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The Hall of the Bulls, Part 2
54 The incomplete depiction of this
calf is fused with that of the cow in front of it. The gaps in colour at
their point of contact bear witness to the close interdependence of the
two figures.
There are other drawings around this
bovine. Apart from the great bull, which seems to envelop it completely,
there is a representation of a calf (ill. 54) to the rear. Only the
outline of the calf's forequarters is shown, mostly only partially, and
two parallel ears are clearly marked at the height of the junction
between the head and the neck. The graphical association of calf and cow
is accentuated by two gaps in colour, which mark the point of contact
between the two figures: one at the junction of the edge of the cow's
leg and the top of the head of the small bovine, and the other at the
proximal end of the tail below the neck of the calf. By using an
identical colour for both animals, the artist clearly intended to fuse
the two images and highlight the relationship between calf and mother.
This dual image is the result of one phase of activity, with the figure
of the young aurochs being simply the graphical extension of that of the
mother.
The rump and the horns of another bovine
lie parallel to the upper line of the red cow, and were painted later.
The twist of the horns - the simple curve of the left horn and the
double twist of the right - and a much more massive morphology than that
recorded for the cows suggest that this animal is the seventh bull of
the Hall of the Bulls. An important ensemble of signs (particularly
lines) was traced directly in front of the red cow, in the arch defined
by the head, the neck, the chest and the forelimbs.
Equids, always numerous at Lascaux,
account for 48 per cent of all the animals depicted in the Hall of the
Bulls. There are two distinct groups on the left wall and another, more
scattered concentration on the facing wall. Even though there are far
more horses than bovines, they have less of a visual impact. However,
horses become increasingly more important in the other sectors of the
sanctuary at the expense of the aurochs.
A procession of six black horses, facing
the bottom of the hall, extends along a single horizontal line between
the Unicorn and the third aurochs. On the left of the frieze, a head
introduces the procession, and two manes on the far right mark its end.
A small silhouette of a horse immediately next to the entrance to the
Axial Gallery is also noteworthy. Masked by the hind hoof of the third
aurochs, only its head and neck are visible.
A second line of animals runs above the
six black horses, made up of four predominantly red horses. On the far
left of the frieze, the lines of a sketched horse on the flanks of the
Unicorn and the head of another horse on the latter's shoulder mark the
start of this second line. The third horse -- a very large figure --
lies at the centre of the composition, superimposed over the second
bull. A brown and black head with an extended upper line, located
between the horns of the two aurochs, marks the end of this line.
On the facing wall a number of sketches
continue the horse theme. One of these is located in front of the
fourth bull, at the entrance to the Axial Gallery. The second, in three
colours, occupies the centre of the same bull. The third - an unclear
yellow smear with an equid-like outline is located in front of the red
cow.
The sequence of black horses on the left
wall begins with the head and neck of one figure, which are covered by a
large yellow blotch. This is the first animal representation in the cave
(ill. 55). This outline, turned towards the entrance, has been placed in
a natural frame, the borders of which are formed by the rocky ledge
above, the line of the shelf at its base and by small calcite flows to
both sides. Its outline is limited to the neck, the poll, a sketch of
the head with neither nostrils nor mouth, and to the very inconspicuous
outline of the back, traced in red using a brush. The second horse is
located immediately in front of the Unicorn, marking the start of the
procession.
The composition of horses extends over a
length of 9 metres. They all appear to move along the same
sub-horizontal line of the floor, which materializes in a change of
colours and an incline of the wall towards what we call the bench. Major
deterioration of the underlying surface has virtually destroyed the
second horse: when a large flake of the wall fell to the floor, it took
the horse's head and neck with it, together with the head of the first
bovine. Its entire surface is painted black, as are the outlines of the
line of the neck, the chest, the line of the back, the croup and the
hindquarters, carried out by spraying and bilateral masking of the
parallel edges. A stencil was used for its feet. The tail consists of a
series of oblong smears, aligned in a row, and ends in a diffuse tuft.
The third horse is incomplete owing to
the limited space available. Only its forequarters are shown.
