The oldest known human artist paintings are over 30,000 years old. Located in caves in France, these paintings feature rhinoceroses, hunting humans, buffaloes, and other creatures both fanciful and real. From the art form's nascence in France, China, Spain, and elsewhere throughout the world, painting evolved into a profoundly rich and diverse field. Some of the most well-known painters of all time came from the Impressionist school, which evolved in France during the second half of the 1800s. Exponents of Impressionism included Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh, whose romantic and tragic biography has inspired numerous films and countless imitators. The Impressionists set the stage for the advent of modern art. Pablo Picasso was a trailblazer in this medium. By sussing out nature into three simple forms--cone, sphere, and cube--Picasso unleashed a century of exploration into the understanding of stripped down forms. Major 20th century art movements included surrealism (as exemplified by the brilliant works of Salvador Dali and Max Ernst), constructivism (as designed by Tatlin), and abstract art (as practiced by Kandinsky and Mondrian). After World War II, American artists like Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol transformed the scene again with pop art and even more abstract creations. Many modern artists practice computer/digital painting, scumble painting, and retrograde techniques like finger painting and wash painting. Both the pigment and the embedded medium can change. Some 21st century artists have begun experimenting with "four dimensional" painting. |
