One of the many unanswered questions in art is the one relating to its origins. While music, dance, and theatre barely leave visible traces over a longer period of time, rock and cave paintings have survived for thousands of years. The discovery of Palaeolithic cave paintings towards the end of the 19th century radically changed views concerning the beginnings of art.
Is it possible to appreciate art which cannot be shown in its original form in an exhibition, an art whose creators will remain unknown for ever, along with their motives and perceptions of the world?
Based on holdings of the Frobenius Institut in Frankfurt and supplemented by additional exhibits, the Museum Rietberg presents the exhibition “Art of Prehistoric Times – Rock Paintings from the Frobenius Expeditions”. The exhibition was previously shown with great success at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin and at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City.
