Art has been an integral part of man’s existence from the Upper Paleolithic age to digital art of today. Regardless of the medium, art is the visual and written story of humanity. Let’s take a look at the most significant and well-known art movements throughout history:
Renaissance
14th-16th Centuries
Simply defined renaissance means “rebirth”. At the beginning of the 14th century, the world was faced with crises including the Plague, Hundred Years War, and upheaval in the Catholic Church. Beginning in Italy, the Renaissance is also widely known as an era of discovery. Columbus sailed to the Americas, astronomy became a new field of study and Johannes Gutenberg invented mechanical printing. During this period art evolved from craft to profession. Artists worked by commission and to create religious works. Three-dimensional paintings emerged during the Renaissance offering more lifelike representations of biblical stories and portraiture. Leonardo da Vinci is arguably the most famous artist commonly associated with the period. His works embody the exploration of human potential, invention and spirituality. The Renaissance gave way to a greater level of artistic expression.
Neoclassicism
17th – 18th Centuries
Neoclassicism refers to the period that artists looked back to the classic style of Greece and Rome while taking a more novel approach to biblical scenes. The movement spread through Europe and the American colonies along with the Age of Enlightenment. Architecture became more decorative and philosophy tended toward banishing old superstitious ideas. Notable artist Pompeo Girolamo Batoni’s “Diana and Cupid” is an ideal example of neoclassical art.
Romanticism
18th – 19th Centuries
In response to the reason of the Age of Enlightenment, Romanticism first took shape in France and Britain. Romantic art visually challenged the rigid ideals of Neoclassicism with a focus on the power of nature. During this period, the first paintings of shipwrecks were introduced and the predictable lines of the past were all but smudged away. The Romantic period also focused on the darker side of humanity through portraiture. This may be best captured in Jean-Louis-André’s portrait of fellow Romantic painter, Théodore Gericault.
Modern Art
18th-19th Centuries
As the Industrial Age began to take shape globally, Modern Art arose as a testament to a changing world. Painters such as Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh embarked on an experimental journey that would essentially do away with the rules and rigidity of the past. The intensity and abstract nature of Modern Art remained popular well into the 1970s. Experimentation in various mediums beckoned a new kind of artist not limited by paint and canvas. Andy Warhol’s work stretched the imagination and limitations of art experimentation through painting, film and modern advertising.
Contemporary Art
19th – Current
Contemporary Art is the evolution of modern art. It is not uncommon in this period for artists to be self-taught and working with a variety of media, including digital art. The blending of the experimental attitudes of the Modern Art era with today’s seemingly limitless methods for creating art eliminates many of the elitist attitudes of the past.