Prehistoric Art

Prehistoric Art is part of Unit 1 of AP Art History. Since this is a time before recorded history, it is much harder to decipher meaning from these sculptures. However, like many of the eras in AP Art History, there is some overlap in characteristics (which you will see below). 

Common Stylistic Characteristics:

• Small and portable: Because prehistoric people had to move around constantly, if they wanted to keep their art pieces, they had to have it at a realistic size. So, if it was art that could move around (like sculptures), it was often small enough to be manageable.

• Enlarged sexual organs: Oftentimes, there was an emphasis put on these organs because of the value placed on reproduction in these prehistoric societies. When they depict people (especially women), artists wanted to show that they would be able successfully reproduce.

• Diminutive limbs: Arms and legs were often short with no attention paid to them. It made it easier to carry and allowed for emphasis on other parts that the artist wanted to pay more attention to.

• Cave paintings enhanced by their surface: Prehistoric artists would use the curves and the cracks of cave surfaces to substantiate and direct their paintings. 

• Twisted perspective in cave paintings: Animals were often depicted in profile, but certain characteristics like the horns were frontally depicted. They are also depicted with solid colors

• Materials are from already available resources: Since prehistoric artists didn't have access to processed materials and modern technology, they had to utilize resources that were already available to them (ie already present in their environment). For example, animal bones and sandstone. However, there was one man-made material that was used: ceramics. 

• Images of animals: In prehistoric art (though especially paintings), animals were depicted more than humans. In fact, it is very rare to see a human depicted in prehistoric paintings. There are many theories as to why animals are depicted, but some are:

  • They had a spiritual meaning attached. 

  • They were used in demonstrations for hunters learning how to kill certain animals. 

• Cave paintings were created by many people over centuries: Since many of these paintings don't appear to have any relation to one another, it is theorized that the paintings were created over many centuries and by many different artists. 

• Detailed animals, simplistic humans: While animals are depicted very realistically, with all of their distinguishable features, humans are much more simple. They are depicted as stick figures and don't have many details attached to them. 

• Hand prints: Hand prints were common on paintings, especially ones found in caves. These hand prints often depicted the left hand, due to the tendency for people to be right-handed (therefore wanting to paint with that hand). There are also many mutilated hands, showing that prehistoric people were advanced enough to practice mutilation. It is also important to note that there are never any hand prints missing their thumb, demonstrating the value prehistoric people placed on thumbs.