Prehistoric Art - From Bronze Age to Native Art

“The extraordinary thing about art is the way it can communicate to people – even over vast periods of time. Sculpture and art, both has always been an attempt of creating a bridge to what lies beyond the horizon of man’s limited perception”. (The author in his essay ‘Master Sculptures – An Evocation of the Relationship between Thought and Matter’, published in the brochure of the Bali Indonesia Sculptor Association for an exhibition in Karne Gallery, Ubud, from 27.12. 2004 till 5.1.2005.

Last week we did a sort of time traveling into past and considered the development and production of art by our long distant ancestors during the so-called Paleolithic and Neolithic period. Now we are going to have a glance at the artwork produced in more recent times of pre-history.

During the 3rd millennium BC, the Bronze Age began in Europe, bringing with it a new medium for art. The increased efficiency of bronze tools also meant an increase in productivity, which led to a surplus - the first step in the creation of a class of artisans. Because of the increased wealth of society, luxury goods began to be created, especially decorated weapons. Examples include ceremonial bronze helmets, ornamental ax-heads and swords, elaborate instruments such as lurer, and other ceremonial objects without a practical purpose. Rock art, showing scenes from the daily life and religious rituals have been found in many areas, for example in Bohuslaen Sweden and the Val Carmonica in Northern Italy.

The Iron age saw the development of anthropomorphic sculptures, such as the Warrior of Hirschlanden (left, and the statue from the Glauberg, Germany. Hallstatt artists in the early Iron Age favored geometric, abstract designs perhaps influenced by trade links with the Classical world.

The more elaborate and curvilinear La Tène artistic style developed in Europe in the later Iron Age from a centre in the Rhine valley the sooner their art spread across the continent.

The rich chieftain classes appear to have encouraged ostentation and classical influences such as bronze drinking vessels attest to a new fashion for wine drinking. Communal eating and drinking were an important part of Celtic society and culture and much of their art was often expressed through plates, knives, cauldrons and cups. Horses' tack and weaponry were also subjects deemed fit for elaboration. Mythical animals were a common motif along with religious and natural subjects and their depiction is a mix between the naturalistic and the stylised.

Megalithic art was still practiced, examples include the carved limestone pillars of the sanctuary at Entremont in modern day France. Personal adornment included torc necklaces whilst the introduction of coinage provided a further opportunity for artistic expression. Although the coins of this period are poorly made derivatives of Greek and Roman types, the more exuberant Celtic artistic style is still visible.

The famous late fourth century BC chariot burial at Waldalgesheim in the Rhineland produced many fine examples of La Tène art including a bronze flagon and bronze plaques with repoussé human figures. Many pieces had curvy, organic styles though to be derived from classical tendril patterns.

In much of western Europe elements of this artistic style can be discerned surviving in the art and architecture of the Roman colonies. In areas where Roman influence was missing altogether, the later Iron age artistic tradition continued well into the historic period, perhaps most famously in Ireland and Northumbria.

Considering the current theory, that human beings originated in Africa and the hunter-gathering technologies evolved there, there are scant representatives of true art before the great flowering of culture in the upper Paleolithic. As we mentioned it in our last week’s column, one of the oldest Venus figurines, the so-called Venus of Tan-Tan was found some years ago in Morocco, Africa. This and other indications suggest that hominids may have had a broader conception of their world than was previously supposed.

Starting from its first settlers from Asia, the natives of Australia, often known as Aborigines, have been creating distinctive patterns of art. Early known artworks of the Aborigines are mostly rock paintings. Many are called X-ray paintings because they show the bones and organs of the animals they depict.

Some aboriginal art seems abstract to modern viewers; Aboriginal art often employs geometrical figures and lines to represent landscape, which is often shown from a birds-eye view. For instance, in Aboriginal symbology, a swirl stands for a watering hole. Left there is an Aboriginal Rock Painting

The Bradshaws are a unique form of rock art found in Western Australia. They are predominantly human figures drawn in fine detail with accurate anatomical proportioning. They have been dated at over 17 000 years old and debate rages as to who actually created them.

Like the Aborigines of Australia, the natives of Polynesia left behind a distinct artistic heritage. While many of their artifacts were made with organic materials and thus lost to history, some of their most striking achievements survive in clay and stone. Among these are numerous pottery fragments from around Oceania, from the late 2nd millennium BC. Also, the natives of Polynesia left scattered around their islands stone platforms and sculptures of ancestor figures, the most famous of which is located at Easter Island.

The author is a retired judge and private art collector from Austria who has lived with his Balinese wife and their child since many years in Bali.