A SHORT HISTORY OF WESTERN PAINTINGUnit 1 Read and Thinking P2-3mp3 What is Western art It is hard to give a precise definition As there have been so many different styles of Western art it is impossi

Western art has gone through many changes and developments over the centuries. During the Middle Ages, Western art had a religious purpose and was often primitive and two-dimensional. The Renaissance saw a shift towards a more humanistic attitude to life and the use of perspective and oil paints. Impressionism emerged in France in the late 19th to early 20th century, with artists focusing on conveying the subjective impression of a scene rather than a detailed record of it. Modern art has seen artists exploring new ways of seeing and interpreting the world, including Cubism and abstract art. Overall, Western painting has been shaped by changing values, ideas, and attitudes towards art and the world around us.