home what is a silhouette? history: lascaux greek vases etienne kara walker
   
Cave of Lascaux   click here to learn more about the Cave of Lascaux
 
 
  • The origing of the Silhouette dates back to the Paleolithic paintings found in the Cave of Lascaux, in France.
  • Prehistoric cave paintings, also known as stone age paintings, are the oldest know artworks we know.
  • Dating back approximately 17,000 years ago, the original cave paintings at Lascaux, are some of the earliest known art by man.
  • The cave was most likely a sanctuary for the performance of sacred ceremonies.
 
Greek Vases back to top
 
 
Most Greek paintings came to us in the form of Greek Vases.
Greek vases were created only in a few forms depending on the use for which they were made.  All Greek vases were used for utilitarian functions.
The three most important shapes used in Greek vases are: Amphora, Krater, and Kylix.
The three main types of greek vase decorations are called: black figure, red figure and white ground.
   
Amphora   Krater   Kylix
 
Etienne de Silhouette   back to top
 
 
The term Silhouette as we know it today derives from Etienne de Silhouette (1706-67), French Minister of Finance under Louis XV.
The earlier known silhouette was probably a double portrait of the English monarch William and Mary done in late 18th century.  These black portraits were known in Britain as ‘profiles’ or ‘shades’.
This form of portraiture, being relatively quick and inexpensive to produce, was very popular from the 1750s to the 1850s, when it was overtaken by photography.
Silhouettes, whether cut from black paper or painted, were originally made by tracing the shadow cast by a bright light.
 
 
Vocabulary   back to top

Paleolithic (paleo = old   lithic = stone)
The Palaeolithic is the prehistoric era distinguished by the development of stone tools.
It covers the greatest portion of humanity's time on Earth, extending from 2.6 million years ago, with the introduction of stone tools to the introduction of agriculture around 10,000 BC.

Prehistoric  -  Stone Age
means before history, or more correctly, before written records of history were kept.  The art of this period is also referred to as stone age because tools found during this period were made of stone.

Utilitarian
designed primarily for practical use.

home what is a silhouette? history kara walker