Cave Art
Published on 13. March 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
340 pages
978-0-7148-5723-7 (ISBN)
Description
This book reveals some of the world's oldest and most remarkable works of art, the discovery of which transformed the way we think about the development of human artistic endeavour and creativity. A guided tour of European prehistoric caves by world-renowned expert Jean Clottes, Cave Art brings together an unparalleled selection of spectacular and beautiful images of wall paintings, mysterious rock engravings and refined sculptures, all accompanied by accessible, informative text.
Reviews / Votes
"Art, as this book makes beautifully clear, is a fundamental part of the human condition... [An] accessible and well-organised book... This book [...] should please anybody interested in either art or prehistory... And, in our fast-paced 21st-century world where art is so often equated with ephemeral values, it's salutary to be reminded of painting's enduring place in a society that lasted five times longer than the whole of recorded history."-Art World"This sumptuous book improves on the reality: there are almost 250 photographs here, showing some of the finest examples of this mysterious underground art... If you want to really pore over this magnificent prehistoric artistic tradition, this is the book for you."-BBC History Magazine
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 290 mm
Width: 250 mm
Thickness: 31 mm
Weight
2000 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7148-5723-7 (9780714857237)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jean Clottes (b. 1933) is one of the world's leading specialists in prehistoric art. A researcher and academic, Clottes is an expert for the International Committee on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS- UNESCO) and president of the International Federation of Rock Art Organizations (IFRAO). He is the author and co-author of numerous reference works about Palaeolithic art, including Chauvet Cave: The Art of Earliest Times (2001), World Rock Art (2002) and The Shamans of Prehistory (2007).
Content
The book is arranged chronologically and geographically, by caves. The first three chapters correspond to three major periods of time, each taking a key cave as its focal point: 35,000 - 22,000 Years Ago (The Chauvet Cave), 22,000 - 17,000 Years Ago (The Lascaux Cave), and 17,000 - 11,000 Years Ago (The Niaux Cave). Within each chapter, the first section is devoted to the emblematic cave of that period, which often yielded spectacular finds, and is followed by a guided tour of other caves of the same period. In total 85 caves are covered. The final chapter features examples of similar prehistoric artistic expressions around the world, from Africa to Australia, made after the last ice age. Introduction 35,000 - 22,000 Years Ago (The Chauvet Cave, Aurignacian and Gravettian Art) 22,000 - 17,000 Years Ago (The Lascaux Cave, Solutrean Art) 17,000 - 11,000 Years Ago (The Niaux Cave, Magdalenian Art) From 11,000 Years Ago (After the Ice Age) Endmatter: Glossary, Chronology, Maps, List of Sites Open to the Public, Index