From the time immemorial, among the dark cave interiors, when the first impressions of visual explanations were left behind by our ancestors, certainly the formations of an objectivity without intellectual trimming, should have been a reason for concern. As noted by Gorden Childe, recent discoveries point out that "many of these litho age foot prints of civilization are not explorations of naïve mind but were training laboratories of an inquisitive mind and later date were the submissions of a faith". There are evidence many of these drawings were rejected by erasing or crossing , indicate a preexisting idiom of language or an hierarchy and structure of depiction. Also there are evidences of real impressions of spears and weapons in the drawings of hunting scenes indicating may be a possible sorcery or black magic. Since geometry was still a distant possibility for them, it is also not improper to assume that their primary concerns could not have been the spatial composition.
In this context the Indian myth of development of aesthetics on visual art becomes significant. It says boredom brought forth the concept of aesthetics to human civilization. It is quite evident from initial days of litho age to later date, as the social priorities changed from individual survival to collective social existence in the due course when the drawings were grown from natural depiction to a complex imagery, the gradual development of aesthetics completely was in tune with socio cultural development. Although when there is very little conclusive chronology to write the prologue, it is very difficult to derive a definite idea of historical past, according to historians, studies show between falsification and facts, we may be able to broadly classify the development of primitive art into three stages: primitive naturalism, Animism and geometric.
According to Arnold Hauser,(1) “primitive naturalism advances from liner faithfulness to nature, in which individual forms are still shaped somewhat rigidly and laboriously, to a more nimble and sparkling, almost impressionistic technique. It is a process shows a growing understanding of how to give the final optical impression increasingly pictorial, instantaneous and apparently spontaneous form." His observation is very significant given the fact that these drawings were remarkable in skill in terms of stroke quality and rendering to emulate a perfect realism. They drew what they saw, although like a casual photographer, their concerns had never gone beyond the idea of capturing the view. Here the question of primitive art becomes important because. After all why did it came into existence remains a big question.
What was the idea of these visual impressions?
Considering most of these drawing are found among the darkest corners of the caves, an exhibition of an artistic expression or decoration could not have been their primary motive. Also, many of these drawings were superimposed one on the other destroying the decorative effect. Walter Benjamin(2) in his study says “ There are in fact, as has been noted, two different motives from which works of art are derived. Some are produced simply in order to exist, others to be seen. As far as the idea of “to be seen”, H Obermailer (3) argues that “ in these pictures we find – as, for instance in Trois-Freres- combined animal masks which would be quite unintelligible without a magical intention”. In this context it is also important note that if the idea of some arts were for the purpose of magic or worship, there should have been a pre-existing awareness among the race about social and physical limitations or practice. Otherwise the idea of prayer would not have been arisen. It also indicates a systemization of intelligence and communication in society to the extent an ability to concede to “fate” or “natural and super natural” came into existence.
Here it is significant to note that although there is evidence to prove the existence of magical world of paranormal in primitive art, so far we are unable to find any such conclusive evidence to indicate the existence of the magical world of illusion in those drawings. Archeological evidence across the world clearly establishes the fact that throughout the early Paleolithic period there was hardly any style change actually took place in depiction of visuals . But evidence from across the world proves during the Neolithic period with the emergence a progressive social structure, the human civilization did make the beginning of experiments in visual art.
But during the Neolithic period, with the emergence of a progressive social structure, human civilization did start an experiment with the idea of visual representation. Geometric patterns started to appear to represent forms and linguistic symbols came into effect by organizing space and they learned to isolate specific forms from rest. Human figures with triangular, semicircular and strait lines, started evolving with better details like dotted eyes, nose, weapons and breasts. But Gorden Childe(4) reminds us “ It should not be seen this change to settled community life as an all too precisely demarcated turning point and thinks that on the one hand, even the Paleolithic hunter dwelt, in the same caves probably for generations and on the other hand, that primitive land economy and cattle rearing were connected in the early stages with a periodical change of a certain time.”The gradual progression of wild insecure human to more progressive farmer and cattle breeder also had transformed human relationship and conditioning of visual art. They have acquired more effective command over communication and expression. But unfortunately also grown were the concerns for losses and destruction that they had to encounter in life. Most of these fears and concerns were attributed to the consequences of metaphysical manifestations by those limited intelligence. The birth of spirit, separated from physical body was one such development.
At this point of time, organically a vertical division started to evolve in human life such as Good and bad, visible and invisible, mortal body and immortal soul so on and so forth and the list began to grow endlessly. Also divided was the idea of art. Two distinctive stream of art- one ritualistic and another decorative came into prominence.Arnold Hauser (5) says “ The magic view of the world is monistic. It sees reality in the form of a simple texture, of an interrupted and coherent continuum, but animism is dualistic. It forms its knowledge and beliefs into two world system. Magic is sensualistic and holds fast to the concrete, animism is spiritualistic and inclines to abstraction. Further another historian Herbert Kuesus thinks this is one prime reason why Paleolithic art reproduces things true to life and reality, while Neolithic art appears a stylized and idealized super world to ordinary empirical reality.”.The work of art not any more were to remain visual impressions or duplication rather the frontiers were expanded, forms were explored and the ability of rational thinking for abstraction started exerting a major role in human expressions. Their visual domain surpassed the narrow confrontational idioms to an attempt to understand a comprehensive existence. But the ability of rational thinking also contributed materially to human society in comparison to animistic explorations in a big way. One such great achievement surely was geometry. The implications of geometrical innovations were so profound in human history that no other style could sustain such a long period in history of art as a major force. It continued in art from BC5000 till BC500.
