HISTORY BEYOND PHOTOGRAPHY (pt. 1 of 3)
Bookstores and libraries are full of well-written volumes about the history of photography going back to Camera Obscura in 1558. Everyone who holds any serious desire in photography does well to take the time necessary and devour as much of the information as possible. There is no significant advantage to recapitulating those tomes here.
While the mechanics of cameras have their origination in the mid sixteenth century, humans have been creating artistic images for an infinitely longer period of time. Even before the guttural grunts and screams evolved into language, our evolutionary ancestors created images on cave walls not merely as accounts of their daily life, but as art, for enjoyment, entertainment, and thought. Creation of artistic imagery is as much a part of human history as the development of society and philosophy. This is the true history from which photography is born and it is in the study of art history that photographers better define, focus, and develop the evolution of what began as pigment carved into cave walls.
For reading convenience, this article is divided into three parts. Much of the historical information for this article comes from the extensive compendium of information compiled by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the many historical art experts there. Further exploration of all research cited is strongly encouraged.
Just how old is artistic imagery? The answer would seem to lie in the solution to the question of how old is man? While the oldest known cave paintings are a mere 35,000 years old, excavations in Africa have uncovered pigments and grinding equipment dating back 350,000 to 400,000 years old. Even more amazing than the simple presence of the tools is the fact that over 300 different pigments were present.1 This tells us our ancestors were not satisfied with merely drawing on walls, but took pains to create images with various colors and hues, giving artistic thought and purpose to their work.
What seems apparent is that not only have humans always used imagery to record their actions, but they have also used imagery for their own pleasure and aesthetic value. From Africa to Asia, across Europe and into the Americas, works of art have been found among the remnants of myriad tribes and peoples. Artists of the Paleolithic period across Europe and Asia created both mural works to be left for others and portable pieces they could carry with them. Images carved in mammoth ivory, wood, and stone then painted, carried with nomadic tribes as they transversed across the continents.2
Among the most well-known of these artifacts are the so-called Venus figurines, which seem to indicate that even in the earliest forms of art and imagery the female form was a frequent and popular subject. Exaggerated features, such as breasts and buttocks, seem to indicate that such representations may have been linked to ancient fertility beliefs and had strong spiritual connections, but the careful detailing also seems to indicate attention was given to aesthetic value as well.3
Understandably, solid examples of the most ancient forms of imagery are extremely rare and difficult to find. Artifacts from the earliest periods, roughly 20,000 to 8,000 BC are our best sources for hoping to understand art of the ancient worlds. Perhaps most important is that these art pieces are not limited to one or two places on the globe. Ancient art has been found on all the inhabited continents, from Blackwater Draw in what is now New Mexico, to Fell's Cave in Patagonia, Chauvet Cave in Southern France, Wonderwerk in Namibia, Pachmari Hills in India, Ubirr in Australia, and Mal'ta in Asia. The creation and use of images has been just as much a part of society from the very beginning as it is today.
Many more examples of artistic imagery are available from the Neolithic period (8,000 to 2,000 BC). These are the seemingly crude images that have been common among elementary text books for the past 50 years. There is so much more to this period than cave drawings, however. Craftsmanship in the development of tools expanded the types, styles, and intricacies of art dramatically.
During this period, the ancient Japanese developed the first pottery, creating both bowls and human figurines. These were carefully painted and fired and utilized a wide variety of designs created by pressing the clay against plants and rope in specific patterns.4
At the same time, Spanish wall art depicts both hunting and dancing activities, complete with what some might argue to be the earliest fashion images, giving one the ability to see what was popular style in ancient Spain.5
Far away in Australia, cave paintings begin with incredibly crude stick figures, but by 6,000 BC have become considerably more detailed including scales on saltwater fish and crocodiles. There may be some indication that more portable art was created, but perishable materials such as wood and fiber have left little hard evidence of the works.6
At Jericho, ancient Mediterraneans began creating textiles, dyed and decorated with beads. 7 Could this have been the beginnings of the fashion market? There is some evidence to that effect. Most certainly there was value attached to these garments as they were increasingly traded as civilization developed.
By the time of the Early Bronze Age, various societies had developed some form of written communication, most notably the Egyptians. Hieroglyphic writing was in use from around 3200 BC until the late 4th century AD. This symbol-driven language gives a unique underscore to the prominence and necessity of symbolic imagery. This ancient written form is based on images that were readily understood and recognizable even by those without formal education. Scribes were revered figures and drew large crowds when they would read from the scrolls they created.
