Cave of Forgotten Dreams Essay Example
Cave of Forgotten Dreams Essay Example

Cave of Forgotten Dreams Essay Example

Available Only on StudyHippo
Topics:
  • Pages: 2 (546 words)
  • Published: May 15, 2018
  • Type: Essay
View Entire Sample
Text preview

 

In this place, the men began clearing away the rocks, revealing a cave opening so narrow they could barely squeeze through. As they were descending into the cave, the men were unaware they would soon uncover one of the greatest discoveries in human culture. Although at first the caves did not seem to be out of the ordinary, they continued to explore deeper and came across intricate paintings depicting various animals, on the cave walls. A few days after the discovery, scientists began studying the paintings.

At first glance the paintings seemed fresh, almost as if they were a forgery. However, they found some of the paintings covered with calcite and concretions, which takes thousands of years to grow. Unintentionally, these three explorers uncovered the oldest Paleolithic art known to this day. To film the discovery of the Paleolithic a

...

rt uncovered in the Chauvet Cave, Wermer Herzog overcame many obstacles. For example, only a few people are allowed to visit the Chauvet Cave at one time to preserve the climate inside.

Visitation is limited to scientists: archeologists, artists, paleontologists, and geologists, for the sole purpose of research. Scientists believe the unique climate inside the cave is the main reason the paintings are in such pristine condition today. Therefore, they fear with too much exposure the integrity of the paintings will be compromised. Because of this, the French government closely monitors the Chauvet Cave and those who enter. In addition, Wermer Herzog was given permission to take only a small film crew and a handful of scientists into the Chauvet Cave.

Since the film crew was so limited, each person on the team was responsible to perform a technica

View entire sample
Join StudyHippo to see entire essay

task; and a non-professional camera was used to capture the video. Finally, the team was given only a limited amount of time to be in the cave, which was severely reduced due to the number of people in the group. Although there were many obstacles, Wermer Herzog’s documentary of the Chauvet Cave paintings is captivating and well produced. Through this film I have gained a deeper appreciation for the arts.

The history behind the cave paintings has become very intriguing to me. I realize that although the cave paintings are beautiful art to us today, this was probably not the original intent of the artist. It is likely the paintings were created for a more practical purpose, such as a religious ceremony or to outline their next hunt. Thinking about the theories behind the paintings outlined in the film, causes me to ponder many other options of how art comes to be and the influence human culture has on art throughout the ages.

The impact of humanity on art is evident in the paintings found in the Chauvet Cave. The artist caught details of facial expressions, defined muscle development, and movement, in stunningly modern form. I was drawn to this film by the richness of the details depicted in the cave art. As I was watching the film, the vast beauty of the cave and the surrounding area overwhelmed me. Reflecting on the discovery of the cave paintings, I have come to realize that God is the greatest artist, and only through Him is man able to capture the beauty of His creation on a canvas.

Get an explanation on any task
Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
New