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Lascaux, the prehistory of art (1995)

Posted By: nakil

Date: 27 Sep 2010 20:03:59

Lascaux, the prehistory of art (1995)
DVD-Rip | English , French , German , Italian , Spanish | AVI | DivX6 @ 1641kbps | 624x464 | 29 fps | AC3 - 5 language tracks @ 192kbps | 00:59:59 | 1.12 GB
Genre: Documentary

Lascaux is the most beautiful and the most lavish of all the adorned prehistoric caves . But is there really such a thing as prehistoric "art" ? Who were the painters of Lascaux ? How to explain the striking stylistic unity of certain clusters, or the contradictions between similar figures that may be painted in different periods? The images themselves can only astonish and provoke questions. Lascaux furnihes evidence of refined knowledge and skill, which reflect a much more capable and complex prehistoric civilisation that we have yet imagined. The technology put to use in this film - computer graphics and special effects - facilitates a deeper investigation of the images. While comparing several hypotheses and expounding on the latest theories, the film also provides an encounter with a mythical, unfathomable site that continues to fascinate us. An Alain Jaubert film

Lascaux is the setting of a complex of caves in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. The original caves are located near the village of Montignac, in the Dordogne département. They contain some of the best-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be 17,300 years old. They primarily consist of primitive images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time. In 1979, Lascaux was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list along with other prehistoric sites in the Vézère valley
History:
The cave was discovered on September 12, 1940 by four teenagers, Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal, Georges Agnel, and Simon Coencas, as well as Marcel's dog, Robot. The cave complex was opened to the public in 1948. By 1955, the carbon dioxide produced by 1,200 visitors per day had visibly damaged the paintings. The cave was closed to the public in 1963 in order to preserve the art. After the cave was closed, the paintings were restored to their original state, and were monitored on a daily basis. Rooms in the cave include The Great Hall of the Bulls, the Lateral Passage, the Shaft of the Dead Man, the Chamber of Engravings, the Painted Gallery, and the Chamber of Felines.
Reproductions of some Lascaux artworks in Lascaux II
Lascaux II, a replica of two of the cave halls — the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery — was opened in 1983, 200 meters from the original. Reproductions of other Lascaux artwork can be seen at the Centre of Prehistoric Art at Le Thot, France.
Since 1998 the cave has been beset with a fungus, variously blamed on a new air conditioning system that was installed in the caves, the use of high-powered lights, and the presence of too many visitors. As of 2008, the cave contained black mold which scientists were and still are trying to keep away from the paintings. In January 2008, authorities closed the cave for three months even to scientists and preservationists. A single individual was allowed to enter the cave for 20 minutes once a week to monitor climatic conditions. Now only a few scientific experts are allowed to work inside the cave and just for a few days a month but the efforts to remove the mold have taken a toll, leaving dark patches and damaging the pigments on the walls.

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