Cave Art - Hardcover

Clottes, Jean

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0714845922 ISBN 13: 9780714845920

Publisher: Phaidon Press, 2008

Synopsis

This book reveals some of the world’s oldest and most remarkable works of art, the discovery of which transformed the way we think about the development of human artistic endeavour and creativity. A guided tour of European prehistoric caves by world-renowned expert Jean Clottes, Cave Art brings together an unparalleled selection of spectacular and beautiful images of wall paintings, mysterious rock engravings and refined sculptures, all accompanied by accessible, informative text.

About this title

Review:

'Art, as this book makes beautifully clear, is a fundamental part of the human condition. ... [an] accessible and well-organised book ... This book [...] should please anybody interested in either art or prehistory ... And, in our fast-paced 21st-century world where art is so often equated with ephemeral values, it's salutary to be reminded of painting’s enduring place in a society that lasted five times longer than the whole of recorded history.'
Art World

'this sumptuous book improves on the reality: there are almost 250 photographs here, showing some of the finest examples of this mysterious underground art. ... If you want to really pore over this magnificent prehistoric artistic tradition, this is the book for you.'
BBC History Magazine

Synopsis:

Ever since they were discovered over a hundred years ago, the paintings and rock engravings deep in the caves of Europe have captured the public imagination, provoking wonder and amazement at their great age, their technical mastery and their sheer beauty. Some of the oldest art known to man turns out to be highly accomplished, and also to have been made in extremely difficult conditions in absurdly inaccessible locations. These facts have presented a puzzle and a challenge that have never ceased to exercise the imagination of both scholars and the wider public. This interest is kept alive by the beauty, vivacity and realism of these mammoths, bison, horses and other animals, which have the same power and freshness to modern eyes that they must have had for their creators. Jean Clottes' book is the first one to provide a simple, accessible, orderly and easy to use pictorial introduction to this remarkable art.A concise introduction tells the story of the discovery of the caves, and gives a clear outline of current knowledge and research. It also discusses the modern debates about the meaning and purpose of the art, and sets these debates in the wider context of prehistory.

The author also raises questions about this art in relation to modern sensibilities - why do we find it so compelling? The core of the book is a carefully selected and organized sequence of 300 images, presenting the finest examples of cave art, including not only the most famous caves such as Lascaux, Altamira, Pech-Merle and Niaux, but also dozens of others that have yielded remarkable finds. A wonderful range of animals is presented, as well as the mysterious abstract signs, and the puzzlingly crude and schematized representations of human beings. Some examples of portable art and sculpture are also included in order to make important comparisons and links.

About this edition

• Publisher: Phaidon Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0714845922
• ISBN 13: 9780714845920
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336