At the same time, several societies have begun settling into fixed communities, moving out of the caves and into permanent houses of their own construction. Kings begin building elaborate palaces and art figures strongly throughout these structures. One notable example was the palace of King Zimro-Lim on the Euphrates River in Syria. The palace was decorated heavily with wall paintings and statuary that were sadly destroyed with the conquest by Hammurabi.8
Migration and settlement into the Italian peninsula and Greek islands introduced brief periods of cultural poverty before the explosion of cities such as Crete, Troy, and Mycenae. As personal wealth increased throughout this region, so did the development of art. While most remaining artifacts consist of carvings, sculpture and ceramics, there is no reason to think that wall art and other forms of imagery did not continue to flourish.9
The Pruvian culture of South America flourished during this period as well. The use of shells and bird feathers, decorative beads and intricate carvings seems to indicate a relative wealth that resulted in many new forms of artistry.10
By 1,000 BC, many societies demonstrate the presence of an artisan class responsible for the creation of many forms of imagery, from wall art to sculpture to fashion to ceramics to intricate seal carvings. Many artifacts seem to have apparently had some religious connection, but even pieces with more common uses were still highly decorated, bringing aesthetic pleasure to every day bowls and vessels.
As the Roman empire begins to expand and dominate, art is about to take on some dramatic changes, but the appreciation and need for art in society has by this point already been very well established and ingrained in the lives of virtually every people group on the planet.
How does this impact modern photography? Consider these points in summary:
The ancient artists teach us the social necessity of images. As civilization develops however, we begin to see how images actually shape and can be used to control society. Such will be the path explored in part two of this series.
1. "Earliest Evidence of Art Found" unattributed article in Sci/Tech stories on BBC.co.uk. 2 May 2002
2. Tedesco, Laura Anne. "Mal'ta (ca. 20,000 B.C.)". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/malt/hd_malt.htm (October 2000)
3. ibid.
4."Japan, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/eaj/ht02eaj.htm (October 2000)
5. "Southern Europe, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/eus/ht02eus.htm (October 2000)
6. "Oceania, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/oc/ht02oc.htm (October 2000)
7. "The Eastern Mediterranean, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/wae/ht02wae.htm (October 2000)
8. "Mesopotamia, 2000–1000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/03/wam/ht03wam.htm (October 2000)
9. "Southern Europe, 2000–1000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/03/eus/ht03eus.htm (October 2000)
10. "South America, 2000–1000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/03/sa/ht03sa.htm (October 2000)
While the mechanics of cameras have their origination in the mid sixteenth century, humans have been creating artistic images for an infinitely longer period of time. Even before the guttural grunts and screams evolved into language, our evolutionary ancestors created images on cave walls not merely as accounts of their daily life, but as art, for enjoyment, entertainment, and thought. Creation of artistic imagery is as much a part of human history as the development of society and philosophy. This is the true history from which photography is born and it is in the study of art history that photographers better define, focus, and develop the evolution of what began as pigment carved into cave walls.
For reading convenience, this article is divided into three parts. Much of the historical information for this article comes from the extensive compendium of information compiled by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the many historical art experts there. Further exploration of all research cited is strongly encouraged.
Just how old is artistic imagery? The answer would seem to lie in the solution to the question of how old is man? While the oldest known cave paintings are a mere 35,000 years old, excavations in Africa have uncovered pigments and grinding equipment dating back 350,000 to 400,000 years old. Even more amazing than the simple presence of the tools is the fact that over 300 different pigments were present.1 This tells us our ancestors were not satisfied with merely drawing on walls, but took pains to create images with various colors and hues, giving artistic thought and purpose to their work.
What seems apparent is that not only have humans always used imagery to record their actions, but they have also used imagery for their own pleasure and aesthetic value. From Africa to Asia, across Europe and into the Americas, works of art have been found among the remnants of myriad tribes and peoples. Artists of the Paleolithic period across Europe and Asia created both mural works to be left for others and portable pieces they could carry with them. Images carved in mammoth ivory, wood, and stone then painted, carried with nomadic tribes as they transversed across the continents.2
Among the most well-known of these artifacts are the so-called Venus figurines, which seem to indicate that even in the earliest forms of art and imagery the female form was a frequent and popular subject. Exaggerated features, such as breasts and buttocks, seem to indicate that such representations may have been linked to ancient fertility beliefs and had strong spiritual connections, but the careful detailing also seems to indicate attention was given to aesthetic value as well.3
Understandably, solid examples of the most ancient forms of imagery are extremely rare and difficult to find. Artifacts from the earliest periods, roughly 20,000 to 8,000 BC are our best sources for hoping to understand art of the ancient worlds. Perhaps most important is that these art pieces are not limited to one or two places on the globe. Ancient art has been found on all the inhabited continents, from Blackwater Draw in what is now New Mexico, to Fell's Cave in Patagonia, Chauvet Cave in Southern France, Wonderwerk in Namibia, Pachmari Hills in India, Ubirr in Australia, and Mal'ta in Asia. The creation and use of images has been just as much a part of society from the very beginning as it is today.
Many more examples of artistic imagery are available from the Neolithic period (8,000 to 2,000 BC). These are the seemingly crude images that have been common among elementary text books for the past 50 years. There is so much more to this period than cave drawings, however. Craftsmanship in the development of tools expanded the types, styles, and intricacies of art dramatically.
