Cave paintings were a form of communication and creativity 40,000 years ago.
Civilization began in Africa and rippled outwards. Egypt, Greece and Rome are important players in art history. Each of these empires is mentioned in important religious texts.
The Roman empire straddled three continents. The western branch existed until the 5th Century, the beginning of the Dark Ages.
Western Europe’s timeline included 900 years of “Dark Ages.” Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, a lot was going on. There were trade roots from the far east and throughout Africa. Islam and the Ottoman empire were flourishing.
Venice and Italy were benefactors of trade. They accumulated great wealth, and fine art was an important part of their culture.
Timeline game changer
At the beginning of the 19th century there was a game changing invention. It was Photography!
Art was no longer expected to document realistic images – perfect landscapes with perfect colors or beautiful portraits. Cameras could do that.
Artists were free to explore different avenues of creativity.