History of painting

The history of painting goes back to ancient times, starting with artwork made by prehistoric people. It has been part of many cultures around the world. Even though there were some breaks, painting has continued from ancient times all the way to today. For a long time, most paintings showed real-life scenes, religious stories, or classical themes. But in the 20th century, more abstract and idea-based styles became popular.

Painting in Eastern countries often developed in similar ways to Western painting, but sometimes a few hundred years earlier. Art from Africa, Judaism, Islam, Indonesia, India,^[1] China, and Japan also had a big impact on Western art, and Western art influenced them in return.

At first, painting was used for practical reasons. Later, kings, governments, and religious groups supported artists. Over time, painting became popular with rich people and the middle class. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, artists mostly worked for churches and wealthy nobles. In the Baroque period, artists began getting paid by middle-class people who had more money and education.

In the West, during the Romantic period, some artists started creating art just for its own sake, not to please others. Famous painters like Francisco de Goya, John Constable, and J. M. W. Turner showed this idea in their work. In the 1800s, art galleries became more common and began helping artists sell their work, which continued into the 1900s.