During this period, the ancient Japanese developed the first pottery, creating both bowls and human figurines. These were carefully painted and fired and utilized a wide variety of designs created by pressing the clay against plants and rope in specific patterns.4
At the same time, Spanish wall art depicts both hunting and dancing activities, complete with what some might argue to be the earliest fashion images, giving one the ability to see what was popular style in ancient Spain.5
Far away in Australia, cave paintings begin with incredibly crude stick figures, but by 6,000 BC have become considerably more detailed including scales on saltwater fish and crocodiles. There may be some indication that more portable art was created, but perishable materials such as wood and fiber have left little hard evidence of the works.6
At Jericho, ancient Mediterraneans began creating textiles, dyed and decorated with beads. 7 Could this have been the beginnings of the fashion market? There is some evidence to that effect. Most certainly there was value attached to these garments as they were increasingly traded as civilization developed.
By the time of the Early Bronze Age, various societies had developed some form of written communication, most notably the Egyptians. Hieroglyphic writing was in use from around 3200 BC until the late 4th century AD. This symbol-driven language gives a unique underscore to the prominence and necessity of symbolic imagery. This ancient written form is based on images that were readily understood and recognizable even by those without formal education. Scribes were revered figures and drew large crowds when they would read from the scrolls they created.
At the same time, several societies have begun settling into fixed communities, moving out of the caves and into permanent houses of their own construction. Kings begin building elaborate palaces and art figures strongly throughout these structures. One notable example was the palace of King Zimro-Lim on the Euphrates River in Syria. The palace was decorated heavily with wall paintings and statuary that were sadly destroyed with the conquest by Hammurabi.8
Migration and settlement into the Italian peninsula and Greek islands introduced brief periods of cultural poverty before the explosion of cities such as Crete, Troy, and Mycenae. As personal wealth increased throughout this region, so did the development of art. While most remaining artifacts consist of carvings, sculpture and ceramics, there is no reason to think that wall art and other forms of imagery did not continue to flourish.9
The Pruvian culture of South America flourished during this period as well. The use of shells and bird feathers, decorative beads and intricate carvings seems to indicate a relative wealth that resulted in many new forms of artistry.10
By 1,000 BC, many societies demonstrate the presence of an artisan class responsible for the creation of many forms of imagery, from wall art to sculpture to fashion to ceramics to intricate seal carvings. Many artifacts seem to have apparently had some religious connection, but even pieces with more common uses were still highly decorated, bringing aesthetic pleasure to every day bowls and vessels.
As the Roman empire begins to expand and dominate, art is about to take on some dramatic changes, but the appreciation and need for art in society has by this point already been very well established and ingrained in the lives of virtually every people group on the planet.
How does this impact modern photography? Consider these points in summary:
- Artistic imagery is as basic and elemental to the human condition as food, shelter and clothing, having been important to even the most ancient of peoples. The ability to create images of ourselves, what we do, who we are, makes us, in a sense, immortal. Just as crude cave drawings are in some cases our only remaining evidence of the presence and migration of humans in the ancient world, so photography achieves the same basic, rudimentary purpose in modern society. Photographs preserve who, what, and where we are, and while there is historical value for future generations, to those who are the subjects of photographs the images are our means of reaching into the future and saying, just as those cave drawings say to us: "Hey, I was here!"
- The creation and preservation of imagery is a significant part of society. Whether as a reflection of religious beliefs or for one's own aesthetic pleasure, art is the most fundamental form of expression, quite possibly predating every other form of communication. Photography is a continuation of that expression, creating images reflecting how one views the society in which they live, the conditions of our lives and our thoughts, preserving both our successes and our disasters. Our images bring deep definition to our humanity and our social conscience.
- Appreciation for art and the desire to have images as part of one's life is universal. Art has never been limited to just one or two people groups. Rather, wherever there have been humans living on this planet, they have created art in whatever form was available to them. Perhaps the greatest hope for digital photography is that it has the potential to once again make the creation of imagery much more universal than has been the case over the past millennium. Photography has the potential to bring real art out of the museums in which it has been necessarily sequestered and back into the every-day reality of human life. Photography restores and redefines freedom of expression not just for a few, but for every person on the planet.
The ancient artists teach us the social necessity of images. As civilization develops however, we begin to see how images actually shape and can be used to control society. Such will be the path explored in part two of this series.
1. "Earliest Evidence of Art Found" unattributed article in Sci/Tech stories on BBC.co.uk. 2 May 2002
2. Tedesco, Laura Anne. "Mal'ta (ca. 20,000 B.C.)". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/malt/hd_malt.htm (October 2000)
3. ibid.
4."Japan, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/eaj/ht02eaj.htm (October 2000)
5. "Southern Europe, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/eus/ht02eus.htm (October 2000)
6. "Oceania, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/oc/ht02oc.htm (October 2000)
7. "The Eastern Mediterranean, 8000–2000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/wae/ht02wae.htm (October 2000)
8. "Mesopotamia, 2000–1000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/03/wam/ht03wam.htm (October 2000)
9. "Southern Europe, 2000–1000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/03/eus/ht03eus.htm (October 2000)
10. "South America, 2000–1000 B.C.". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/03/sa/ht03sa.htm (October 2000)
Labels: art, art appreciation, basic knowledge, history, images, photography
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