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_Animal Influences in Paleolithic, Egyptian and Greek, _
By: Jenny Miller
Animal Influences in Paleolithic, Egyptian and Greek Art There are numerous
ways in which animals have resonated within the human mind. Throughout history
there have been representations ranging from the realistic, to myths, legends,
symbols, and even horrific murderous beasts; at the same time providing
fascinating perspectives of our own humanity. Various forms of art have
conveyed ideas and concepts of animals intelligence, as well as behavior,
from generation to generation. Animal art is used as a tool to make the
connection between different cultures at different time periods and it relates
historical and symbolic meanings. In most cultures animals have been linked
with the supernatural forces which were believed to control the natural world
and the destiny of humans. They were often revered as the agents. or
associates, of gods, and goddesses, and were even the focus of worship as
deities. Following the tracks of historical animal art, through the human
imagination introduces a trail of creativity and unsurpassed beauty.
Paleolithic art: Cave paintings are the earliest known example of human art
dating 40,000 to 8,000 BCE. The paintings mainly feature various animals
running, sleeping, and eating. Some also contain a few humans, geometrical
shapes, and even hand prints. The artist used permanent features like
ceilings, floors, and walls of rock shelters and caves as their canvas.
Pigments of black, yellow, red, and brown were utilized to display the
observations of animals. The painters gathered a great deal of information
about finding food, and which foods were safe to eat or to hunt, by closely
observing animals. The valuable information was passed to others through the
detailes in the artwork. The construction of the figures are sporadic over
uneven surfaces and small confined areas in the caves. Paintings in this
position would have been difficult to view, and may not be simple decorations,
but possess a special or spiritual purposeResearchers, took what they
thought were the most important features of the content of Paleolithic art
(the animals, the arrows. etc.) and stressing the locality of the art (deep
done in caves far from habitation) inferred a secret magical function. 1 The
paintings depict strong, dangerous, and swift animals which may be a form of
sympathetic magic, in an attempt to control them through representation.(fig.
1) Many paintings have marks indicating wounds or bleeding, which may be
connected with hunting. One theory is that prehistoric hunters believed that
by depicting the animal on the wall they would capture its soul, and
inevitable death during the hunt. However there has also been evidence that
the animals used most frequently for food were not the ones traditionally
portrayed in cave art. 2 The paintings reflect the human relationship with
animals; for admiration, fascination, the feared and the hunted. Reasearchers
have divided the animals into three major groups. The first comprises the
large herbivores-bison, ox, mammoth, horse; the second, the small
herbivores-stag and ibex; and the third, the most dangerous animals-lion, bear
and rhinoceros, all of which occur by themselves in the rear portions of the
caves. 3(fig. 2) Smaller animals such as rabbits were not painted, perhaps
because they were very abundant. The reason for the paintings will never be
fully answered. They may be part of rituals marking a successful hunt or maybe
it is art for arts sake. Andre Leroi-Gourhan feels, By this route alone,
thoughts of these men who are the only people anywhere in the world, at any
epoch, to have sheltered their works of art in the dank depths of caves. 4
Egyptian art Egyptians and animals (3150 to 2700 BCE) together symbolize
many mysterious and magical powers. Marilyn Stockstad states, The many god
and goddesses were depicted in various forms, some as human beings, others as
animals, and still others as creatures half human, half animal. 5 The symbolic
nature of the lion, like that of many animals, is ambivalent. In Egypt it
represented notably the living power of the sun in its identification with
the solar deity Ra, but also death and afterlife, because of its association
with Osiris, the ruler of the underworld. The lion was also believed to guard
the spirit realm. The Sphinx at Giza (fig. 3) is a recumbent, lion bodied
statue of the pharaoh Khafre. The tradition of the sphinx combined the idea of
the lion, the king of beasts with that of the divine ruler, symbolize the
union of intellectual and physical powers incarnated into the pharaoh. The
Ibis was widely associated with the sacred to the moon god Aah, and the god
Thoth, who were often depicted with an ibiss head. The wading bird was
thought to be free from illnesses. The birds ability to fly makes it a
natural symbol of the flight of the human soul, but sometimes the connection
is less obvious. In a frieze from Tutankhamuns burial chamber (fig. 4)
combines the symbolism of the leopard, death and the afterlife. It shows
Tutankhamuns successor, King Ay, wearing the magical leopard skin mantle and
engaged in the ceremonial ritual of opening the mouth on Tutankhamuns mummy,
This would ensure the passage of his soul into the other world. Whether
consciously or not, the Egyptians recognized the vital role animals played in
ensuring the constant recycling of elements that make life possible. H. W.
