lascaux - international exhibition

CONTENTS

Editorials ..............................................................................................p.2

1. Lascaux - International Exhibition: the meeting of Art and Science ............ p.3

Why Lascaux – International Exhibition? ..................................................................p.3Interview with Bernard Cazeau, Senator of Dordogne,President of the General Council

A modern, original and unique exhibition ................................................................p.4Interview with Olivier RetoutDirector of the Lascaux – International Exhibition Project

Technological innovation: a fresh view ....................................................................p.6Interview with Francis Ringenbach, Head of artistic productionof the Périgord Facsimile Workshop

2. From Périgord to the World: international, cultural and scientific .............. p.9significance of Lascaux

A basis for scientific research and conservation of cave art ......................................p.12Interview with Yves Coppens, Member of the Academy of Sciences,President of the Scientific Advisory Board in charge of conservation of the Lascaux cave

APPENDICE2 - Exhibition staff ....................................................................p.14

1PRESS PACK - LASCAUX INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION

2

Editorials

"What makes the Dordogne a key area for prehistory?Without a doubt the fame of unique sites like Lascaux, and also the fact that the Dordogne bears the traces of nearly450,000 years of continuous human occupation, representing the last quarter of the long human adventure.In Périgord, in this valley of Mankind, listed as World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, we like to share knowledgeand pass on our heritage from one generation to the next. That is why, with Lascaux - International Exhibition, we have decided to offer the world that part of the famous cave which has never been reproduced.

Thanks to brand new technology, with the collaboration of the best prehistorians and the painstaking work of our artists, painters and engravers, we have made an identical reconstruction of the five decorated walls of the Nave andthe Well. True masterpieces of our distant ancestors, these unique replicas of the most spectacular sanctuary ofPaleolithic art offer food for thought on the lasting value of art in a constantly changing world.

The International Centre of Rock Art in Montignac is intended to serve as the world’s key touristic and cultural facilitydealing with cave art in general, and the Lascaux cave in particular.With the accomplishment of these two major projects for Lascaux as we enter a new century, we will offer visitors acomplete tour of this undisputed symbol of rock art and a precious chance to meditate on the origins of Man and hishistory. After Cap Sciences,Lascaux – International Exhibition will take off for other continents and will thus unveil to the world the talent ofHumanity’s first artists.

Bernard CazeauSenator of Dordogne

President of the General Council

"Few regions are as lucky as Aquitaine in having such a large number of UNESCO World Heritage sites on its territory.Internationally recognized for its wealth of prehistoric heritage that has earned it the nickname of “Valley of Man”,the Vézère valley is home to Lascaux, the famous cave with its 200,000 visitors per year, the “Sistine chapel of prehistory” and rock art, in the well-known words of Abe Breuil.Alongside the project Lascaux 4, the Montignac centre of rock art, the Region wished to support the launch of a largeinternational travelling exhibition, Lascaux 3.Combining new imaging technologies with a partial replica of the cave and with explanatory areas, this exhibitionis intended to show and explain to the world the issues concerning this iconic site of the history of humanity.I am particularly pleased that the International Exhibition is kicking off its world tour in Aquitaine, at Cap Sciences,before continuing on its journey to Chicago, Montreal, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and then Asia."

Alain RoussetMember of Parliament for Gironde

President of the Aquitaine Regional Council

PRESS PACK - LASCAUX INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION

1 - LASCAUX - INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION :The meeting of Art and ScienceWhy put on Lascaux - International Exhibition?Since its discovery, Lascaux has aroused unanimous interest worldwide. To cater for this fascination, theDordogne General Council launched the idea in the first decade of the century of making a very faithfulreproduction of a part of the cave not visible at Lascaux 2. On top of this facsimile technique, there wasthe desire to pass on this unique heritage. That is why today Lascaux sets out on its journey. The exhibitionsaw the light thanks to the Department of Dordogne, in partnership with the Aquitaine Region, the Ministryof Culture and Communication and the European Union.


Questions for Bernard CazeauSenator of Dordogne, President of the General Council

Lascaux - International Exhibition : what was the start of the project ?"Since the 2000s, the General Council commissioned a facsimile studio in Montignac to make reproductions of thepanels of the Nave, in order to exhibit them at Le Thot. Encouraged by the public’s response to these works, theidea of mounting a travelling exhibit of these reproductions took shape and lingered in my mind, especially as alarge number of persons in the world did not have the means to access this unique cave. With Lascaux - Interna-tional Exhibition, we decided to offer the world a part of the famous cave which has never been reproduced.Thanks to brand new technology, and the collaboration of the best prehistorians and the painstaking labor of ourartists, painters and engravers, we have created an exact reconstruction of the five decorated walls of the Naveand the Well Scene. I can say that the result is a brilliant success."