Nevertheless, it has been treated in exactly the same way as the
complete animal representations, with numerous anatomical details.
The ears and eye are not drawn, and only in exceptional cases are the
horses of Lascaux given eyes. The location of this animal, on the lower
level of the wall, influenced the technical methods used in its
creation. This area of the wall is characterized by large depressions,
forcing the artist to rely predominantly on the spray technique. The
exception is the back, the broad line of which differs from the test of
the body. A linear series of adjacent dots represents the line of the
belly. Four other dots extend this line and emphasize the lower edge of
the limb.
A fourth, partial silhouette of a horse
emerges from the obscure darkness of the bench. This sketch, limited to
the head, the neck and the beginning of the line of the back, was
created entirely by spraying. The juxtaposition of small dots in two
lines represents the upper part of the mane. Another line of dots inside
the head may represent a sketched neckline, later replaced by the more
generous thickening of the neck.
The fifth horse is at the centre of the
frieze, immediately below the great red horse with the black neck. Its
general morphology follows an elongated 'S'-shaped curve, the character
of which is accentuated by the strong downward curvature of the back and
the alignment of the rounded mane with the forehead. This deliberately
accentuates the movement of the forelimbs. with the hindlimbs supporting
the body. Very few details of the head remain, so much so that its
features are essentially limited to a traced outline. The reduced size
of the head contrasts strongly with the mass of the neck. Two juxtaposed
broad lines, which are of a slightly denser shade of black than that of
the flanks, emphasize the abdomen and appear to be structural elements.
(...)
The extensive application of black
pigment marking the chest of the second bull conceals the outline of a
sixth equid. Overwhelmed by the different neighbouring shapes, only the
head, neck and back of the horse are visible. Despite its incomplete
nature, we can identify this figure as a horse simply by looking at its
cervical-dorsal line: the straight back and regular curvature to the
line of the neck, and the angle that is formed where the neck and back
meet, are specific to the representation of these animals.
55 A black head of a horse is the
first figurative unit of the sanctuary.
In the vanguard of the long frieze of the
black horses, the outline of the seventh equid merges partly with the
chest of the second bull. Indeed, the croup and the hindlimbs disappear
in the thick application of black pigment, entangled with the outline of
another horse and the dewlap and the forelimbs of the aurochs. The
entire figure was executed by spraying pigment, with the exception of
the outline of the hooves and an interior line that follows the line of
the back 3 centimetres away. Whereas the distribution of the internal
dots seems to be random, those of the outlines seem to be more
coordinated. For tracing the shape of the body they follow a continuous
line, with no interruption between each element, from the base of the
mane to the articulation of the forelimbs. The application of colour to
the interior is in the form of large dots, creating a relatively diffuse
scatter.
The right edge of the frieze of the black
horses finishes with two sketches. The rudimentary nature of the
left-hand figure has prompted various interpretations, including a mask
or the head of a nocturnal bird of prey. Analysis using graphical
analogy suggests that it is an incomplete outline of a horse, limited to
the forehead, the poll, the mane and the beginning of the line of the
back. Two juxtaposed smudges may be markings of the neck. The second
sketch of a horse consists of only three elements: the mane, which is
linear in nature, and two lines of the neck, composed of dots.
A tenth horse is hidden in the distal
extremity of the third bull's right posterior limb. Only the head, neck
and back are visible. There are two parallel lines of clay between the
neck of the horse and the forelimbs of the red bovine, but it is
uncertain whether they are Palaeolithic.
The second sequence of equids on this
wall is more restricted in number and is located at the same height as
the Unicorn. Only the neck and the line of the back of the first figure
are shown, drawn in red. The brushstroke is 3 to 4 centimetres wide and
shows the cervical-dorsal trajectory as a regular line with a triple
curvature.
