- Hardcover: 206 pages
- Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; Reissue edition (May 1 1987)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0810912678
- ISBN-13: 978-0810912670
- Product Dimensions: 31.8 x 25.4 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 1.8 Kg
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #997,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
The prehistoric cave in France's Dordogne region, with its 17,000-year-old animal paintings discovered accidentally in 1940, was sealed in 1963 due to deterioration in atmospheric conditions. Two decades later, television producer Ruspoli went underground to take the photographs that form the basis of this handsome, comprehensive book. The murals he recordedelegant renderings of animals in stately friezes, courting rituals and overlapping groupingsare here beautifully reproduced. The text elucidates the theory that the paintings were created as part of a paleolithic mythology, with Lascaux a religious sanctuary. Bolstering this, the author shows stenciled handprints, shamanistic human figures and arcane symbols (perhaps prewriting). He also includes an abundance of background information, including scientific data on both the animals and the artists. This is a fascinating and beautiful addition to the library of amateur anthropologist and art lover alike.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
The author, who sadly died before this awe-inspiring book was published, headed a team which filmed and photographed the paintings and engravings from the cave at Lascaux (now closed to the public for reasons of conservation) at the request of the French Ministry of Culture, in order to create a cinematic record of the renowned Paleolithic site. Ruspoli describes this photographic project toward the end of his book. The book as a whole, however, is an extraordinary journey into the world of the hunters who painted and engraved the animals and symbols of Lascaux. Ruspoli's knowledge of prehistory and archaeology and his intimate awareness of the images gained by photographing the cave are combined with a magnificent "feel" for the civilization that produced the images. A splendid work of spiritual artistry.Joan W. Gartland, Detroit P.L.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A bit dated, but still valuable....,
By
This review is from: Cave of Lascaux (Hardcover)
In LASCAUX: THE FINAL PHOTOGRAPHS, Maria Ruspoli, historian and television producer, says "underground Paleolithic sanctuaries were places not for living in but for initiation." Ruspoli produced a film about Lascaux, and his posthumous book includes a relatively recent version of the history of the period within which the famous caves were decorated, as well as still shots of the cave interior and his film crew at work. The book indicates the interior of Lascaux will never again be subjected to filming. As it was, it took several years to complete the film owing to the fragile nature of the caveRuspoli suggests Lascaux served as some sort of gathering place for Cro-Magnon humans for religious or magical activity. He says early Europeans would have found the cave an inhospitable dwelling place. He suggests the hunters who decorated the cave walls probably lived outside them in huts made from animal skins-just as reindeer hunters near the arctic circle do today. He notes the preserved impressions of adolescent feet found in the prehistoric floors at Niaux and suggests they may have been from the feet of children participating in some sort of coming-of-age ceremony. On the other hand, he says, they may merely reflect the fact that children never lose an opportunity to press their feet in mud. (For a more in-depth discussion of the possible ritual use see Paul Bahn's JOURNEY THROUGH THE ICE AGE). Most of Ruspoli's book consists of text he apparently wrote, but included is an essay by Brigitte and Gilles Delluc entitled, "The Eye of the Hunter and the Genius of the Artist." Photographs by the Dellucs show limestone rocks the artist used as lamps and and oyster shell pigment containers. The Dellucs discuss the various paintings at Lascaux, including a mysterious unicorn. Apparently, Ruspoli drew on material known to him prior to his death. The discovery of Chauvet was not included in this material. I don't think this omission detracts from the book, because understanding how historians and archeologists viewed and understood the people of the upper Paleolithic prior to the discovery of Chauvet can only help the reader appreciate the incredible discovery of Chauvet. Sadly, the pristine condition of the Chauvet Cave only underscores the damage from human intrusion at Lascaux.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning Photos, Useful Text,
By
This review is from: Cave of Lascaux (Hardcover)
If there are omissions or flaws in the pictures, I wouldn't know as I am not an archeologist, artist, or photographer. Just taking the book as it comes then, the pictures are a knockout. The text is not clear on describing the layout of the cave and the locations of the pictures. There are few photos that are not closeups of the paintings, so you can't get a sense of place. The diagrams of the caves are poorly labeled. There is lots of irrelevant detail about the animals rather than the paintings of them. Some good detail on the archeology of the pigments. The authors' interpetations are generally cautious but anachronistically suggest a religious purpose for the paintings...
3.0 out of 5 stars
Impressive, but a little too expensive, not comprehensive,
By A Customer
This review is from: Cave of Lascaux (Hardcover)
This book is now a little bit dated already. It reflects the state of scientific knowledge of more than 15 years ago, and a lot has changed in the meantime, such as the discovery of theCosquer and Chauvet caves. Nevertheless, it is the only photographic documentation that is currently available on the Lascaux paintings, and it is still an impressive book. The book gives not only a survey of the cave and its paintings (not its engravings, by the way!), but also discusses the life and living of the Magdalenian artists who created the paintings. Also, the animals depicted are discussed in great zoological detail. The scientific results and beliefs of A. Leroi-Gourhan and other well-known cave art experts are well reported and discussed. But what about the pictures? Some are really excellent, while others lack clarity, but, alas, many features of the cave are missing in the book, and, e.g., the "great black cow" shows only on the cover wrapping of the book, but not inside. It is difficult to get a detailed idea about the composition of the paintings in the cave from the book. MANY more pictures would have been necessary.
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