Major Aspects of Western Europe's Artistic Legacy: From Classical Antiquity to Contemporary Art

Western European art spans millennia; key pillars:

1. Classical Antiquity: Greek/Roman ideals of beauty, proportion, harmony—foundation for Renaissance & Neoclassicism.
2. Medieval Art: Christian focus: Gothic cathedrals, illuminated manuscripts, stained glass.
3. Renaissance (14th–17th c.): Revival of classicism; Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael—naturalism, perspective, oil mastery.
4. Baroque & Rococo (17th–18th c.): Drama, movement, ornamentation—Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt.
5. Neoclassicism & Romanticism (18th–19th c.): Order vs. emotion; David vs. Delacroix, Turner.
6. Impressionism & Post-Impressionism (late 19th): Light, perception, brushwork—Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Van Gogh.
7. Modernism & Avant-Garde (early 20th): Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Abstraction—Picasso, Kandinsky, Dalí, Pollock.
8. Contemporary Art (late 20th–21st): Diverse media, conceptual, political, identity-focused; global, pluralistic.

Each era builds on, reacts to, or rejects predecessors—creating a continuous, evolving dialogue.