Several animals obscure the body of the
Unicorn, including the second figure in this sequence, which appears as
a large red smudge on the withers (ill. 56). It was very difficult to
identify this figure, and in the end we had to resort to image
processing in order to define the outline better and to bring out the
original effects (ill. 57). Eventually, it was possible to
recognize the shape of a horse head, with the mane, poll, forehead,
mandible and neck all depicted. The extremity of the muzzle (nostrils
and lower lip) is not shown, which is true of all the horse heads at
Lascaux (ill. 58).
The largest horse of the panel, the great
red and black horse, occupies a central position, both vertically and
horizontally. It is the most consummate (ill. 59), with all the classic
anatomical details. Moreover, the head seems to be split in two: one
head is black and lower down, and the other is red with a black
forehead. Nevertheless, it would appear that the former outline is
external, rather than an artistic correction. Another peculiar feature
of this figure relates to two black, oblong marks behind the two
forelimbs. They are associated with two series of sub-parallel
striations - one red, the other black - drawn at the left of each mark.
The belly is marked by a scatter of large black smudges. Furthermore, at
the base of the mane it is possible to recognize a slightly arched line
composed of six large black dots, an arrangement that has still not been
interpreted.
Various techniques were used to depict
this animal. A fine red border applied with a brush marks the limit of
the back and the croup, while a black border shows the lower line of the
neck linking the upright chest to the throat. An alignment of markedly
similar black marks follows the ventral curve, but the form of the thigh
is less solid and was carried our using a stencil. The lines of the back
and neck and the outlines of the forehead and peripheral elements (the
feet and tail) were all drawn with the same tool, which cannot have been
more than 1 centimetre wide. By contrast, a much broader and flexible
brush, coated with a more diluted red material, was used on what appears
to be the ears. There are certain similarities between this colour and
the pigment used to highlight the back of the bull, suggesting that they
may have been painted at the same time. The head is carried high
and lies along the same axis as the body. The back feet are at
their maximum extension and parallel to each other, whereas the front
feet are less extended and diverge at an angle of some 20°.
The brown horse faces towards the back of
the gallery, and only the outlines of its head, neck and back (ill. 60)
are shown. The pointed, parallel and slender ears are located
perpendicularly at the beginning of the mane. The tip of the nose, the
nostrils and the lower lip are shown in detail. The depiction of the
mandible and the beginning of the line of the neck are also carried out
meticulously. The underlying surface is relatively fine grained, which
the artist has worked to his advantage with the use of shades of brown
and black and the dispersion of colour. These two features are found
only rarely in the cave. The mane, in particular, shows off this
technique. The same fine-grained texture enabled the artist to draw the
head in detail, from the nasal opening to the lower lip. The passage to
the mouth is marked by a succession of small parallel dashes covering
the entire tip of the snout. Sprayed pigment was used to create the
collection of oblong shapes that make up the mane and the lower line of
the neck. The dorsal outline, shown as a continuous and regular line, is
somewhat curved. The effect is intensified by the presence of a fracture
line in the rock formed by a longitudinal fault.
56 The shoulder of the Unicorn is
marked by a red smear.
57 Image processing allows the
separation of the outline of this figure for a more critical
interpretation. It shows the head and neck of a horse.
58 The identification of the
preceding image is supported by a comparison with this small depiction
of a horse head, painted below the first Chinese horse in the Axial
Gallery
On the right wall, only one of the three
horses faces the end of the gallery. Located at the boundary of the
Axial Gallery and the Hall of the Bulls and partially overlapping the
fourth bull, it nevertheless belongs to the latter by association. The
outline appears to be slightly disturbed, both in its form and by the
nature of the underlying surface. The incomplete outline is marked by
the absence of the withers, the back and the hindquarters. Difficulties
in positioning the subject cannot have helped. Several lines, apparently
unconnected to the outline, cluster around this image, in particular an
arched line underlining the neck. One of those lines -- a thick one that
crosses the front limbs diagonally and looks like the hoof of a horse -
may well be a correction to the painting. The presence of a coating of
clay to lessen the impact of this poorly placed limb would support this
hypothesis. There are also incised marks, or more precisely very
superficial removals of pigment, on the flanks in the shape of a cross.
