Humor In Art

While some people would argue that cave paintings are the oldest forms of what we could call art, others believe that at the same time cave paintings were conceived, our ancient ancestors indulged in sculpture.  There are sculptures dating back much further than most paintings, with much of the reason being a sculptures being more resilient to aging.  It’s quite possible there were sculptors in the ancient world, but their sculpture techniques were so unrefined that we might not even recognize their attempts at art from a hewn rock.  Despite having unknown origins, the sculptor is one of the most celebrated artists throughout time with a positive place in almost all cultures.  There were sculptors throughout the Greek and Roman empire, in Asia, in the Americas, and in most societies throughout the world.  These ancient sculptors would become even more famous in our time for their work back then as it was preserved for thousands of years. 

There are hundreds of renowned sculptures that date back thousands and even tens of thousands of years.  These sculptors were prominent figures in their societies, and would provide the inspiration to all the sculptors of our modern era.

Clay has long been used as a material for creating sculptures, and because of its malleable nature, can be crafted into a wide range of shapes.  Clay becomes malleable when mixed with water in certain proportions, and while the clay remains wet, it can be shaped and sculpted with ease.  When the clay dries out, it can crack and become rigid.  When fired in a kiln, there are permanent chemical reactions that occur within the clay to prevent it from becoming soft and malleable again.  In ancient times, clay was used for making pottery in various cultures.  Clay is distributed throughout the world, and most often there are numerous layers of clay right below the ground’s surface.  Because of its wide distribution, clay was used to create bowls, dishes, tools, and all kinds of living essentials in ancient cultures.  Clay was also used in art to create clay sculptures and other pieces.

When clay dries, it becomes near impermeable to water, and because of this it was often used in bricks to create structures such as houses.  We still use clay in modern times to create barriers in dams or landfills to prevent toxic substances from seeping into the ground.