Cats in Art: Bushman Art (Unknown Prehistoric Artist)

From my continuing weekly Sunday series of cats in art. Currently I'm using some prehistoric art, triggered by finally seeing "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" which depicts 30,000 year old art in Chauvet Cave, France.

 

Image credit Colin-Paterson Jones, here, via Goggle Images

 

Title:  011208CPJed MG 0660 - Bushman art in the Eastern Cape Drakensberg near Barkly East, South Africa

 

Description:  Bushman painting of a lion in a Cave Sandstone rock overhang in the mountains at Balloch in the Eastern Cape Drakensberg near Barkly East, South Africa

 

This image is identified as a lion, but to me it is distinctly cheetah-like.  The l-o-n-g tail gives it away.

I love this image, because it is SO reminiscent of last week's mountain lion rock shelter image.  The two cats are almost identical literal mirror images of each other (this one facing right and last week's mountain lion facing left), although they are separated by an ocean and by a vast cultural divide.

In both cases we see the same lithe power and speed....and danger.  These kitties were nothing to be trifled with.

 

Cats in Art: Panther (Unknown Prehistoric Artist)

From my continuing weekly Sunday series of cats in art. Currently I'm using some prehistoric art, triggered by finally seeing "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" which depicts 30,000 year old art in Chauvet Cave, France.

Image credit National Park Service, here

From the Amistad National Recreation Area in Texas, a well preserved panther (mountain lion) image, in a rock shelter.  From the NPS web site:

 

Nestled along the United States-Mexico border in southwestern Texas and northwestern Coahuila, the Lower Pecos River Archeological region encompasses an area of about fifty square miles. Though this cultural region is fairly small, more than 2,000 archeological sites have been recorded. These sites cover a time span from the 19th century to over 10,000 years ago. Over 325 pictograph sites have been documented containing some of North America’s oldest and largest pictographs. These pictographs range in size from isolated motifs just a few inches tall to huge panels stretching more than 100 feet along the back of rock shelter walls.

Panther Cave is the region’s most famous pictograph site. The rear wall of the shelter is covered, floor-to-ceiling, with hundreds of motifs which collectively form an uninterrupted panel more than eighty feet in length. The namesake of the site, a giant red-painted mountain lion or panther, is over ten feet long from nose to the tip of the tail.

It's tough to make out in this ancient pictograph since the cat's legs are not very clear, but to me the overall impression is one of fluidity, of a lithe, agile cat leaping effortlessly, tail erect for balance.

One senses power, speed, and quick danger.  The unknown ancient artist was truly able to convey a lot of information in this beautiful image.

 
 

Cats in Art: Painted Desert Lion (Unknown Prehistoric Artist)

From my continuing weekly Sunday series of cats in art. Currently I'm using some prehistoric art, triggered by finally seeing "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" which depicts 30,000 year old art in Chauvet Cave, France.

 

Image credit The Big Cats in Rock Art, here

 

 

The Classic Cat, from the Painted Desert in Arizona.  No info on size or technique.

 

I figured I'd keep on with the notion of cats in prehistoric rock art, but the pickings are surprisingly slim.  Google Images has been helpful, but I believe that if I had access to an in-depth art library--think major university--I could likely find plenty of rock art kitties.

 

This cat is so stylized as to be a bit frightening.  The claws are highly emphasized and the mouth is downright scary.  It seems apparent that the artist was a bit wary of the mountain lion (also locally called cougar or panther).