59 Forequarters of a great red
and black horse.
60 The outlines of a brown
horse with a black mane form the graphic connection between the two
large depictions of aurochs on the left wall.
In this case, as for the majority of
depictions, a mixture of techniques has been used. The outlines have
been drawn, while painting has been used to fill in forms. Often the
animal looks elongated. This distortion is caused by the shape of the
wall and the need to get the proportions right. The image was intended
to be viewed from the centre of the Hall of the Bulls rather than from
its closest point, the entrance to the Axial Gallery. This distortion of
the picture is similar to that used on the fourth bull.
There are numerous signs, dots and bars
and animal figures around the forequarters of the fourth bull. A partial
silhouette of a horse stands at the centre of the composition,
apparently at random. Only the front half of its body can be seen.
Several colours have been applied by spraying: yellow for the neck and
the coat of the animal, black for its mane and red for its chest and
legs.
On the surface marked out by the
forequarters of the red cow, painted within the forelimbs of the fifth
bull, are several associated signs and another horse (ill. 61). It is
not instantly recognizable: the yellow colour provides only limited
contrast) and the outlines of the animal are incomplete, reduced to the
mane, the neck and the beginning of the back. Nevertheless, you can see
a sketch of the forehead leading to a developed poll. The artist painted
the cow by spraying a succession of applications of powdered colouring
matter next to each other, their impact being more marked at the level
of the neck than the rest of the image.
The third theme of the panel is that of
the stags, divided into two groups of uneven size. There are five
stags on the left wall (ill. 62). This group is interesting because its
composition differs from the others in this chamber. The sixth stag,
which is black, forms part of the small group of incomplete figures and
sketches that decorate the forequarters of the fourth bull.
The group of five stags, all of which
face the entrance, stand in a trapezoidal area, bounded laterally by the
second and third bulls and vertically by the brown horse and the line of
the floor. They are of substantially identical proportions and are
arranged in a herd-like formation. They are divided between three
levels: the yellow and black stag at the bottom, the incomplete red
stags and the two outlines. Despite the very great diversity of the
antlers, there are certain characteristics that are shared by all the
stags, such as the parallelism of the limbs or the rendition of the
cervical-dorsal line by a continuous curve, without the projection of
the withers. The symmetry of the figures is not only achieved by the
spatial distribution of the different subjects of the composition but
also by their animation: both subjects on the far left and far right are
static, whereas the superimposed figures placed at the Centre are shown
in motion.
The outline of the red stag, to the left,
occupies an almost perfect square. Neither the hindlimbs nor the line of
the belly have been depicted. The dissymmetry of its antler tines is
more accentuated than in the other stags, particularly at their base.
The stag's right-hand antler, with a very thick section and the form of
a crescent, appears to reproduce the outline of the head and the neck
below it. No fewer than twenty-two tines can be counted on this antler.
The great diameter of the antlers might suggest that this is a picture
of a very old stag. Red is the only colour used for this animal. The
antlers, the head, the neck, the legs and the curve of the back were
painted with a brush, but the internal colour was sprayed.
The second stag takes up the space
between the muzzles of the second and the third bulls. It is
slightly smaller than the stags below it and has fewer anatomical
features. Only the neck, the outline of the body and the limbs have been
depicted. Some diffuse vertical lines above and in front of the stag
suggest the antlers. The natural forms of the rock surface played an
important role in the representation of this animal: two large scars,
where flakes of the wall surface have fallen away, suggest an angular
head and the antlers. It is not the relief caused by the loss of
material that creates this effect, however, but rather the difference in
colour produced by the juxtaposition of the underlying ochreous rock and
the white calcite. The powerfully depicted forelimbs are shorter and
denser than those of the figures below, contrasting with the limbs of
the hindquarters, which are reduced to a faint trace of colour. The
inconspicuous red line of the croup is emphasized by an irregular
arrangement of black points and dashes.
61 There are numerous signs on the
walls of the Hall of the Bulls, but in outline they are essentially
limited to dotted or linear forms.
