Western art timeline

Lascaux cave paintings, Paleolithic era

20,000 years old up

Prehistoric rock paintings are in Manda Guéli Cave in the Ennedi Mountains, Chad, Central Africa.

Answer explanation

Manda Guéli Cave in the Ennedi Mountains, located in northeastern Chad, Central Africa, is home to prehistoric rock paintings. These artworks are part of a rich collection of Saharan rock art, created thousands of years ago by early human societies. The Ennedi Plateau, where the cave is found, has been recognized for its cultural and natural significance and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The rock paintings in Manda Guéli typically depict:

• - Cattle and livestock, reflecting the importance of pastoralism.

• - Human figures engaged in daily life and rituals.

• - Wild animals like giraffes and antelopes.

These images give us a glimpse into the lifestyles, beliefs, and environment of prehistoric peoples who once lived in what is now the arid Sahara but was much wetter and more hospitable in ancient times.

Code of Hammurabi, 1754 B.C.

Answer explanation

The Code of Hammurabi is one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes in human history, dating to around 1754 B.C. It was enacted by King Hammurabi of Babylon, who ruled ancient Mesopotamia.

Key Facts about the Code of Hammurabi:

Date: Circa 1754 B.C.

Location: Babylon, in present-day Iraq

Written in: Akkadian language, using cuneiform script

Material: Inscribed on a tall basalt stele, over 7 feet tall

Current location of stele: Louvre Museum, Paris

Significance:

Contains 282 laws, covering civil, criminal, commercial, family, and labor law.

Based on the principle of "lex talionis" — the law of retaliation (e.g., "an eye for an eye").

Emphasizes justice, social order, and the responsibility of the king to protect the weak.

Distinguished between different social classes (nobles, commoners, slaves), with different punishments for each.

"If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out."

Altar frontal from Avià, c. 1200; Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

Answer explanation

The Altar Frontal from Avià (c. 1200) is a Romanesque painted wood panel from the Church of Santa Maria d’Avià, now in the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), Barcelona. Made with tempera on wood and gilding, it shows frontal, symmetrical figures in vivid colors and bold lines, typical of Romanesque style.

This piece shows various scenes from Jesus's childhood. In the center is the virgin Mary with Christ on her lap. This type of scene is called a 'Sedes Sapientiae', or Seat of Wisdom. The other scenes are:

- upper left corner: the annunciation and he Visitation (the meeting of Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, and saint Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist)

- lower left corner: The Three Magi (Gaspar, Balthassar, and Melchior)

- upper right corner: the birth of Christ

- lower right corner: the presentation of Jesus at the Temple

The Raising of Lazarus (1310-1311) by Duccio di Buoninsegna

Answer explanation

The Raising of Lazarus (1310–1311) is a tempera and gold on panel painting by Duccio di Buoninsegna, part of the Maestà altarpiece created for Siena Cathedral in Italy. This scene illustrates the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1–44), highlighting Christ’s divine power over death and foreshadowing his own resurrection.

Painted in the Gothic style with elements of Byzantine influence, the composition features elongated, expressive figures, gold backgrounds, and drapery with delicate lines. Jesus is shown performing the miracle with a commanding gesture, while the astonished onlookers react with vivid emotion. Lazarus, wrapped in burial cloth, emerges from the tomb, symbolizing spiritual rebirth and faith. The work reflects Duccio’s narrative clarity and transition toward greater naturalism and human emotion in religious art.

Catacombs in Rome

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (Built between 532 and 537)

the Lindisfarne Gospels (a famous illuminated

manuscript) 715–720

Notre Dame, a prominent example of Gothic architecture located in

Paris. (1163-1345)

Painted Hands in cave of Altamira (more than 20,000 yrs. ago)