Problems of the genesis of abstract and naturalistic forms in prehistoric art: artistic form and social context

The problem of the development of abstract forms in art and their coexistence with naturalistic forms is one of the key ones in Art History. In Prehistoric art, as in the art of other eras, these forms often coexist even within the same cultural space. Their occurrence is due to a number of factors, the disclosure of which allows us to reconstruct the characteristics of a particular culture more correctly. An important role among these factors is played by social factors that form the need of society for naturalistic forms of art. If in the visual arts shaping develops from giving the object a similarity, then this principle does not work in the ornament. Ornament is a separate art form, where rhythm, meter and symmetry play the main role. In addition, here abstract forms are often due to “technical ornamentation”.