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Dawn of Art: The Chauvet Cave (The Oldest Known Paintings in the World)

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In December 1994, three speleologists were exploring in the Ardèche region of France when they discovered an underground system of caves that came to be known as the Chauvet Cave (named for one of the three). Because these individuals were highly aware of the potential for finding ice age cave art in this region and extremely responsible human beings, they behaved with the utmost propriety, taking care to preserve their find for scientific research. As a result, they have ensured the protection and continued existence of a treasure trove of paleolithic art. In DAWN OF ART: THE CHAUVET CAVE, Jean-Marie Chauvet, Eliette Brunel Deschamps and Christian Hillaire tell the story of the discovery that has rocked the art world.

The Chauvet Cave paintings were executed sometime during the Aurignacian Period. Radiocarbon dating indicates the wall art is probably about 30,000 years old, making it twice as old as Lascaux. CHAUVET CAVE (the book) includes over 100 pages of stunning photographs of this fabulous art. Literally hundreds of Aurochs, Bison, Mastodons, Horses, Lions, Bears and other animals have been depicted.

The Chauvet Cave paintings are extremely well executed, leading many archeologists and art historians to completely reformulate extant theories concerning the evolution of human art. It would seem our forebears were not clumsy louts who drew stick-like versions of organic life. The wall art at Chauvet shows perspective, modeling, color, line, form, and other visual aspects associated with post-Renaissance representational and abstract art. In my estimation, the Chauvet wall paintings -executed in charcoal, ochers, and other material - are comparable to the chalk drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso.

The caves seem to have been the dwelling place of Cave Bears and perhaps humans, at different times. Bones of cave bears litter the floor of the cave and many cave bears have been drawn on the walls. In one chamber, a bear skull rests on an alter-like rock formation. Whether the skull was laid there for magical or religious or secular purposes related to art, or simply tossed there by a child is not known.

Scientists are attempting to determine the order of events in the Chauvet cave by studying the formation of overlying levels of sediment and accretions of calcite material on the walls, ceilings, and floors. Some of the wall paintings have been scratched by bear or lion claws indicating animal activity after the pictures were drawn. In other instances, paintings overlay earlier damaged surfaces. Several different artists apparently worked in the cave chambers over an extended period. The most beautiful paintings on the horse panel and elsewhere seem to have been executed by a master and/or his "school" of apprentices.

In the most distant chamber, lies the "sorcerer's chamber" where a creature with a bison head and human-like form has been painted in conjunction with a `Lion Panel'. The authors apparently are referring to the `sorcerers' of Trois-Freres in the Ariege and Gabillou in the Dordogne. My favorite work is the `Great Lion Panel', a wondrous mural showing a group of grazing bison followed by a pack of lions. The lion heads and shoulders are massive, modeled, and menacing. The authors CHAUVET CAVE appear to have been most captivated by the `Horse Panel' which is also incredibly beautiful.

As is usually the case, Abrams has done a stellar job depicting beautiful works of art. Since very few of us will ever be allowed to visit the Chauvet Cave, this book may be the next best thing to being there.

This book is filled with beautiful photographs of the oldest known cave art in the world. Simply flipping through and examining these paintings is an amazing experience. However, the text is a little less than breathtaking, providing little information for even those of us who know very little about cave art. It is little more than a description of how the discoverers felt upon finding this cave. Nonetheless, this book is worth purchasing, if only for the spectacular photos.

The Chauvet Cave in Southern France has caused art history to have to be re-written. This brilliantly painted cave- far older than Lascaux and others in the region is exhibited beautifully here in a lush "Coffee Table" book form. These are well reproduced photographs of superb art work. Some of the animals drawn by the ancient artists have multiple legs- suggesting motion. Also surprising is the attempt at a realistic perspective in some of the works. As excellent as the book is in its photographs it is short on explaining the many questions this art brings to mind such as - "What function did this art serve." Perhaps this is for the best since the answers may always remain in the realm of speculation. This book is the only way to see this great art- as the cave will probably never be opened to general public visitation.

