ART MOVEMENT TIME & PLACE CHARACTERISTICS HISTORICAL EVENTS IDEOLOGIES

Aboriginal art 60,000 BC Used ochre and natural Discoveries made in 2017 Aboriginal art was centred
Australia pigments, using materials at the Madjebebe rock around storytelling. It was
like plants and mud. shelter (a significant site used as a tool to convey
Pigments were used to of human migration) in knowledge of the land,
produce colours such as Arnhem land are events and beliefs of the
yellow, red and black estimated to be up to aboriginal people.
using charcoal. Features 80,000 years old
bold geometric designs in (currently confirmed
earth tones with 65,000 years +/- 5000
characteristic circles, dots years).
and wavy snakelike lines.
Australia is a very large
place with different
communities having
different resources and
art practices spanning
many different periods.
Pre-historic art Before 3,000 BC Cave paintings and rock Survival, and
All over the world engravings (to share reproduction. Fertility was
information to other a valued principle.
tribes). Told stories of
hunts and battles. Stick
figures and simple shapes.

Examples: ‘Venus of
Willendorf’ c. 24,000-
22,000 BC (discovered in
Austria).
Ancient Art 2000-400 BC Earliest naturalistic The Persian Wars It was a way of enforcing
Mesopotamia, Egypt, representations of human religious and political
Greece, Persia, China and beings. Symbolic imagery ideologies.
Rome of and mythological
stories (stories of gods).
Seen as the foundation of
art history.

Examples: ‘Code of
Hammurabi’ 1795-1750
BC (discovered in Sippar,
Mesopotamia (modern
day Iraq))
Medieval Art 500- 1400 AD Tried to convey religious All about the Christian
End of the Roman Empire figures and iconic images God, moving away from
and the beginning of the from the bible, with the the fertility gods and
Renaissance artworks being goddesses.
extensively decorated.
Lots of gold and jewels (to
attract people to the
church). Illuminated
manuscripts were written
by hand (before the
printing press)

Examples: Christ
Pantocrator (not a
particular artwork but an
icon, a particular image of
Christ (eastern orthodox
 and eastern catholic)) the
image was depicted most
through mosaics and
Encaustic on wood.
Renaissance Art 1400-1600 AD More people were able to The Enlightenment was Italy underwent the
Italy, Siena, Tuscany, appreciate cultural an intellectual movement enlightenment, where the
Venice and Milan. subjects like art, music, in the eighteenth century church became less
theatre and religion. that emphasised reason prominent.
Renaissance meaning and science.
rebirth. Found inspiration
in classical art with great
influence from ancient
Rome and Greece.
Materialised anatomically
correct sculptures,
paintings and symmetrical
architecture.
With the invention of the
printing press, books were
more widespread making
literacy rates raised
exponentially allowing
people to appreciate the
widespread burst of
information and
philosophy. Artists include
Michelangelo, Raphael
and Leonardo.
 Example: ‘Statue of David’
1501-1504 by
Michealangelo (Florence
Italy).
Baroque Art 1600-1730 AD The baroque movement Mannerism, it is an It emphasised
Europe emerged at the end of the artistic style and extravagance and
renaissance. movement that emotion.
Characterised by self- developed in Europe from
confidence, dynamism the later years of the art
and a realistic approach to renaissance, around the
depiction, it involved end of the 16th century, it
embellished architecture began to be replaced by
from ornate carvings and Baroque.
columns and dome like
ceilings. Many baroque The Counter
painters started to portray Reformation. The
religious subjects and Baroque movement was
used light and shadow to encouraged by the
emphasise the content. Catholic church to return
Valued chiaroscuro which to the spirituality and
translates to ‘light-dark’, tradition in response to
referring to the pattern the Protestant
and balance of light and reformation.
dark in the artwork.
Caravaggio was a
fundamental artist during
this period.
Bernini was a famous
sculpture during this
period, with a unique
 ability to carve marble
sculptures to give the
illusion of flowing fabrics.

Example: ‘the Death of

the Virgin’ 1601-1606 by
Caravaggio.
Rococo Art 1700-1770 AD The term Rococo is French Rococo art works often
Began in Paris but was and means a type of depict themes of love,
adopted throughout decoration on furniture classical myths, youth,
France, Germany and w/ pebbles and seashells. and playfulness.
Austria Fluid asymmetrical forms
and elaborate
ornamentation w/ a lot of
pastels and whimsical
narratives. Rococo
painting in general was
characterized by easy-
going, light-hearted
treatments of
mythological and
courtship themes, rich
and delicate brushwork, a
relatively light tonal key,
and sensuous colouring.

Example: ‘The Swing’

1767 by Jean-Honoré
Fragonard
Neoclassicism 1770-1840 Classic looking subjects, The discoveries of Showed a new interest in
Ancient Rome and Greece minimal use of colour, Herculaneum and simplicity, principles, and
attention to lines ns Pompeii gave great subject matter of the art
symmetry with clear inspiration to artists of after quite chaotic periods
definition of forms and that time. of art history.
figures. an aesthetic
attitude based on the art
of Greece and Rome in
antiquity, which invokes
harmony, clarity, restraint,
universality, and idealism.

