2. Great Hall of Bulls

  

Great Hall of Bulls
Lascaux, France. Paleolithic Europe. 15000-13000 B.C.E.

Rock Painting represents the earliest surviving examples of the artistic expression of early people. Shows a twisted perspective.

Left wall of Lascaux II)
Orignial Cave: 11 feet 6 inches 
Dates: C. 16,000-14,000
Location: Dordogne, France

• Built fro Paleolithic people (Stone Age)
• Material 
• Charcoal and Ochre on white calcite nonporous rock 

Form:

• animals were important (bulls, horses, cattle, and deer)
• patterns and details were prominent (could tell us about our past) 

Function:

• no written history during this time period
• unknown uses of artwork 
• preserving history 
• shows how important survival was around this time 
• hunter-gatherer lifestyle 
• human/animal relationship (only depicted what they saw) 

(Disemboweled bison and bird-headed human figure)

• Used as religious rituals, storytelling, and preserving their history by drawing what they saw 
• early cognitive development 
• depth and perspective 

Context:

• The cave is nearly 250 meters long 
• Access of the cave is significant 
• size shows the hierarchical scale of this society; only certain people were allowed and could enter the cave 
• View of animals 
• Food or predator 
• Sacred place; share religious rituals 
• Evidence of human evolvement 
• Narrative type of artwork 

Content: 

• Discovered in 1940 
• In 1963 original was closed, but a replica was built 
• This was to preserve the artwork 
• Survival 
• women gather, while men kill 
• Humans Vs. Animals 

Cross Cultural Comparisons 

Tomb of the Triclinium 

Leonardo DaVinci, The Last Supper 

Walker, Darkytown Rebellion