Ref:
1. Arnold Hauser, The social history of art, P:5
2.Walter Benjamin 1936,V,P.45
3 H Obermailer Altamira, pp -10-20.
4. Gorden Childe – Man makes himself – P 80
5. Arnold Hauser, The social history of art, P:15
In this context the Indian myth of development of aesthetics on visual art becomes significant. It says boredom brought forth the concept of aesthetics to human civilization. It is quite evident from initial days of litho age to later date, as the social priorities changed from individual survival to collective social existence in the due course when the drawings were grown from natural depiction to a complex imagery, the gradual development of aesthetics completely was in tune with socio cultural development. Although when there is very little conclusive chronology to write the prologue, it is very difficult to derive a definite idea of historical past, according to historians, studies show between falsification and facts, we may be able to broadly classify the development of primitive art into three stages: primitive naturalism, Animism and geometric.
According to Arnold Hauser,(1) “primitive naturalism advances from liner faithfulness to nature, in which individual forms are still shaped somewhat rigidly and laboriously, to a more nimble and sparkling, almost impressionistic technique. It is a process shows a growing understanding of how to give the final optical impression increasingly pictorial, instantaneous and apparently spontaneous form." His observation is very significant given the fact that these drawings were remarkable in skill in terms of stroke quality and rendering to emulate a perfect realism. They drew what they saw, although like a casual photographer, their concerns had never gone beyond the idea of capturing the view. Here the question of primitive art becomes important because. After all why did it came into existence remains a big question.
What was the idea of these visual impressions?
Considering most of these drawing are found among the darkest corners of the caves, an exhibition of an artistic expression or decoration could not have been their primary motive. Also, many of these drawings were superimposed one on the other destroying the decorative effect. Walter Benjamin(2) in his study says “ There are in fact, as has been noted, two different motives from which works of art are derived. Some are produced simply in order to exist, others to be seen. As far as the idea of “to be seen”, H Obermailer (3) argues that “ in these pictures we find – as, for instance in Trois-Freres- combined animal masks which would be quite unintelligible without a magical intention”. In this context it is also important note that if the idea of some arts were for the purpose of magic or worship, there should have been a pre-existing awareness among the race about social and physical limitations or practice. Otherwise the idea of prayer would not have been arisen. It also indicates a systemization of intelligence and communication in society to the extent an ability to concede to “fate” or “natural and super natural” came into existence.
Here it is significant to note that although there is evidence to prove the existence of magical world of paranormal in primitive art, so far we are unable to find any such conclusive evidence to indicate the existence of the magical world of illusion in those drawings. Archeological evidence across the world clearly establishes the fact that throughout the early Paleolithic period there was hardly any style change actually took place in depiction of visuals . But evidence from across the world proves during the Neolithic period with the emergence a progressive social structure, the human civilization did make the beginning of experiments in visual art.
But during the Neolithic period, with the emergence of a progressive social structure, human civilization did start an experiment with the idea of visual representation. Geometric patterns started to appear to represent forms and linguistic symbols came into effect by organizing space and they learned to isolate specific forms from rest. Human figures with triangular, semicircular and strait lines, started evolving with better details like dotted eyes, nose, weapons and breasts. But Gorden Childe(4) reminds us “ It should not be seen this change to settled community life as an all too precisely demarcated turning point and thinks that on the one hand, even the Paleolithic hunter dwelt, in the same caves probably for generations and on the other hand, that primitive land economy and cattle rearing were connected in the early stages with a periodical change of a certain time.”The gradual progression of wild insecure human to more progressive farmer and cattle breeder also had transformed human relationship and conditioning of visual art. They have acquired more effective command over communication and expression. But unfortunately also grown were the concerns for losses and destruction that they had to encounter in life. Most of these fears and concerns were attributed to the consequences of metaphysical manifestations by those limited intelligence. The birth of spirit, separated from physical body was one such development.
At this point of time, organically a vertical division started to evolve in human life such as Good and bad, visible and invisible, mortal body and immortal soul so on and so forth and the list began to grow endlessly. Also divided was the idea of art. Two distinctive stream of art- one ritualistic and another decorative came into prominence.Arnold Hauser (5) says “ The magic view of the world is monistic. It sees reality in the form of a simple texture, of an interrupted and coherent continuum, but animism is dualistic. It forms its knowledge and beliefs into two world system. Magic is sensualistic and holds fast to the concrete, animism is spiritualistic and inclines to abstraction. Further another historian Herbert Kuesus thinks this is one prime reason why Paleolithic art reproduces things true to life and reality, while Neolithic art appears a stylized and idealized super world to ordinary empirical reality.”.The work of art not any more were to remain visual impressions or duplication rather the frontiers were expanded, forms were explored and the ability of rational thinking for abstraction started exerting a major role in human expressions. Their visual domain surpassed the narrow confrontational idioms to an attempt to understand a comprehensive existence. But the ability of rational thinking also contributed materially to human society in comparison to animistic explorations in a big way. One such great achievement surely was geometry. The implications of geometrical innovations were so profound in human history that no other style could sustain such a long period in history of art as a major force. It continued in art from BC5000 till BC500.
Ref:
1. Arnold Hauser, The social history of art, P:5
2.Walter Benjamin 1936,V,P.45
3 H Obermailer Altamira, pp -10-20.
4. Gorden Childe – Man makes himself – P 80
5. Arnold Hauser, The social history of art, P:15
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