History of Western Art

The progression of art over the years appears to show a be a history in which the "or" has become increasingly transcendant.   We can say that initially, the "and" was dominant, but that over the course of history, the "or" has increasingly asserted itself.   Thus, in a sense, the history of art mirrors that of matter, which according to the laws of entropy, and astronomical observation, shows that the universe has been expanding and that different units of matter have been drifting apart from each other.  Could it be, then, that artists are simply mirroring the development of the cosmos?  Possibly a subject for future posts.

Back to the history of art. The tension between the "and" and the "or" takes its shape in the relationship between form and matter.      Initially, in the great pyramids of Egypt, the "and" is dominant.  Form is imprisoned in matter.  The pyramids are almost perfectly shaped, equilateral.  Their can be no deviation., no escape.   This begins to change with the Greeks and Roman,  and regresses somewhat with the Dark Ages.  This change becomes clearly evident during the Renaissance,  where we see paintings that show incredible perspective.  Every man, woman, floor tile and tree is in its rightful place.     Matter is no longer imprisoning form but is letting it be, allowing perspective to express itself, allowing grass, tables and people to be as they are.  Soon we see this perspective, this harmony, being lost as the "or" asserts its newly recognized power.  With impressionism, it is no longer necessary to photographically capture each object.  Certain objects, colors, ideas etc. are emphasized.  The perfect unity between form and matter no longer exists.  Form, colors, shapes and feelings start to overpower the medium.   And with Cubism, the "or" starts taking hold.  It pushes objects out of their rightful place.  Heads need no longer be attached to bodies.  Musical instruments float in the air.  Perspectives are jumbled.  In short, form is prevailing in its struggle to escape matter.   The "and" and the "or" are at war, and the "or" is winning.  And this progression continues with surrealism and abstract expressionism, in which the idea escapes the canvas, and the canvas itself becomes secondary. Simple black lines and blocks of color point to what can no longer exist on the canvas.