Art History Timeline:
WESTERN ART
Prehistoric Art
40,000 - 4,000 B.C.
Art history can be traced all the way back
to prehistoric times, before written records
were preserved. Rock carvings,
engravings, pictorial iconography,
sculptures, and stone arrangements are
among the first artifacts from the
Paleolithic epoch, also known as the Old
Stone Age.
Ancient Art
30,000 B.C. - A.D. 400
The medium of a work of art from this time
varied depending on the civilization that created
it, but most art performed the same functions:
telling stories, decorating practical objects like
bowls and swords, displaying religious and
symbolic images, and demonstrating social rank.
Many of the works portray monarchs, gods, and
goddesses.
Medieval Art
A.D. 500 - A.D. 1400
During this time, art was mostly focused
on the Church. As the first millennium
progressed, increasingly complex and
ornately decorated churches appeared,
with biblical motifs and figures from
Greek mythology adorning windows and
silhouettes.
Renaissance
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.
Mannerisms
1527 - 1560
The ideals of Michelangelo, Raphael, and other Late
Renaissance artists inspired Mannerist artists, but their
attention on style and technique overshadowed the
meaning of the subject matter. Graceful, elongated limbs,
petite heads, stylized features, and exaggerated details
were common aspects of figures. Rather than depending
on the Renaissance predecessors' classical ideas of
harmonious composition and linear perspective, this
resulted in more complicated, stylized compositions.
Baroque
1600 - 1750
Following Mannerism, the Baroque period
produced rich, extravagant visual arts and
architecture. It was marked by grandeur and
opulence, interrupted by a desire to enlarge
human mind and discover the world. Baroque
artists have a wide range of styles.
Rococo
1699 - 1780
Rococo is a style of ornamental art, painting,
architecture, and sculpture that started in Paris.
In contrast to the exuberance of the Baroque,
the aesthetic presented a softer type of
decorative art. Rococo is distinguished by its
lightness and grace, with an emphasis on
natural shapes, asymmetrical design, and muted
hues.
Neoclassicism
1750 - 1850
Classical characteristics impacted
Neoclassical artists, particularly a stress on
idealism. They have to include modern,
historically accurate depictions in their
creations.
Romanticism
1780 - 1850
From painting to music to literature, Romanticism
encompasses a wide range of disciplines. Order,
harmony, and logic, which were valued in both
classical and Neoclassical art, are rejected by the
ideals present in each of these art forms. Romantic
artists, on the other hand, emphasized the individual
and imagination. Passion, emotion, and sensation
were also prioritized by artists over logic and
reason.
Realism
1848 - 1900
Try to depict the real world exactly as it
appears. They painted everyday subjects
and people. They didn't try to interpret
the settings or emotional meaning to the
scenes
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.
Impressionism
1885 - 1910
They were more concerned with the
light and color of the moment than with
the details of objects they were painting.
They painted outdoors and worked
quickly to capture the light before it
changed
Post-Impressionism
1885 - 1910
Began to try new subjects,
techniques, perspective and
shapes to express their thoughts
and emotions to art.
Fauvism
1900 - 1935
It is presenting the real life
subject with the use of bright
colors suggesting comfort, joy
and pleasure.
Expressionism
1905 - 1920
Convey emotions rather than
reality. Each artist had their own
way to convey emotions to express
emotions the subject are often
distorted or exaggerated.
Cubism
1907 - 1914
Presenting the subjects with
the use of cubes and other
geometric figures
Surrealism
1917 - 1950
Philosophical movement that said
the way to find out the truth in the
world was through subs-concious
mind and dreams.
Abstract
Expressionism
1940 - 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.
Op Art
1950s - 1960s
Artists active in this style used shapes, colors,
and patterns to create images that appeared
to be moving or blurring, often produced in
black and white for maximum contrast.
These abstract patterns were meant to both
confuse and excite the eye.
Pop Art
1950s - 1960s
Pop art is one of the most recognizable artistic
developments of the 20th century. The
movement transitioned away from methods used
in Abstract Expressionism, and instead used
everyday, mundane objects to create innovative
works of art that challenged consumerism and
mass media.
Arte Povera
1960s
Arte Povera challenged modernist,
contemporary systems by infusing
commonplace materials into creations. Artists
used soil, rocks, paper, rope, and other earthen
elements to evoke a pre-industrial sentiment.
As a result, many of the notable works during
this movement are sculptural.
Minimalism
1960s - 1970s
Artists urged viewers to focus on precisely
what was in front of them, rather than draw
parallels to outside realities and emotive
thoughts through the use of purified forms,
order, simplicity, and harmony.
Conceptual Art
mid-1960s - mid-1970s
Conceptual art completely rejected previous
art movements, and artists prized ideas over
visual components, creating art in the from
of performances, ephemera, and other
forms.
Contemporary
Art
1970 - present
This period is dominated by
various schools and smaller
movements that emerged.
REFERENCE:
https://www.invaluabl
e.com/blog/art-
history-timeline/ FRANKIE JOYCE V. TAGLE BSIE 1C-S