Janson observes, Egyptian art alters between conservatism and innovation, but
is never static. Some of its great achievements had a decisive influence on
Greek and Roman art, and thus we can still feel ourselves linked...by a
continuous, living tradition. 6 Greek art It is often possible to trace the
evolution of a myth almost like the development of a real animal. There are
few imaginary beasts that do not contain some element of zoological truth. The
early adventures of warriors, and sailors, with sea animals, conjured
imaginative stories that when they returned to Greece, theses stories inspired
Homer to create the Cyclops, in his epic, Odyssey. A feature throughout
history has been imagining animals that are the magnification of the human
body to superhuman size and power. The Greeks Centaur (900-400 BCE) were said
to have the power and speed of a horse with the intelligence and emotions of
humans (fig.4). The frieze at the Parthenon (fig. 5) shows the battle between
the Lapiths and the Centaurs. Stockstad detects, What should be a grueling
tug-of-war between man and beast appears instead as an athletic ballet... 7
Many pieces have broken off but what is left is a masterpiece of its time.
Of all Greek originals which have come down to us the sculptures from the
Parthenon reflect this new freedom perhaps in the most wonderful way, 8as
commented by E.H. Gomribrich. An influenced of the Egyptian art ,is the
sphinx. Its appearance and envolved into a lions body and the wings of an
eagle with a womans head. It was a enhanced feature on the helmet Athena, the
warrior goddess of Athens, and a frequent image on gravestones. The Greeks
were inspired from the past, which created a new and original period. This
style of art is a delicate mixture of artistic styles, and image, which blend
the realism and idealism, mythology, and monstrous beasts (fig. 6). Robert
Scranton says, Greek art is notable,...for its concentration of focus; there
is almost always a well-established dominant to which all else is subordinate
and related in a definable scale. 9 Different cultures grab on to different
attributes to construct very different mythologies, but all cultures, have
integrated a close observation of the animal kingdom into their artistic
style, symbols, and stories. The evolution of animals in the human imagination
stretches from teachers to ancestors, to protective and finally gods. Humans
have developed a world where animals were once beyond control, or
understanding, could now be understood and affectionately appreciated through
the arts. Bibliography: Avery, Catherine B. The New Century Classical
Handbook. New York, 1962 Beckett, Sister Wendy. The Story of Painting. New
York, 1994 Boardman, John, Greek Art. London, 1964 Durant, Will. Our Oriental
Heritage. New York, 1935 Fleming, William. Arts &Ideas. New York Gombrich, E.
H. The Story of Art. London, 1967 Hall, James. Dictionary of Subjects
&Symbolism in Art. New York, 1974 Kirk, G. S. The Nature of Greek Myths. New
York, 1975 Janson, H. W. History of Art. New York, 1969 Leroi-Gourhan, Andre.
Treasures of Prehistoric Art. New York MacClintock, Dorcas. Animals Observed.
New York, 1993 Metropolitan Museum of Art. Treasures of Tutankhamun. New York,
1976 Richter, Gisela M. A. A Handbook of Greek Art. New York, 1987 Scranton,
Robert L. Aesthetic Aspects of Ancient Art. Chicago, 1964 Stockstad, Marilyn.
Art History. New York, 1995
_Bibliography _
Bibliography: Avery, Catherine B. The New Century Classical Handbook. New
York, 1962 Beckett, Sister Wendy. The Story of Painting. New York, 1994
Boardman, John, Greek Art. London, 1964 Durant, Will. Our Oriental Heritage.
New York, 1935 Fleming, William. Arts &Ideas. New York Gombrich, E. H. The
Story of Art. London, 1967 Hall, James. Dictionary of Subjects &Symbolism in
Art. New York, 1974 Kirk, G. S. The Nature of Greek Myths. New York, 1975
Janson, H. W. History of Art. New York, 1969 Leroi-Gourhan, Andre. Treasures
of Prehistoric Art. New York MacClintock, Dorcas. Animals Observed. New York,
1993 Metropolitan Museum of Art. Treasures of Tutankhamun. New York, 1976
Richter, Gisela M. A. A Handbook of Greek Art. New York, 1987 Scranton, Robert
L. Aesthetic Aspects of Ancient Art. Chicago, 1964 Stockstad, Marilyn. Art
History. New York, 1995
Word Count: 1428
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