What is the future for prehistory in Dordogne ?"Concerning prehistory in Dordogne, we are resolved to establish a long term departmental policy on the matter.Our objective is to set up the world’s first hub for prehistory and cave art, grouping the International PrehistoryCentre, the Les Eyzies reception centre, the Château de Campagne and the International Centre of Cave Art. Thefuture of prehistory in Dordogne is, in my view, our most valuable asset in developing the territory, from an economicas well as a touristic and cultural standpoint. Looking beyond the future of the department, and perhaps taking aphilosophic view, it is also our duty to help others get to know our origins."

Bernard Cazeau with Yves Coppens President of the Scientific Advisory Board in charge of conservation of the cave

A modern, original and unique exhibitionThe Lascaux cave has been recreated with 5 unique exact replicas of the paintings in the Nave and theWell Scene. Visitors can thus discover the life-size panels in a cave lit just as it was when the art wasmade, with oil lamps and torches. Also on display will be moldings of original objects from Lascaux(arrow heads, spears, the famous pink lamp in red sandstone…), as well as anatomical models of aCro-Magnon family.This unique exhibition is the fruit of a marriage between cutting-edge technology and the art of excellence.The replicas exactly reproduce the topography of the rock walls based on a detailed laser scan of Lascaux.The panels are identical to the originals in their characteristics: micro-relief, appearance, texture and finalrendering.The 800 m² exhibition layout will allow the public to explore the history of the famous cave which for over70 years has been the focus of the efforts and interest of scientists and artists. Each visitor will be able toform his own personal interpretation of Humanity’s first works.

Interview with Olivier Retout Director of the Lascaux - International Exhibition project

Could you describe this exhibition for us in a few lines? Whatwill we be able to discover?"For the first time, we will see part of the cave which was notreproduced in Lascaux 2: the Nave and the Well Scene. Itconsists of five scenes exhibited in the form of life-size panelsmade by hand by painters, engravers, and artists from a com-plete micrometric digital laser scan of the cave. The exhibition isa true world first, and promises to be monumental because theset designers of the DU&MA agency had the brilliant idea ofbuilding objects that complete the exhibition along with the fivereplicas. The idea of building a Nave lets visitors contemplatethe majestic grandeur of Lascaux in the dark, in silence, without commentaries. This exhibition will take them into thevery depths of the Lascaux cave."

Who is this exhibition for?"It’s for everyone. For families, but also for adults as Lascaux isa reflection on art and aesthetics. It is first and foremost a philosophical exhibition, where arts and sciences combine toraise questions on beauty, aesthetics and the origins of art."

In what way is it innovative? Does it bring a new perceptionof the cave? Does it shed new scientific light on it?"For the first time a nearly complete collection of all the finest reproductions of Lascaux will be on show. When the Lascauxcave was discovered, we immediately set to drawing it, photo-graphing it, filming it in color, digitising, scanning, each time ta-king part in the adventure of copying and making reproductions.

In this exhibition we will present the whole collection of allthese images. What is more, we will bring the digital model ofthe cave, that is to say a computer model, a virtual object madeof billions of laser-recorded georeferenced points. Using this object, our filmmaker Maurice Bunio has made a film in 3D,which visitors will be able to watch with special glasses, and which will be projected on a special screen. Digital Lascauxis a world first."

What makes this exhibition interactive?"A good part of the exhibition is interactive, that’s essential thesedays. As one cannot touch the replicas, we present objects forvisitors to touch. The replicas are difficult to read. So we havemade interactive back-up for reading them. People will be ableto manipulate the images, and have sensory experiences withtheir hands and eyes … This will help them assimilate Lascaux."

Is the exhibition participative?"Lascaux - International Exhibition is immersive and interactivebut not participative. In the beginning, I had conceived it as par-ticipative based on two questions: asking the public for its inter-pretation of Lascaux or asking their opinion about the securingof the site. We soon realized that wouldn’t work. It was too soonto ask this question and current events have borne this out!We made the wild gamble of building the exhibition while at thesame time placing it in various museums of the world. Startingwith the idea that Lascaux, an internationally known icon, ismore of a subject than an object, I have tried in this exhibitionto tell the history of the Lascaux cave: its birth, its childhood,its good moments, its illnesses, its closure, up to the presentday. We tell whole Lascaux story."

