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Trace History of Visual Art and Design

INFORMATION SHEET 1.1

Trace History of Art
The foundation of art history can be traced back tens of thousands of years to when ancient civilizations used available
techniques and media to depict culturally significant subject matter. Since the early examples, each bearing their own
distinct styles and characteristics that reflect the political and social influences of the period from which they emerged.
Whether you’re an aspiring collector or simply appreciating the work of history’s great artists, studying the major
movement of the art history timeline is worthwhile place to start.

Below is a comprehensive art movements timeline that explore the characteristics, leading contributors, and important
influences of each prominent period in the history of Western art:

Prehistoric Art (~40,000 – 4,000 B.C.)

The origins of art history can be traced back to the Prehistoric era, before written records were kept. The earliest
artifacts come from the Paleolithic era, or the Old Stone Age, in the form of rock carvings, engravings, pictorial imagery,
sculptures, and stone arrangements.

Art from this period relied on the use of natural pigments and stone carvings to create representations of objects,
animals, and rituals that governed a civilization’s existence. One of the most famous examples is that of the Paleolithic
cave paintings found in the complex caves of Lascaux in France. Though discovered in 1940, they’re estimated to be up
to 20,000 years old and depict large animals and vegetation from the area.

Ancient Art (4,000 B.C. – A.D. 400)

Ancient art was produced by advanced civilizations, which in this case refers to those with an established written
language. These civilizations included Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and those of the Americas. The medium of a work of
art from this period varies depending on the civilization that produced it, but most art served similar purposes: to tell
stories, decorate utilitarian objects like bowls and weapons, display religious and symbolic imagery, and demonstrate
social status. Many works depict stories of rulers, gods, and goddesses.

Medieval Art (500 – 1400)

The Middle Ages, often referred to as the “Dark Ages,” marked a period of economic and cultural deterioration following
the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. Much of the artwork produced in the early years of the period reflects that
darkness, characterized by grotesque imagery and brutal scenery. Art produced during this time was centered around
the Church. As the first millennium passed, more sophisticated and elaborately decorated churches emerged; windows
and silhouettes were adorned with biblical subjects and scenes from classical mythology.

Renaissance Art (1400 – 1600)

This style of painting, sculpture, and decorative art was characterized by a focus on nature and individualism, the
thought of man as independent and self-reliant. Though these ideals were present in the late Medieval period, they
flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries, paralleling social and economic changes like secularization.
The Renaissance reached its height in Florence, Italy, due in large part to the Medici, a wealthy merchant family who
adamantly supported the arts and humanism, a variety of beliefs and philosophies that places emphasis on the human
realm. Italian designer Filippo Brunelleschi and sculptor Donatello were key innovators during this period.

The High Renaissance, which lasted from 1490 to 1527, produced influential artists such as da Vinci, Michelangelo, and
Raphael, each of whom brought creative power and spearheaded ideals of emotional expression. Artwork throughout
the Renaissance was characterized by realism, attention to detail, and precise study of human anatomy. Artists used
linear perspective and created depth through intense lighting and shading. Art began to change stylistically shortly after
the High Renaissance, when clashes between the Christian faith and humanism gave way to Mannerism.

Mannerism (1527 - 1580)

Mannerist artists emerged from the ideals of Michelangelo, Raphael, and other Late Renaissance artists, but their focus
on style and technique outweighed the meaning of the subject matter. Often, figures had graceful, elongated limbs,
small heads, stylized features and exaggerated details. This yielded more complex, stylized compositions rather than
relying on the classical ideals of harmonious composition and linear perspective used by their Renaissance predecessors.

Baroque (1600 – 1750)

The Baroque period that followed Mannerism yielded ornate, over-the-top visual arts and architecture. It was
characterized by grandeur and richness, punctuated by an interest in broadening human intellect and global discovery.
Baroque artists were stylistically complex.
Baroque paintings were characterized by drama, as seen in the iconic works of Italian painter Caravaggio and Dutch
painter Rembrandt. Painters used an intense contrast between light and dark and had energetic compositions matched
by rich color palettes.

Rococo (1699 – 1780)

Rococo originated in Paris, encompassing decorative art, painting, architecture, and sculpture. The aesthetic offered a
softer style of decorative art compared to Baroque’s exuberance. Rococo is characterized by lightness and elegance,
focusing on the use of natural forms, asymmetrical design, and subtle colors.
Painters like Antoine Watteau and Francois Boucher used lighthearted treatments, rich brushwork, and fresh colors. The
Rococo style also easily translated to silver, porcelain, and French furniture. Many chairs and armoires featured curving
forms, floral designs, and an expressive use of gilt.

Neoclassicism (1750 – 1850)

As its name suggests, the Neoclassical period drew upon elements from classical antiquity. Archaeological ruins of
ancient civilizations in Athens and Naples that were discovered at the time reignited a passion for all things past, and
artists strove to recreate the great works of ancient art. This translated to a renewed interest in classical ideals of
harmony, simplicity, and proportion.

Neoclassical artists were influenced by classical elements; in particular, a focus on idealism. Inevitably, they also included
modern, historically relevant depictions in their works. For example, Italian sculptor Antonio Canova drew upon classical
elements in his marble sculptures, but avoided the cold artificiality that was represented in many of these early
creations.

Romanticism (1780 – 1850)

Romanticism embodies a broad range of disciplines, from painting to music to literature. The ideals present in each of
these art forms reject order, harmony, and rationality, which were embraced in both classical art and Neoclassicism.
Instead, Romantic artists emphasized the individual and imagination. Another defining Romantic ideal was an
appreciation for nature, with many turning to plein air painting, which brought artists out of dark interiors and enabled
them to paint outside. Artists also focused on passion, emotion, and sensation over intellect and reason.