. A few stars are twinkling. I take a deep breath and think. What to do at 3 a.m.? I take down a book I had been intending to read: Chauvet Cave--the oldest paintings in the world. It was a great choice. I am astonished by the gorgeous cave paintings, the oldest found yet--they are some 30,000 years old. I am awed by the shapes and colors of animals: mammoths, rhinoceros, lions, horses, bears and one owl. Maybe just like the owl I am listening to right now.
When the cave was discovered in France in 1994, specialists were astonished by its location and the beauty of its art. Who would have guessed that people that long ago could be so sophisticated in their drawing. They used contours of the cave to dramatize the shapes of animals. The unknown master artist used perspective to show great herds of animals running and used shading on their bodies. There were a few hand prints outlined in red and the imprints of a pair of hands in the clay on the floor of the cave.

Even more astonishing were the huge footprints of cave bears and mixed in their tracks were paint pigments used on the walls. Imagine painting a masterpiece and having huge bears tracking through the paint. How distracting. In some places, the bears had incised the paintings on the cave walls with thier huge claws.
Cave bears are now extinct. They were larger than even the largest bears we know of today. Chauvet Cave was littered with many bear skulls and bones. If the bears had died while hibernating, that might explain part of it. But one bear skull had been deliberately set on a huge stone that had fallen from the ceiling as if an altar.
What had these early people been thinking to paint running herds of animals, bison, and ibex, all beautifully, poetically rendered, and solitary bears in a cave stunning in its beauty with calcite stone draperies and ochre colored walls. All of this remained in pristine condition for 30,000 years and then it was discovered by expert cavers not very long ago. The government of France is making sure that none of it is destroyed by eager tourists or even research teams who may inadvertantly destroy the evidence of early man and the animals they obviously admired.

The work is still being carried on and there is a lot to learn there.
I was thrilled to find the book, even though it is not a brand new book.

This book has an epilogue and prologue written by professional archaeologists that will put the discovery in its proper academic perspective. The real thrill of the book is the narrative by the amateur speleologists as they discover and share with their friends what they recognize as an extraordinary site. Their first effort is to protect the cave bear bones from disturbance by the traffic of the experts who will come when they share their discovery with the world. The book invalidates so much previous speculation about the development of human art that it is a must read.

Written by the experts who made the discovery, and conveying their sense of awe and danger with each step forward into the cave, the book guides you to art preserved for 30,000 years, almost twice as old as the art of the cave art at Lascaux, our earlier benchmark for the earliest known art. The art is reminiscent of Lascaux, and leads us to heady questions about the evolution of human art and creativity.

I read the book in its entirety in the first hour after it arrived at my doorstep, amazed and thrilled.

This is a great and an important book, and an absolute delight to read.

I can only disagree with the title. Art this sophisticated is not the "Dawn of Art". It has thousands of years of antecedents, and I hope we'll be priviledged to visit some of that with such marvellous story-telling, and such respect for preserving what our ancestors created.

-Jane Yett

I found out about the Chauvet cave and this book in the gift shop of another French cave with cave paintings (Font du Gaume). The idea of being within arm's reach of cave paintings was fairly overwhelming. Then to see the book on Chauvet and the paintings found there! What an amazing day!

Looking through this book is a constant joy. The paintings were made by a true artist. They are magnificent. If you have an interest in cave paintings, this is the book for you. It is an excellent record of what has been found in the cave to date.

I do wish for more expository text but that will come with more study of the paintings, handprints, footprints and other artifacts found in the cave.

Until then, I will have to be content to look at beautiful photographs of some of the most amazing art work ever seen.

The Chauvet Cave is an amazing find, filled with art more than 30,000 years old. Imagine doing these magnificent drawings with charcoal and raw pigments on a stone wall, and all by firelight. The photographs are beautiful. The cave is closed to the public to protect it, but you can still enjoy feel the wonder through the book. I understand France is working on a replica that will be open to the public, a very good way to share the beauty while protecting the cave.
This book, as close as I'm likely to get, is a treasure. It inspires me.