4 PRESS PACK - LASCAUX INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION

5 life size reproductionsof the decorated walls of the Nave and the Well Scene


The Panel of the ImprintIt owes its name to the imprint of a hand in the clayof the soil, long since disappeared. Just above it tothe left there is the frieze of the seven painted andengraved ibex. The panel is decorated with an engraved and painted herd, classic at Lascaux: agood half dozen horses and a bovine, framed bytwo quadrangular signs. One of the horses and thebison are burdened with a number of barbed signs.

The Great Black CowSituated on the wall of the Nave, more than 3m fromthe ground, this bovine figure was executed in threestages: the engraved sketch, filling in of black pig-ment by blowing or dabbing, and over engraving ofthe outlines. Details are painted with a brush. It is ty-pical of the Lascaux style. This cow is overlaid on afrieze of about 7m in length, composed of sometwenty small horses walking in the opposite direction.

The Crossed BisonThis panel reflects an attitude of intimidation,the challenge of the males during the reproductiveperiod. The two bison in the Nave are in contact,rump against rump.

The Frieze of the five StagsOn the right wall of the Nave, a frieze extending 5mand about 2m from the ground is made up of fourstag heads traced in black with manganese dioxideusing a broad brush, followed by a fifth stag drawnin brown clay. The richly pointed antlers are given aconventional perspective treatment. One ear springsfrom the nape of the neck while the other lies flatagainst the side of the neck.

The Well SceneAt the bottom of the Well, there is the famous pain-ting of the Man Facing a Charging Bison. Thishuman silhouette is rudimentary. The man, the onlyhuman representation in the cave, is the central cha-racter of a narrative scene. Stretched on his back, heis threatened by a charging bison pierced by a longspear with his entrails spilling out. The presence ofa wounded and suffering animal, a bird andtwo possible hunting weapons adds further to thestrangeness of the image.


Technological innovation: a fresh viewThis International Exhibition brings together state-of-the-artdigital technologies in order to make the visit interactiveand unforgettable: simulators of human presence, virtualtrips using the most advanced 3D projections, interactiveterminals as well as multimedia and a model of the cave.Visitors will be able to travel throughout the whole cave ina virtual tour before admiring the 5 life-size facsimiles ofthe Nave and the Well. They will then come face to face ina unique and unforgettable meeting with a Cro-Magnonfamily. They can also admire the artists of Lascaux prepa-ring their tools and then painting and engraving the wallsof the cave.

TOUR ITINERARY

Lascaux: from discovery to interdiction - In 1940, fouradolescents and their dog discovered a treasure whichamazed the world, and brought more than a million visitorsbetween 1948 and 1963. Closed to the public since thatdate, Lascaux remains the world icon of art from the dawnof Humanity. The journey through the world of Lascaux begins with a visual experience which immerses the visitorin the heart of the subject with a gallery of unpublishedphotographs and films which tell the saga of Lascaux.

Making Lascaux accessible - For 10 years, from 1972 to1983, French artist Monique Peytral documented and reproduced the paintings of the Hall of the Bulls and AxialGallery. The result, Lascaux 2, is a life-size replica that canbe visited at Montignac. You can discover the artist at workwith images and interactive terminals. Experience the magicof the cave with a virtual 3D tour in HD.

Science and Art working in concert - To share Lascaux, itwas necessary to call on science and technology but alsothe work of artists and craftsmen. Watch how scientists,technicians, artisans and artists have produced identical replicas of an unseen part of the cave, exclusively for Lascaux – International Exhibition.

Experiencing art at the dawn of Humanity - To makeLascaux accessible to an international public, the cavehas been recreated in a new and unique set of 5 exactreplicas of the paintings in the Nave and the Well Scene.Contemplate the paintings, their splendor and power, inan atmosphere of silence and lamplight which makesone ponder on the origins of Humanity. Watch the animals move in the flickering light of the oil lampsand torches of the Lascaux artists. Share the emotionand beauty of one of the first masterpieces of Humanity.

A complex and well thought out work - The paintingsand engravings of Lascaux are not the products of hap-penstance. They are rich works, created by individualsfor a precise reason that we do not know. Numerousmultimedia presentations and interactive terminals re-veal their complexity and give a measure of the technicalmastery exhibited by the artists of Lascaux. Watch thePanel of the Black Cow comes to life, dissolve and re-form to reveal the existence of paintings and engravingswhich intertwine, overlap and mask each other. Hold inyour hand the molding of a tool and re-enact the artist’smovements. Discover how the artists of Lascaux used thenatural relief of the cave to create movement, and perspective and composition to tell a story.

