Prehistoric Art: Devotional or Decorative?

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Prehistoric Art: Devotional or Decorative?

For thousands of years human beings have created art. Whether it takes the form of pictures, sculptures, or other any other type of object, it has always been something thought to be particularly beautiful by the people of the culture that created it. However, for much of history these items were also meant to serve a practical purpose. From decorative bowls and clothing to illuminated manuscripts and illustrative murals, much early art was meant to serve a utilitarian as well as aesthetic purpose, feeding, clothing and educating those privileged enough to use it. As late as the middle ages painters were considered craftsmen, similar to those of any other trade, and in fact in some cultures this trend continues even today. It was not until the Renaissance that the idea of "art for arts sake" became acceptable in most Western creative circles.

In the case of most prehistoric art, it is difficult to know the purpose for sure since there is no written record of its use. Many of these pieces are also quite ambiguous in meaning and even imagery, for example the woman from Willendorf and other early human figurines, and the cave paintings that ranged from Europe to Africa. Perhaps because of this, and because of the apparent predominance of religion and magic in these cultures, they are often ascribed a ceremonial purpose, such as bringing fertility or good hunting. Indeed, in these cases it seems to be a reasonable assumption, supported by the exaggerated female aspects of the women, and the healthy, abundant appearance of the animals depicted in cave paintings. The rationale behind this theory is that in early agricultural societies people had to work hard to survive, leaving little ti...

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It is difficult to define or explain the artistic impulse, even today, and it is even more difficult to pinpoint the one point in history when human beings developed a desire for aesthetically pleasing objects. However, several trends that have endured for thousands of years, particularly the decoration of vessels, textiles, and jewelry, and the creation of drawings and sculpture even today when they are no longer the easiest way to tell a story, leads me to believe that there is something in the human spirit that has always sought out the beautiful, whether in concord or conflict with the practical. And although the role of art and artists has changed drastically in the past and will likely continue to do so in the future, there will always be an impulse, whether admired and supported or looked down upon by society, to make life just a little bit brighter.

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