the paintings and tells us what is known about their creators, the Cro-Magnon people of some 40,000 years ago. He takes us through various theories—that the art was part of fertility or hunting rituals, or used for religious purposes, or was clan mythology—examining the ways interpretations have changed over time. Rich in detail, personalities, and history, The Cave Painters is above all permeated with awe for those distant humans who developed—perhaps for the first time—both the ability for abstract thought and a profound and beautiful way to express it.

A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know that Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die by his own hand but was accidentally killed--or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings? ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.

This text, written by the three discoverers, provides a stirring account of the discovery of Chauvet Cave and the oldest known paintings in the world.

Discovered by chance by two boys in France in 1940, the cave of Lascaux, with its radiant wall paintings of bison, aurochs, horses, and deer, offers us the most astonishing view we have of the shadowy, powerful animal world of the Old Stone Age some 18,000 years ago. In the early 1960s, when it became clear that the paintings were beginning to fade as countless tourists flocked to see them, the cave was sealed, ancient atmospheric conditions were restored, and even scientists were allowed to enter the cave only a few hours each week. Today this prehistoric monument remains closed to the public. Following 10 years of research on the Lascaux cave, the prehistorian and geologist Norbert Aujoulat offers us his stunning interpretation of the paintings. In this lavishly illustrated volume, packed with new photographs, maps, and explanatory diagrams of the paintings, he takes us on a journey from the entrance of the cave back to its deepest and most hidden parts. In the process, he provides us with new insight into these remarkable works, tracing the birth of ancient mythologies, and of art.

Explore Europe's top 100 works of art with America's most trusted travel authority, Rick Steves. Travel through time and discover Europe's most iconic paintings, sculptures, and historic buildings. From Venus to Versailles, Apollo to David, and Mona Lisa to The Thinker, Rick and co-author Gene Openshaw will have you marveling, learning, and laughing, one masterpiece at a time. Whether you're traveling to Europe or just dreaming about it, this book both stokes your wanderlust and kindles a greater appreciation of art, with historical context and information on where to see it for yourself. With Rick's trusted insight and gorgeous, full-color photos throughout, Europe's Top 100 Masterpieces celebrates nearly 20,000 years of unforgettable art.

The noted archaeologist explores the varieties of prehistoric cave art across the world and offers surprising insights into its purpose and meaning. What drew our Stone Age ancestors into caves to paint in charcoal and red hematite, to watch the likenesses of lions, bison, horses, and aurochs as they flickered by firelight? Was it a creative impulse, a spiritual dawn, a shamanistic conception of the world? In this book, Jean Clottes, one of the most renowned figures in the study of cave paintings, pursues an answer to the “why” of Paleolithic art. Discussing sites and surveys across the world, Clottes offers personal reflections on how we have viewed these paintings in the past, what we learn from looking at them across geographies, and what these paintings may have meant—and what function they may have served—for their artists. Steeped in Clottes’s shamanistic theories of cave painting, What Is Paleolithic Art? travels from well-known Ice Age sites like Chauvet, Altamira, and Lascaux to visits with contemporary aboriginal artists, evoking a continuum between the cave paintings of our prehistoric past and the living rock art of today. Clottes’s work lifts us from the darkness of our Paleolithic origins to reveal surprising insights into how we think, why we create, why we believe, and who we are

On 12 September 1940, four teenagers accidentally stumbled across a hole in the hillside overlooking the village of Montignac, France.This opening the entrance to the Lascaux Cave and its network of chambers brought to light stunning 17,000- year-old paintings that vividly depicted a whole host of animals and figures.The discovery was to become one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. By the 1950s, however, the sheer number of visitors to the cave was causing the paintings to deteriorate, forcing the Ministry of Cultural Affairs finally to close it to the public in 1963. A key figure at Frances National Centre for Prehistory, Norbert Aujoulat has been fascinated by the Lascaux Cave ever since his first visit back in 1970 and has spent several years researching its ancient art. In successive chapters, he takes us on a thorough exploration of the historic site, detailing the geological and archaeological background of the area and guiding us through the individual chambers and paintings from their very beginnings right up to the present day. By capturing the beauty and essence of these world-renowned masterpieces, this richly illustrated and extensive study enables each and every one of us to experience the magical atmosphere of Lascaux for ourselves.