My first glimpse of these paintings was in an art book at my high school library. I was immediately struck by their freshness and energy. I was amazed by their vast age. They look modern. Without dating notation, they might seem something painted by Picasso rather than paleolithic cave men from 17,000 years ago.
Two qualities unite Picasso and these cave paintings; artistry and southwestern Europe.
The Lascaux paintings were discovered in 1940. Since then similar caves with similar paintings have been discovered in both France and Spain.
These hundreds of caves filled with thousands of paintings revealed a previously unknown ascetic sensibility in Paleolithic culture.
The age of the artwork is remarkable; the beauty
is more so.
Several generations apparently worked at this cave-art. Some were more skilled than others. Even so, the style is consistent. Nearly all are beautiful.
Experts have opined that ceremonial magic to ensure a successful hunt was likely the real reason for the paintings. Experts dismiss the beauty as unconsidered byproduct. Nonexperts no doubt agree with the experts.
I think there was more to it than painted magic spells.
I can imagine a Magdalenian Shaman saying, "Hurry-up, the Aurochs are already moving off". The wall-painter probably replied, "I will be done when I am done; Magic is impossible without Beauty". I think paleolithic artists regarded ascetics as highly as do modern artists.
I have no proof of this. I don't need any. People don't change. Pragmatists always push for a fast solution. Artists are done when they're done.
Art aside, the Lascaux paintings are an engaging documentary of large animals that were common in the Europe of17,000 years ago. Some have since moved to Africa and no longer live in Europe: Leopards; Lions; Hippopotamus; Rhinos; and Giraffes. Some are extinct, like Cave Bears, Mammoths, Aurochs, and strange small Horses with short stiff manes,.
The horses look like the wild horses discovered by Przewalski in the late 1880's. A small population of these pony-sized horses still roam free on a reserve in Mongolia.
Aurochs were wild ox-sized cattle. The last known Auroch died in 1627 looking exactly as pictured on the walls of the Lascaux cave.
The artworks of Lascaux aren't really paintings.
The Magdalenian's didn't have brushes. They didn't really have paint either. Instead, they had rude clay pots filled with ground-up local minerals, mostly, iron oxide, hematite, and manganese, plus homemade charcoal.
These few materials were mixed with water or animal fat to produce a surprisingly wide color spectrum of varied red, yellow and black. The colors were applied by hand, literally.
We see these pictures illuminated by electric lights. They must have looked very different when the only light available to the artists came from wood torches and tiny
oil-lamps.
Some animals painted on the ceiling seem to roll from one wall to the other. One of the Aurochs is nearly 17 feet long. I can't imagine how they managed such complicated compositions and large images with so little light.
The artistry demonstrated is unlike typical primitive art. The figures on the wall flow with energy and grace. They move like living animals. I can't believe the artists who created these pictures intended them as no more than totem caricatures useful for making magic.
The Art in the Lascaux cave is the beginning of true Art. It is Classic in the sense of being as beautiful now as when it was made. Its age is interesting. Its artistic influence is timeless.
When I see a bull painted by Picasso, I think of Lascaux.