The central animal of the group, the
yellow and black stag, is also the most accomplished (ill. 63). The
position of this figure on the lower level of the tableau, a zone marked
by deep hollows, makes the high number of anatomical details all the
more remarkable. The work of art's graphical qualities are maintained:
it fits exactly into a square. Its oversized antlers double its height.
Certain anatomical details arc unique. such as the extremities of the
limbs, which are drawn with the hooves and the dewclaw. Yellow is used
to show variation in the thickness of the coat, which is always more
substantial on the neck than on the rest of the body. A black linear
stroke marks the outline of the coat. It is very different from that of
the neck, where the length and density of the fur is implied by a looser
arrangement of colour applied by spraying and with no clear boundary.
The depiction of the antlers is broadly naturalistic, showing, from the
bottom to the top. the brow tines, the bez tines, the trez tines and the
crown, but asymmetrically from one antler to the other and with a
doubling of some elements. The stifle (the joint in the leg) in the
foreground follows the line of the belly: the other traces a straight
line sub-parallel to the lumbar region. The limbs are parallel and vary
in thickness along their entire length, thereby showing their different
sections and articulations, unlike the somewhat spindly legs of the two
red stags to either side. The morphology of the wall has played a role.
The front part of the stag (forehead and bez tines) follows, at a short
distance, the curve of a ridge formed by a large and deep cavity just in
from of this animal. Where the eye should be, a calcite growth takes its
place, an interpretation rendered all the more probable since this
feature retains its original white colour, having been left unpainted in
the middle of the black surface.
62 The frieze of the Small Stags
occupies a special position between two great opposed bulls. It forms
the geometrical and, perhaps also, dramatic centre of the very long
composition that unfolds along the two walls of the Hall of the Bulls.
Only the antlers of the black stag are
visible, but natural elements of the wall help you to imagine what the
animal's body was like. Indeed, there is a degree of affinity between
the cervid's antlers and the scar left by a flake, which might suggest
the body. Very faint and disjointed black marks below the right antler
evoke an eye, a forehead and the tip of the muzzle, merged into the line
of the croup of the red stag.
Like the other cervids of this group, the
red feet of the fifth stag do not rest on the line marking the
separation of the tableau from the bench. Only the large animals and the
majority of the horses obey this rule. The silhouette preserves all the
outlines of the upper body, the line of the back and neck, to the
detriment of the ventral line, the chest, the throat and the head. The
long and fine legs are in pairs and absolutely parallel, perpendicular
to the line of the floor. The straight fore- and hindlimbs are
characterized by a single curve at the knee and the hock respectively.
But it is the antlers that are the unique feature of this figure, both
in their shape and dimensions: they form a veritable bush of forty-odd
tines, partially drowned in the black mass of the chest of the third
bull, and their surface area approximately equals that of the body.
On the facing wall, the small black stag
that stands close to the entrance of the Axial Gallery is depicted with
almost all of the traditional anatomical features. Only the line of the
belly has not been drawn, and the forelimbs are merely sketched. The
outlines of this animal, represented in right profile, differ very
little from the other stags. The few differences relate to the antlers,
which are much less developed and have fewer tines, and to the position
of the head, which is carried noticeably lower. There are many
similarities with the yellow and black stag: the treatment of the croup,
the articulation of the hindlimb drawn in the background, the static
nature of the parallel and outstretched back legs. Outline drawing is
not common in the Hall of the Bulls, but this figure has been executed
using mainly this technique. The outline and the fur of the neck have
been drawn with a brush. Only a few areas of the back and croup were
sprayed.
Hidden in the ventral band of the fourth
aurochs, the image of the bear (ill. 190) is only recognizable by the
line of the upper body, the ears, the front edge of the raised head and
the distal end of the right hindlimb, on which three claws are clearly
visible. Nevertheless, a more in-depth analysis of the subject,
following image processing, has led to the identification of the croup,
the thigh and the second hindlimb.
63 Unlike the four other cervids of
this group, which surround it, the yellow and black stag has all the
anatomical details that are traditionally depicted.
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