Scenes and compositions

Scenes and compositions adorn the walls of Font-de-Gaume, following their morphological characteristics. Herds of bison and mammoths and a pair of reindeer cross paths in this strikingly naturalistic iconographic display.

Rows of bison and mammoths

The morphology of the walls suggests a linear composition, but the animals following one another seem to be composed, particularly in terms of their proportions, in a way that indicates they are part of a row or herd. Bison, travelling in the same line but not necessarily in the same direction, predominate at Font-de-Gaume. The mammoths are also depicted in a line, with almost consistent spacing and equivalent size.

Suites of bison and suites of mammoths overlap in places.

Reindeer facing each other

This composition in its own right shows two reindeer of similar proportions facing each other. One is standing, painted in shaped black contours and enhanced with engravings, leaning towards an individual painted in solid, shaded red, scraped and engraved, which is kneeling and has more modestly sized antlers. The different rendering of the two animals, the proportions of the antlers and the dominant attitude of one and submissive attitude of the other, might suggest a scene depicting both a male and a female. However, this is without taking into account the other figures (reindeer, mammoths, bison) associated with them.

The chamber of the bison

This cramped space essentially contains a dozen bison covering the walls and vault. They appear to be arranged in tiered groups, with the highest bison rendered in black, the middle ones in brown and the lowest ones in polychrome. This conch-like arrangement creates the effect of a rotating composition in which the bison, of consistent proportions, are found alongside horses and aurochs, which are depicted as smaller and more fragmented. It has been suggested that a red glaze may have been applied before the figures, but further analysis is needed to confirm this.