Art history

Art history usually refers to the history of the visual arts.

The first recorded visual arts are cave paintings in western Europe. All over the world, many ancient drawings have been found on pottery.

Many ancient sculptures exist. They usually depict deities. In Africa the the sphinx at Giza is a famous ancient sculpture.

In the middle ages, paintings and scultptures tended to focus on religion. In the renaissance, artworks began to get more realistic; see Renaissance Classicism.

Modern art is less representational, as artists explored the boundaries of perception, with movements such as abstract art and surrealism.

Contemporary art has been greatly influenced by the availability of information and the ease of travel; artists produce works in a great variety of styles, and are able to share their art with, and be influenced by, people from around the world.

See also

• History of painting
• History of theater
• History of music