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35,000 BCE
Venus of Hohle Fels
This Paleolithic figurine is the earliest known depiction of a human being. -
15,000 BCE
Hall of Bulls
Cave painting made in France between 15,000 BCE and 10,000 BCE. This painting is speculated to have been part of a ritual based on the bounty of nature. -
Period: 12,200 BCE to 2000 BCE
Neolithic Era (New Stone Age)
This era started with the beginning of farming. This era shows a large advance in human behavior, particularly the use of domesticated crops and animals. The Neolithic Era ended with the invention if metal tools. -
11,000 BCE
Bison with Turned Head
4.2" tall, made of Reindeer antler. This is an example of Paleolithic era art that -
10,000 BCE
End of Paleolithic Era
The Paleolithic Era is the period of time that humans completely evolved into Homo sapiens, as well as used the earliest stone tools. Also known as the Old Stone Age. The making of art originated in the Paleolithic era, most likely because of the development of tools. The large majority of Paleolithic art relates to food and shelter, a theme that would continue for many years. -
Period: 10,000 BCE to 7000 BCE
Mesolithic Era (Middle Stone Age)
The beginning of the middle Stone Age is marked by the first attempts at raising crops and domesticating animals. -
1323 BCE
Tutankhamun's Mask
The death mask made of Egyptian Pharaoh Kink Tutankhamun. It demonstrates the way that the Egyptians viewed death and honored the deceased. -
1308
Christ and the Samaritan Woman
This is a painted panel from the predella of Maesta, by Duccio of Spain. It depicts Jesus sitting on a well in Sichar, and is depicted asking an approaching woman for water. -
1310
Ognissanti Madonna
Painted by late medieval Italian artist Giotto di Bondone. The painting is a traditional depiction of the Virgin Mary with the baby Christ in her lap, with angels and saints surrounding them. It is often considered the first painting of the Renaissance because of an evolved depiction of naturalism as well as an differences from Gothic art. -
1434
Arnolfini Wedding
Arnolfini Wedding is an oil painting on oak panel by netherlandish artist Jan van Eyck. It is regarded as one of the most complex pieces of Western art, particularly because of its extensive symbolism as well as attention to detail. -
1450
Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg introduced Europe to printing with his invention of the Printing Press. It used mechanical movable type and started the Printing Revolution. -
1500
Bidding Farewell at the Tiger Hill
Handscroll by Shen Zhou; ink and color on paper. -
1504
Michelangelo's David
This is a marble statue of a nude man. It is made to represent David from the Bible. It was commissioned to be placed in the Florence Cathedral, but was instead place in a public square. Due to David's role in the Bible, the statue often symbolized the defense of civil rights in Florence. It is widely regarded as one of Michelangelo's most important pieces. -
1509
School of Athens
This is a famous frescos by Italian Renaissance painter Raphael. It was a part of a commission to decorate the Vatican. It is typically viewed as Raphael's masterpiece. -
1563
Vegetables in a Bowl or the Gardner
Qiuseppe Arcimboldo -
1567
The Peasant Wedding
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Netherlands. Focused on depicting peasant life instead of royalty. -
Period: to
Baroque
The Baroque period of art was a style that used exaggerated motion and obvious detail to portray tension and grandeur. It began in Rome around 1590 and spread to Europe. -
The Girl with a Pearl Earring
This piece by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer is what is known as a "Tronie". A Tronie is a Dutch or Flemish Baroque painting that depicts exaggerated facial expressions. -
The Triumph of the Immaculate
This painting by Paolo de Matteis is an example of Baroque artwork. -
Napolean Bonaparte Death Mask
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View from the Window at Le Gras
By Joseph Ciephore Niece, this is widely considered to be the first photograph, taken with a technology known as Heliography. -
Boulevard du Temple
This is the first known photograph of a human. It was taken using a technique known as the Daguerrotype. -
Valley of The Shadow of Death
This war photograph by Roger Fenton captures a battlefield littered with corpses. It is widely suspected that he arranged the bodies to appear more dramatic, which is an important step towards the modern reality of easily manipulated media. -
Trellis Wallpaper
This wallpaper designed by William Morris is an example of a style often found during the Arts and Crafts movement. -