Example: ‘the Death of

Marat’ 1793 by Jacques-
Louis David
Romanticism 1800-1850 Romantic artists focused French Revolution- 1848 Interested in
Europe and United-States on the individual Established the right to individualism and using
experience and subjective work their imagination and
perception. They sought drawing inspiration from
to capture the moods, the natural world. Looked
feelings and emotions of into the spiritual side of
their subjects. Using humanity, exploring the
expressive colours and essence of the natural
dramatic contrasts of light world with a high value of
and dark. Nature was also personal freedom and
a big theme in romantic expression. Romanticised
art, many artists depicted everyday working people
and explored the beauty in everyday working life.
and power of the natural
world.
 Example: ‘The Milkmaid’
1657-1658 by Johannes
Vermeer
Realism 1850-1880s Rejected the ideologies Realism focused on the
France that came before them. truthful treatment of the
Including Exotic scenes of common, average,
religious figures, clergy. everyday life.
Gave a voice to
overlooked members of
society because of their
social and financial
circumstances. Depicted
contemporary life and
nature, completely
unembellished. With
paintings almost looking
like photographs.

Example: ‘Ivan the Terrible

and his son Ivan’ 1885 by
Ilya Repin
Impressionism 1860s-1880s Separated from realism, The invention of the Taken as a whole,
France and introduced En Plein Photograph. The need to Impressionism argues that
Air which refers to the act paint realistic portraits we don't really see the
of painting outdoors. lessened, opening their natural or "real" world
The ridged traditionalism compositions to objectively because
of the time made them unrealistic artworks. everything that we
branch out. perceive is filtered
through our minds, and
 Some of the founding our minds are filled with
members of the art unique and personal
movement include Claude memories and emotions,
Monet, Berthe Morisot, so each of our minds
Auguste Renoir and Edgar perceives the world
Degas. differently.
They valued painting the
transient presence of
sunlight and movement.
Worked with small
brushstrokes, with little
blending and vivid
colours. The subject of
the artworks changed,
with the focus moving
from the rich aristocracy
to the working
class/lower classes.

Example: ‘Woman with a

Parasol’ 1875 by Claude
Monet
Post Impressionism 1880-1905 The art movement was an The 1905 Russian The Post-Impressionists
expression of Revolution. rejected Impressionism's
impressionism while also concern with the
rejecting the limitations spontaneous and
that impressionism held. naturalistic rendering of
Featured bold colours and light and colour. Instead,
scenes from modern life. they favoured an
emphasis on more
 Major figures include Paul symbolic content, formal
Cezanne, Vincent van order and structure. Like
Gogh, Paul Gauguin and the Impressionists,
Georges Seurat. It however, they stressed
includes Neo- the artificiality of the
impressionism, pointillism picture.
and divisionism.
Incorporated science and
imagination into their art
to create more powerful
scenes.

Example: ‘Starry Night

Over the Rhône’
September 1888 by
Vincent van Gogh
Expressionism 1905-1920 It was found in poetry, World War 1 (1914-1918) Giving power to
Germany and Austria paintings and visual arts emotional experiences.
focusing solely on Gave viewers a new
individual expressions. standard/appreciation of
Artists distorted the beauty. Not concerning
scenes on their canvases itself with recreating the
to align with their moods, physical reality, instead
emotions and ideas. choosing to celebrate the
Included works which free-spirited reality of
were often done in vivid being a free human.
and lurid colours and
disfigured subjects.
 Example: ‘the Scream’
1893 by Edvard Munch
Art Nouveau 1890-1910s Meaning ‘New Art’ having Wanted to escape
different names and traditional styles wanting
characteristics. Was to create luxurious works
features in architecture, returning to nature,
decorative arts, jewellery, modernising the path of
ceramics with artists of art progression.
many mediums
embracing the
movement. Its most
popular medium being
posters. Lots of floral
motives, arrhythmic
scene. Characterised by
sinuous lines and flowing
organic shapes based on
plant forms.

Example: ‘The Kiss’ 1907-

1908 by Gustav Klimt
Cubism 1907-1914 Two-dimensional, filled World War 1 (1914-1918) They threw out the rule
with geometric forms and The first world war book and opened the
flat. Analysed their drastically changed art door for the development
subjects, broke it apart and their artists. of abstract modern art
and put it back in a movements which would
different way. They come after.
wanted to show different
viewpoints of a subject on
the same plain.
 Founded by Pablo Picasso
and Georges Braque.

