Why Has Ancient Near Eastern Art Considered Part of the History of Western Art?

Art|Art History

The history of western art is deeply intertwined with the art of the ancient near east. The earliest known examples of artwork from this region date back to the 4th millennium BC, and the influence of this region can be seen in many styles of art from the Greco-Roman period to the present day.

The ancient near east encompasses a wide area, including modern-day Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey. This region has been home to some of the world’s oldest civilizations, including Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Persia. These cultures have made significant contributions to western art through their architecture, sculpture, painting, and other forms of visual expression.

One example is the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia. This culture developed one of the earliest writing systems in history and created detailed relief sculptures depicting scenes from everyday life. These reliefs are seen as some of the earliest examples of narrative art in the world.

The ancient near east was also home to powerful empires such as Assyria and Babylon. These empires left a lasting legacy through their magnificent palaces and temples adorned with intricate reliefs that depicted kings in battle or religious rituals. These reliefs were often painted in vivid colors and reflected a high level of skill on behalf of their creators.

The art from this region had a significant influence on later cultures such as Greece and Rome. The Greeks adopted many elements from ancient near eastern art such as figurative sculpture, narrative reliefs, and painted stelae (upright stone slabs).

The Romans also adopted many elements from this region’s art traditions such as large-scale public monuments depicting gods or emperors in battle or triumphal scenes.

In conclusion, ancient near eastern art has been considered part of the history of western art due to its lasting impact on later cultures such as Greece and Rome. This region has produced some of the oldest known examples of artwork which still have an influence on modern styles today. Through its architecture, sculpture, painting, and other forms of visual expression it has left a lasting legacy that has shaped our understanding of western art.