Leonardo

When our Magdalenian ancestors painted and etched the walls of caves in southern France and northern Spain, they were, the author proposes, making images that were essentially cinematic. Their creations have generally been presented as still images—etchings, drawings, paintings—predecessors to photography. However, the tools and techniques they used, including brushes and blowguns, the irregular cave surfaces and lamps fueled by animal fat, conspired to create works and viewing conditions that made images that appeared to move, changed color, dissolved, cut, appeared and disappeared. In short, they made cinematic images—precursors to film and television.