History Of Art - article about History Of Art

History Of Art

Early art concerned itself with immediate surroundings; paintings of hunting parties and everyday life. Later, religious paintings dominated, with depictions of the great Bible stories and the crucifixion of Christ. The great Renaissance artists, such as da Vinci, Michelangelo and Bernini were commissioned by the religious leaders of the day and we are left with a glorious legacy of their work.

Painting moved on to other subjects and landscapes and portraits were very popular. Masters of the form emerged, such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. To date, the history of art had been concerned with accurate representation of the world. This was to change, as later artists were more stylized and put more emphasis on how they saw the world as an individual. John Constable is often cited as the beginner of the more modern art that we are familiar with today. J.M.W. Turner's work grew increasingly abstract. Artists were beginning to experiment with color and form.

Cézanne and Monet paved the way for Impressionism, which was quite shocking to the public when it first appeared. Post-Impressionist Van Gogh further shocked with his use of bold color and tumultuous brushwork.

The 20th century saw many movements come and go, with more artists achieving success in their own lifetime. The history of art cannot be told without the inclusion of Pablo Picasso, who went through many phases. His most controversial contribution was that of cubism, which still enthralls and repels today. Surrealism was another movement, which made a big impact. This art was the result of artists studying their dream world and subconscious, the leading exponents being Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali and Max Ernst.

The 1960s brought Pop Art, as exemplified by Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns and Richard Hamilton. These artists painted every day objects and drew inspiration from the world of advertising.

Art has come a long way from the cave paintings. In a way, we have come full circle in the history of art, given the minimalist paintings on view today. Art also encompasses installations and video shows. I wonder what da Vinci would say about it all?

Comments	Date

Name:
Comments :

<a href="http://www.refresharticles.com/articles/humanities/history_of_art_23.txt">History Of Art</a>