Realism (1849 – 1900)

Arguably the first modern art movement, Realism, began in France in the 1840s. Realism was a result of multiple events:
the anti-Romantic movement in Germany, the rise of journalism, and the advent of photography. Each inspired new
interest in accurately capturing everyday life. This attention to accuracy is evident in art produced during the movement,
which featured detailed, life-like depictions of subject matter.

Art Nouveau (1890 – 1910)

Art Nouveau, which translates to “New Art,” attempted to create an entirely authentic movement free from any
imitation of styles that preceded it. This movement heavily influenced applied arts, graphics, and illustration. It focused
on the natural world, characterized by long, sinuous lines and curves. Influential Art Nouveau artists worked in a variety
of media, including architecture, graphic and interior design, jewelry-making, and painting.

Impressionism (1865 – 1885)

Impressionist painters sought to capture the immediate impression of a particular moment. This was characterized by
short, quick brushstrokes and an unfinished, sketch-like feel. Impressionist artists used modern life as their subject
matter, painting situations like dance halls and sailboat regattas rather than historical and mythological events.

Post-Impressionism (1885 – 1910)

Post-Impressionist painters worked independently rather than as a group, but each influential Post-Impressionist painter
had similar ideals. They concentrated on subjective visions and symbolic, personal meanings rather than observations of
the outside world. This was often achieved through abstract forms.

Fauvism (1900 – 1935)

Led by Henri Matisse, Fauvism built upon examples from Vincent van Gogh and George Seurat. As the first avant-garde,
20th-century movement, this style was characterized by expressive use of intense color, line, and brushwork, a bold
sense of surface design, and flat composition.
As seen in many of the works of Matisse himself, the separation of color from its descriptive, representational purpose
was one of the core elements that shaped this movement. Fauvism was an important precursor of Cubism and
Expressionism.

Expressionism (1905 – 1920)

Expressionism emerged as a response to increasingly conflicted world views and the loss of spirituality. Expressionist art
sought to draw from within the artist, using a distortion of form and strong colors to display anxieties and raw emotions.
Expressionist painters, in a quest for authenticity, looked for inspiration beyond that of Western art and frequented
ethnographic museums to revisit native folk traditions and tribal art.
The roots of Expressionism can be traced to Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and James Ensor. Prominent groups
including Die Brücke (The Bridge) and Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) formed so artists could publish works and
express their ideals collectively.

Cubism (1907 – 1914)

Cubism was established by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, who rejected the concept that art should copy nature.
They moved away from traditional techniques and perspectives; instead, they created radically fragmented objects
through abstraction. Many Cubist painters’ works are marked by flat, two-dimensional surfaces, geometric forms or
“cubes” of objects, and multiple vantage points. Often, their subjects weren’t even discernible.
Surrealism (1916 – 1950)
Surrealism emerged from the Dada art movement in 1916, showcasing works of art that defied reason. Surrealists
denounced the rationalist mindset. They blamed this thought process on events like World War I and believed it to
repress imaginative thoughts. Surrealists were influenced by Karl Marx and theories developed by Sigmund Freud, who
explored psychoanalysis and the power of imagination.

Abstract Expressionism (1940s – 1950s)

Shaped by the legacy of Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York after WWII. It’s often referred to as
the New York School or action painting. These painters and abstract sculptors broke away from what was considered
conventional, and instead used spontaneity and improvisation to create abstract works of art. This included colossally-
scaled works whose size could no longer be accommodated by an easel. Instead, canvases would be placed directly upon
the floor.

Op Arts (1950s – 1960s), Pop Arts (1950s – 1960s), Arte Povera (1960s), and Minimalism (1960s – 1970s)

Conceptual Arts (1960s – 1970s)

Conceptual art completely rejected previous art movements, and artists prized ideas over visual components, creating
art in the form of performances, ephemera, and other forms. Polish performance artist Ewa Partum’s Active
Poetry consisted of her scattering single alphabet letters across various landscapes. American artist Joseph
Kosuth explored the production and role of language within art, as seen in his 1965, One and Three Chairs. In it, he
represents one chair in three different ways to represent different meanings of the same object. Because this type of art
focused on ideas and concepts, there was no distinct style or form.

Contemporary Arts (1970 – Present)

The 1970s marked the beginning of contemporary art, which extends through present day. This period is dominated by
various schools and smaller movements that emerged.

 Postmodernism: In reaction against modernism, artists created works that reflected skepticism, irony, and
philosophical critiques.
 Feminist art: This movement arose in an attempt to transform stereotypes and break the model of a male-
dominated art history.
 Neo Expressionism: Artists sought to revive original aspects of Expressionism and create highly textural, expressive,
large works.
 Street art: Artists such as Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Barry McGee, Banksy, and more created graffiti-like
art on surfaces in public places like sidewalks, buildings, and overpasses.
 The Pictures Generation: Artists Cindy Sherman, Louise Lawler, Gary Simmons, and others who were influenced by
Conceptual and Pop art experimented with recognizable imagery to explore images shaped our perceptions of the
world.
 Appropriation art: This movement focused on the use of images in art with little transformation from their original
form.
 Young British Artists (YBA): This group of London artists were notorious for their willingness to shock audiences
through their imagery, and a willingness to push beyond limits of decency. They’re also known for their zestful,
entrepreneurial spirit.
 Digital art: The advent of the camera lent way to this artistic practice that allowed artists to use the infusion of art
and technology to create with mediums like computers, audio and visual software, sound, and pixels.