At the dawn of human existence, people did not have modern comfort, but even then their hearts were drawn to creativity. The first people with the primordial mind, and there are the first artists of the earth.
Rock paintings of the Paleolithic era
The oldest cave paintings date back to the Paleolithic era. It was then that the first artists of the earth took up the paint. MHC began its long journey to development. The heroes of the stories are people and wild animals, who were both a source of food and totem patrons of the clan.
The most famous monument of the Madeleine era is Lascaux Cave in France. Scientists dated the drawings to the 18th millennium BC. its value is so great that the cave was turned into a real museum. On the expanses of the vast hall, a herd of bulls, horses, bears and deer swirls around the walls in crazy dance. In terms of scale, it is often compared with the Sistine Chapel. Even the cave arches are decorated with ornaments resembling plants.
Despite the fact that the first artists of the earth created their masterpieces from memory, they conveyed the proportions of animals with extraordinary accuracy. Even then, the masters used perspective and chiaroscuro to give realistic images. In the arsenal of the artist there were several colors: black, yellow, red, which were made from minerals.
Mesolithic painting
In the Mesolithic era, human life has changed dramatically. Cattle became less and less, and the life of the whole tribe depended in many respects on successful hunting. It is hunting that becomes the central plot depicted by the first artists of the earth. This was a kind of ritual. Many historians believe that people tried to attract luck by depicting a successful cattle shelter.
In the Mesolithic, multi-color and volumetric forms go away. Images become more graphic and formalized. The drawing is now done only in black or only in red. Towards the end of the period, more peaceful subjects appear - picking fruits, honey, dancing around a fire.
The most striking monument of this era is the Zaraut-Kamar grotto in Uzbekistan. Thanks to the art of the Mesolithic, we can learn more about the lifestyle and ideas of ancient people. For example, it was thanks to the drawings that the approximate appearance time of the onion was established.
Neolithic art
The Neolithic era was marked by the active melting of glaciers. Man again had to enter into a struggle with nature for better living conditions. The first artists of the earth in the ancient civilization of northern Europe increasingly go into symbolism. The image of a person is becoming more schematic, sometimes with exaggerated primary sexual characteristics.
It is in northern Europe that there are most of the monuments of this period. Images of marine animals appear - seals, whales, fish. Most likely, this is due to the fact that life in this region was more connected with the sea.
The first artists of the earth left behind a lot of petroglyphs - stones with a hollowed pattern. Small traces of paint indicate that they were painted before. The harsh, humid climate left only the relief intact. We can never see them in pristine beauty.
The role of the artist in ancient society
Now an artist is a person who seeks to realize himself through art. But was this possible at that distant time? People were so busy fighting for life that they would hardly have time left to create with inspiration. Most likely, the drawing was also subordinate to the common goals of survival.
Be that as it may, the most ancient artists had a high talent. It is simply impossible to imagine that everyone could draw like that. Therefore, it is believed that the creators of cave art were not only the first artists, but also the first shamans - priests. They performed special sacred functions. Drawing a hunt, they lured luck, picking fruits - an abundant harvest in the surrounding forest, dancing women - as a symbol of procreation and strong offspring.
The first artists of the earth are unusual people who became discoverers. It was they who transferred the internal idea of the world to the plane of the stone. This was a big step in the development of all mankind and its emotional sphere. Thanks to them, we are now enjoying the masterpieces of world art.