People are undoubtedly a part of the animal world, but they are somewhat beyond it as they are capable of reflecting it in diverse forms. Paleolithic cave art can be seen as one of the first attempts to reflect on the world around them and reveal it in some ways. Pre-historic artists used caves with their irregular grounds to display the hazards they faced outside their safe zones. The use of uneven grounds must have been deliberate and served a specific purpose.
One of the primary reasons for the use of irregular surface was to make the images multidimensional and more realistic. For instance, Paleolithic artists used bulges and hollows to “give their animals realistic curves” (Johanson 47). They created a very specific and enigmatic atmosphere as along with the shady light of the fire the painted animals could seem real. Clearly, people wanted to make their art as realistic as possible, but they had limited skills to achieve this goal. However, they managed to utilize the grounds to create their artworks. At the same time, the use of such surfaces suggests that people remained a part of the natural environment. For instance, artists could use holes instead of drawing horns. They tried to use what they were given by nature, which shows their close ties to the natural setting.
On balance, it is possible to state that the use of irregular grounds helped people address several objectives. Paleolithic artists could make their paintings realistic and create a specific atmosphere. The paintings also show that people were still close to their roots and felt their connection with nature and the world around them. Gradually, those links were becoming less pronounced and faded away in some cases.
Work Cited
Johanson, Paula. The Paleolithic Revolution. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2016.