To thoroughly cover the chronological timeline of art across the world in one lesson would be impossible. It would take years to cover all the movements and artistic mediums! Instead, here's a small glimpse of some different painting movements and famous pieces of art throughout time.
Art is a really important part of history. A lot of what we know about the past comes from art depicting the everyday lives of people during that era. Some famous pieces of art from certain periods epitomized the art style and way of life in that time period. Art can tell us stories about the past, resources that were available to the people, religious beliefs, and much more.
The Medieval era lasted about a millennium. During this time a lot of important documents, such as religious texts were printed in vellum. These texts and pages were also painted with precious metals such as gold and silver. The use of precious metals also became one of the distinct features of Medieval art. Other art that came from this period took on the form of stained glass and tapestries. Much of the art from this time depicted religious stories as a means to spread and share them with the masses.
Many paintings in the Renaissance and Romantic periods were bold, sombre, and realistic. The subjects were often either nobility or stories from the Bible. Perhaps one of the most well-known pieces is Michelangelo's art on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The famous artist spent four years on this masterpiece. It has been over five centuries since the ceiling was painted, and it continues to put visitors in awe.
The Mona Lisa is a very famous painting created by Leonardo da Vinci during the Renaissance period. This painting has survived for centuries and can still be viewed at the Louvre Museum in France. This painting displays a lot of techniques used by the artist, many of them unique for the time period. The smile in the painting is achieved by using an optic illusion that was created by cleverly utilizing perspective and shadowing.
Printmaking was also popular during this period. Art used to be one of a kind and they were only possessed by the wealthy. Printmaking made it possible for multiple and identical images to be made from carved wood or other materials. These carved pieces acted like stamps and were able to reproduce print and images quickly. This process allowed art and text to be possessed by more diverse groups of people.
Impressionism represents art from the mid to late 1800s in France. This art was about the artists' perception of nature rather than recreating exactly what is seen. The subject is often painted with distinct brushstrokes with bright colours. The colours weren't blended by the artist, instead the viewers' eyes can do the blending when the painting is viewed from a distance. This kind of art usually depicts landscapes and still life. Their compositions typically appear candid.
Cubism was popular during the early 1900s. This style of art challenged the idea of perspective. The artists created art that showed many angles all at once. It was about showing every part of an object or person. Early Cubism broke down subjects into basic geometric shapes, such as spheres, cubes, and cylinders.
Art Deco is a style that was popular in the early to mid-1900s. This style was used a lot in architecture. The idea behind this style was to streamline buildings just like how cars are designed. Art Deco architecture can be more commonly seen in commercial buildings. A famous example of this style includes the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Although many time periods had distinct art movements and styles, it has become increasingly difficult to pinpoint today's art style. Our art is no longer limited to a canvas or materials used for sculpting and carving. A lot of art today has taken on multimedia forms. Audio, images, and videos could easil be used to express our thoughts and feelings.
Art is subjective. It can appear differently and take on distinct meanings based on people's interpretations. As the famous adage goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."