Example: ‘The Weeping

Woman’ 1937 by Pablo
Picasso
Futurism 1909-1914 Started by Filippo World War 1 (1914-1918) The energy and dynamism
Italy Tommaso Marinetti. The first world war of the modern world
The art movement was drastically changed art exited many artists about
characterised by the and their artists. the future. Futurists
power of machines, and artists of all mediums
the restless energy of passionately denounced
modern life. the oppressive culture of
the past and welcomed
Example: ‘The City Rises’ modern technology to the
1910 by Umberto world. Manifest of
Boccioni Futurism or ‘I Manifesti
Del Futurismo’ is a poem
written by Marinetti
saying, “we will free Italy
from her innumerable
museums which cover her
like countless cemeteries.”

Dadaism 1916-1924 Artists produced works World War 1 (1914-1918) Referred to as the “Anti-
which were satirical in The first world war war” Movement, to
nature, wanting to drastically changed art follow anything set by the
destroy traditional artistic and their artists. bourgeois society. Artists
values and create sought to reject all logic,
something new to replace reason and order of
 it. Expanded into new western civilisation that
mediums using different caused the horrors of war.
materials in different They felt that the war
ways. made them question
every aspect of the
Example: ‘Fountain’ 1917 societies they were living,
by Marcel Duchamp a society that started this
horrific conflict and
continued it
Surrealism 1920s-1960s Lead by Andre Breton, The movement inspired
who was a French writer political liberations with
and poet, influenced by many artists turning to
the writings of Sigmund political activism,
Freud. Surrealism seeks to choosing to take on the
show us the artists mind revolutionary concepts
free of the boundaries from their creations and
and rationalities of the applying it to their lives
mind choosing instead to and communities.
feature their Explored the inner
subconscious. Salvador workings of the mind,
Dali used Automatism to aiming to revolutionise
draw inspiration from the human experience.
their subconscious minds.
A method of artmaking
where the artist releases
conscious control over the
creative process, allowing
the unconscious mind to
take over.
 Artists juxtaposed
unrealistic subject matter
with realistic painting
styles to challenge
perceptions.

Example: ‘the Treachery

of Images’ 1928-1929 by
René Magritte
Bauhaus 1920-1930 The word came from the Movement that aimed to
Germany German words for to show art in everyday life,
building (Bau) and House not just in fine arts
(Haus). Bauhaus was a museums. allowing even
revolutionary school of the poorest people to
art. An architecture, afford functional art.
furniture design, utensils,
things like coffee makers
and cooking pots, wanting
to make functional
objects aesthetically
pleasing.
Wassily Kandinsky and
Paul Klee were pioneers
of the movement.
Characterised by abstract
styles, geometric shapes
and aesthetics that
include no historical,
mythical, or emotional
sources.
 Example: ‘The Red
Balloon’ 1922 by Paul
Klee
Abstract Expressionism 1940s-1950s American movement that World War 2 (1939-1945)
America moved intonationally Had a great influence on
recognised. the artists that were
There were two affected. The horror and
categories of art, action tragedy effected the art.
painters who were
characterised by canvases
with expressive brush
strokes like: Jackson
Pollock (who used house
paint on a canvas on the
floor), and the colour
field painters like Mark
Rothko (who used oil
paints with turpentine to
thin out the paint) who
created canvases with
large areas with a single
colour.

Example: ‘Autumn
Rhythm’, 1950 by Jackson
Pollock.
Pop Art 1950s-1960s Post-war Britan and They felt like the artist
Britian and America America, artists began that were collected and
questioning and revolting exhibited in museums had
 against views of what art nothing to do with their
should be. They were everyday lives.
inspired by everyday
items like Hollywood
movies, product
packaging, comic books,
and advertisement
posters. Using everyday
items from mass media to
usher a new approach to
art. Used repetition, bold
imagery and bright
colours to introduce art to
a new demographics.

Example: ‘Campbell’s soup

cans’ 1962 by Andy
Warhol.
Minimalism 1960-1970s Extreme form of abstract It embraces literalism,
America art. Minimalist artists like rejecting self-referential
Carl Andre, Frank Stella, narratives, to instead
and Donald Judd, use highlight the
factory-made objects, characteristics of the
precise hard-edged forms artwork. Believing that rt
to create pieces free of should have its own
outside influence. reality. “What you see is
what you see” -Frank
Example: ‘Two Open Stella the viewer is only to
Modular Cubes/Half Off’, observe what is in front of
1972 by Sol LeWitt them.
Contemporary Art 1960s-present ‘The art of today’. The Often rejected by the
movement’s public, feeling that it isn’t
characteristics can’t be necessary and doesn’t
summed up in a few count as art. These
words. Contemporary artworks are a part of a
artists make art that is bigger cultural dialogue
often more about ideas around identity,
rather than aesthetics. community and
This leads to no clear nationality.
visual styles for viewers to
hold onto. Contemporary
artists like Jamean-Michel
Basquiat, Yoyoi Kusama
and Damien Hirst create
art of all mediums which
reflect the issues of our
societies. Contemporary
art moves beyond the
walls of galleries and
museums.

Example: ‘A Siren Behind a

Ship’, 2014 by Mark
Bradford.
ART MOVEMENT TIME & PLACE CHARACTERISTICS IDEOLOGIES HISTORICAL EVENTS