The history of painting – in 400 seconds

 

The history of painting from cave art to contemporary art.

Key moments in the history of painting

Prehistory:

Cave paintings: Symbolic and figurative representations of animals, hunting scenes and rituals, dating back tens of thousands of years (eg Lascaux Cave).

Antiquity:

Egyptian Art: Frescoes and wall paintings with flat, sharply outlined figures, using vivid colors, with religious and funerary purposes (ex: Tomb of Tutankhamun).
Greek art: Emphasis on anatomical realism and ideal proportions, representing mythological, historical and everyday life scenes (ex: Alexander the Great Mosaic).
Roman Art: Influences from Greek and Egyptian art, with an emphasis on realistic portraits and battle scenes (ex: Pompeii Frescoes).

Middle ages:

Byzantine art: Wall paintings and religious icons with elongated figures and rich colors, with a solemn and spiritual style (ex: Saint Sophia Church in Istanbul).
Gothic art: Colored stained glass windows, murals and illuminated manuscripts with religious and allegorical scenes, characterized by detail and realism (ex: Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris).

Renaissance:

Reaction to medieval art: Emphasis on humanistic realism, ideal proportions and linear perspective, depicting mythological, religious scenes and portraits (ex: Botticelli's Birth of Venus).

The genius of the Italian masters: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Tiziano, considered pioneers of Renaissance painting.

Baroque:

Dynamism and emotion: Intense colors, dramatic compositions, light and shadow effects to create the illusion of movement and depth (eg Caravaggio's Night).

Rembrandt, Rubens, Velázquez: Masters of the Baroque, explore religious, mythological and portrait themes.

XVIII-XIX centuries:

Rococo: Elegance and grace, pastel colors, mythological and allegorical scenes, often with frivolous themes (ex: Antoine Watteau).

Neoclassicism: Inspiration from Greek and Roman art, emphasis on heroism, reason and order (ex: Jacques-Louis David).

Romanticism: Emotion and imagination, subjects inspired by nature, literature, history and mythology (ex: Caspar David Friedrich).

Impressionism: Capturing light and atmosphere through short strokes and vivid colors (ex: Claude Monet).

Post-Impressionism: Reaction to Impressionism, exploration of color and form as expressive elements (ex: Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne).

20th and 21st century:

Avant-garde: Diversity of styles that break with tradition, including cubism (ex: Pablo Picasso), abstract expressionism (ex: Jackson Pollock), pop art (ex: Andy Warhol).

Globalization: Influences from various cultures, the emergence of new artistic movements and a diversity of artistic mediums.