Return to Chauvet Cave 
asked by flow on November 24, 2006 12:35 AM
The discovery of the Chauvet Cave in December 1994 was a remarkable event. The incredible age of the paintings, which dated back 35,000 years, and their exceptionally high quality were the source of both astonishment and admiration, and the images of mammoths, rhinoceroses, lions, bears, horses and bison have since been seen around the world.Several years ago, a team of specialists from many different disciplines, led by Jean Clottes, began the first detailed scientific study of the cave. This collaborative project has been extremely fruitful and the cave has slowly revealed many of secrets of its origins: its dating, the traces left by animals and humans, the artistic techniques that were used, and the themes of the paintings and engravings. New light has also been cast on this unique art by art historians and ethnologists.All these discoveries are published together for the first time, accompanied by numerous colour illustrations, allowing the public to share not only this new knowledge but also the thrill and fascination of looking back thousands of years into an ancient world.
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This book is simply magnificent. But first, a word about the price. The British publisher, Thames and Hudson, prices this book at 45 pounds. At this time, 1 pound = $1.8 US. I encourage you to compute the currency exchange and then shop . . . .
Now for the book. Since it's currently impossible to "look inside this book," let me share a few things about this splendid volume.
* It's 13 inches high by 11 inches wide, so it's an over-sized volume.
* 209 illustrations, 208 of which are in color
* the photos are extraordinary in clarity, lighting etc
* some of the photos span 2 pages, some take up 20-25% of a page, and there are 2 foldouts that show the breadth of a panel
* the paper is very high quality
* on average, the text takes up only part of a page. Some pages are strictly photos, sometimes a page has a column of text with photos. A few pages are entirely text. Bottom line, this is primarily a photo book, which is exactly what I was hoping it would be.
* the text is written for the general public. It's mostly descriptive, though there are some passages where interpretations are offered.
* most of the photos I've seen of the Chauvet paintings in other works are close-ups of the paintings. There are close-ups in this book too, but many of them show more of the physical backdrop for the paintings. It makes the paintings even more powerful to see them in their full "architectural" setting
* there are a few photos of the cave formations themselves, which is wonderful since the cave itself is a work of art.
The Table of Contents:
1. How to Study the Cave?
2. The Cave in its Setting
3. The Floors and Incursions into the Cave by Animals and People
4. Drawing in the Cave (covers 13 chambers in the cave)
5. The Techniques of Parietal Art
6. Lots of Animals and Signs (Horses etc)
7. Other Points of View
8. Conclusion
By the way, there is also a website for the Chauvet Cave where you can read reports by researchers etc.
This treasure will become a permanent fixture on my coffee table. My deepest thanks to the editor, Jean Clottes, and Thames and Hudson for doing such a masterful job.
Now for the book. Since it's currently impossible to "look inside this book," let me share a few things about this splendid volume.
* It's 13 inches high by 11 inches wide, so it's an over-sized volume.
* 209 illustrations, 208 of which are in color
* the photos are extraordinary in clarity, lighting etc
* some of the photos span 2 pages, some take up 20-25% of a page, and there are 2 foldouts that show the breadth of a panel
* the paper is very high quality
* on average, the text takes up only part of a page. Some pages are strictly photos, sometimes a page has a column of text with photos. A few pages are entirely text. Bottom line, this is primarily a photo book, which is exactly what I was hoping it would be.
* the text is written for the general public. It's mostly descriptive, though there are some passages where interpretations are offered.
* most of the photos I've seen of the Chauvet paintings in other works are close-ups of the paintings. There are close-ups in this book too, but many of them show more of the physical backdrop for the paintings. It makes the paintings even more powerful to see them in their full "architectural" setting
* there are a few photos of the cave formations themselves, which is wonderful since the cave itself is a work of art.
The Table of Contents:
1. How to Study the Cave?
2. The Cave in its Setting
3. The Floors and Incursions into the Cave by Animals and People
4. Drawing in the Cave (covers 13 chambers in the cave)
5. The Techniques of Parietal Art
6. Lots of Animals and Signs (Horses etc)
7. Other Points of View
8. Conclusion
By the way, there is also a website for the Chauvet Cave where you can read reports by researchers etc.
This treasure will become a permanent fixture on my coffee table. My deepest thanks to the editor, Jean Clottes, and Thames and Hudson for doing such a masterful job.
reviewed by shakeonit on November 24, 2006 9:35 AM
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Extremely well written account of the ongoing excavation of Chauvet Cave. The detail in the authors descriptions of the many artifacts found and the maticulous fragility used in processing, dating, and cataloging. This book goes way beyond cave art. From the animals and humans that had contact with the cave to the environment, geology, and paleo-botony. These are some of the oldest art ever dated and while reading their accounts the reader is transported back into time witnessing specific events that occured more than 32,000 years ago during the IceAge.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
reviewed by cannoli on November 29, 2006 12:05 PM