Period: to
Arts and Crafts Movement
Originating in Great Britain, this artistic movement focused on traditional craftsmanship. It often utilized medieval and romantic styles of decoration. It was a protest of increasing industrialization. -
The Potato Eaters
This Vincent Van Gogh painting is important because it depicts lower class people eating food. Many tradition depictions of food in art are of upper class people. -
The Night Cafe
This is an oil painting by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. It depicts the interior of a cafe at night. Obviously. It is considered one of Van Gogh's masterpieces, and is a seminal part of the Impressionist movement. -
Period: to
Art Nouveau
This art style is largely based on natural forms, particularly curves of plants and flowers. It was a "total style" and embraced a wide variety of arts. This included architecture, graphics, furniture, painting, and metal work. -
The Banjo Lesson
This oil painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner depicts an African American man giving a banjo lesson to a child. Henry Ossawa is one of the first famous black artists of America. -
Period: to
Modernism
Modernism was a philosophy that played a large role in art and design during it's period. Modernism rejected religious belief and placed importance on industrialism and abstraction. Much modernist art is abstracted, and contains simple forms and lines. -
A Trip to the Moon
This French silent film, directed by Georges Melies, was very influential due to its use of innovative special effects and emphasis on storytelling. It is regarded as the earliest example of science fiction. -
Manifesto of Futurism
This manifesto by Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti highlight the core values of Futurism. It expresses rejection of the past, celebration of machinery, violence, and speed. It pressed for modernization of Italy. -
Period: to
Art Deco
Art Deco is a visual style that debuted in France after WWI. It was a "total style" that influenced everything from architecture and fashion, to cars and movies. Deco takes influence from many contradictory styles, such as Cubism and traditional Eastern art. It was intended to represent wealth, luxury, and glamour. -
Paris Metro Entrance
This Paris subway entrance is an example of Art Nouveau. It is highly ornate, and contains various curves. Even the font used is inspired by foliage; a theme that is definitive of Art Nouveau. -
Mystery and Melancholy of a Street
This painting by Giorgio de Chirico depicts an empty public space with two figures. It is considered a predecessor of the Surrealist movement, as it depicts the space with exaggerated geometric proportions. -
La Citta Nuova
This architectural drawing by Sant'Elia depicts a fictional city using long, dynamic lines, and tall concrete buildings. -
The Banquet of the Starved
Horrifying WWI painting boy James Ensor -
Tamara de Lempicka
This painting is an example of Art Deco painting. The style is inspired by a refined version of cubism, as well as the influence of neoclassicism. This is telling of what Art Deco is because it is a combination of two very conflicting artistic styles. -
Beginning of Futurist Movement
Futurism was an artistic movement that placed great emphasis on speed, technology, war, industry, and particularly transportation. It was a movement that placed great trust in engineering as well as architecture, and is often associated with concept of a "Utopia". -
The Chrysler Building
This Manhattan skyscraper is an excellent example of what Art Deco stood for. It's design reflects all of the glitz and glamour associated with the Art Deco building boom of 1920s New York City. -
Weeping Woman
This painting by Pablo Picasso is a seminal example of modernist art. The style is commonly referred to as Cubism. -
Fallingwater
Fallingwater is one of the most famous example of Modernist architecture. It was very influential, and was constructed with large amounts of concrete and reinforcing steel. It is a great example of modernism because of it's visual simplicity and emphasis on function. -
Popular Mechanics Cover
This magazine cover is an example of futurism in print media. -
Campbell's Soup Cans
One of the most famous pieces by Andy Warhol. -
The Reincarnation of Saint-ORLAN
French artist "ORLAN" completely transformed her appearance using plastic surgery during the 1990s. Using this technique, she transformed herself to appear as the idealization of female beauty from multiple different male artists. -
A Subtlety or the Marvelous Sugar Baby
This installation piece by Kara Walker is a large sugar sculpture carved to resemble the Sphinx's of ancient Egypt.
