The History of Art: The transition from the earliest manifestations of art, that is, cave paintings to the contemporary art.
Art history is a vast subject and has its roots in prehistoric eras and has evolved with human civilization. Starting from the prehistoric paintings to the modern art, the history of art is quite an interesting study of how art forms have evolved and how the people have used them in their day to day life to convey stories and feelings. Here's an overview of the major periods and movements in the history of art: #1 Paleolithic Art (c. 40,000–4,000 BCE): Cave Paintings: The first signs of art are represented by the paintings that were discovered in the caves of Lascaux in France and Altamira in Spain. Some of the famous paintings that were discovered are estimated to be at least 40,000 years old and include animals and human representations which are believed to be mystical in nature. Sculpture: Figurines such as the Venus of Willendorf (c. 28,000 – 25,000 BCE) are some of the earliest sculptures that depict fertility and human body. #2 Prehistoric art (3000 BCE – 500 CE):