A transdisciplinary passion - Since it was discovered,Lascaux has inspired prehistorians, journalists, photo-graphers, filmmakers, painters, writers, surveyors,conservators and scientists. Discover their methods andtechniques thanks to eight interactive terminals. Unders-tand by imitating the actions of professionals, how stu-dying (science) and reproducing (art) help conserve thisfragile heritage listed by UNESCO as World Heritageof Humanity.

Meet Cro-Magnon, our common ancestor - Cro-Mag-non lived from hunting and gathering; he had a structu-red social organization and created tools, clothing,ornaments and paintings. Far from the popular stickerimage of the cave man, his culture was a lot more sophisticated and refined than most of us imagine. Holdin your hand and use objects created by Cro-Magnon.Observe how Cro- Magnon man lived, hunted, ate anddressed.

Lascaux: the mystery remains - Lastly, it has to be admitted that despite 70 years of research, study andanalyses, the meaning of Lascaux remains a mystery. Inthe comfort of an amphitheatre, the visitor can catch upwith the ideas and images which make up our unders-tanding of prehistoric man. Choose from among eightpoints of view: interviews with scientists, historians, artists and philosophers. Discover the diversity of repre-sentations of prehistoric man, realistic and fantastical:cartoons, films, television broadcasts, etc. Seated in frontof the screens, a Cro-Magnon family welcomes visitors:an old man, an adolescent, a woman and a child, dressed and decked out with materials in existence 200centuries ago.


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Interview with Francis Ringenbach, Head of artisticproduction, Périgord Facsimile WorkshopWhat was your work on Lascaux - International Exhibition?"I arrived at the Workshop as an artist-sculptor, at first inorder to make the sculpture part of the matrices. By ma-trices we refer to the elements in polystyrene reproducingthe frontal volume of the wall at a scale of one to one, life-size, using photos projected on the wall. I carried out thework of modeling using a type of polystyrene that can behollowed out then covered in a render over the whole surface, thus reproducing the wall’s epidermis. That wasmy first approach to facsimile."

Who have you collaborated with for this exhibition?"I have basically worked with Olivier Retout and with otherartists from the Workshop, as well as with web and digitaltechnicians. In the cave, replicas are made from a 3D di-gital scan in the original cave. Guy Perazio’s firm tookpart; it’s a surveying firm which made laser scans of thecave from which a point cloud could be made and workedto transform it into a life-size physical module called thematrix. "

What makes this exhibition exceptional, innovative? Andin what way does it help improve or modify our percep-tion of Lascaux?"The modeled walls have never been shown elsewhere.The original idea was to make complements that were notvisible at Lascaux 2. At the moment you can only see the

“Hall of the Bulls” and “the Axial Gallery” there. Here wehave two new parts: the “Nave” and the “Well” with thefamous “Man Facing a Charging Bison” at the bottom ofthe Well. Lascaux 2 is a static object, a large block ofconcrete. Here, it is a much lighter version that can travel.The 5 replicas alone represent 180 m² of the exhibition.At the start of construction, there was a vague undefinedidea of taking it on tour. Production began in 2007 withnumerous parameters which helped refine the project astime went by. Today, 99% of the details have been dealtwith. The complete exhibition, covering over 800 m², isready for the road."

What technical tools were used for making these replicas?"We used the same pigments as the Lascaux artists. Theground is a resin shell onto which a mineral part is appliedto make what we might call a “stone veil”, with a front partin mineral and a technical part in industrial resin behind.So we have a resin shell bound and supported by metallicstructures."

What has been the main difficulty that you have had inmaking these replicas?"The main difficulties were more technical than artistic. Ar-tistically, the aim was to make an exact reproduction. Thetechnical means evolved rapidly, and we were always leftsomewhat behind by the technological evolution. Whereasthe artistic part always stayed the same."

A resolutelyinternational exhibitionAfter its preview in Bordeaux at Cap Sciences from13th October 2012 to 6th January 2013, Lascaux-International Exhibition takes off for:

● The Field Museum in Chicago from 19th Marchto 15th September 2013

● Houston from November 2013 to March 2014

● The Centre des Sciences in Montreal from 14thApril to 15th September 2014

● Denver from November 2014 to April 2015

The exhibition will then visit other cities on the American continent, before travelling to Asia...


1940 - Lascaux, discoveryLascaux, is above all a fabulous story, that of four adoles-cents: Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal, Simon Coencas andGeorges Agniel who on 12th September 1940 discoveredwhat would be named the Lascaux cave, a true jewel of prehistoric art, and a major archaeological revelation of Humanity.Seven days later, the four "explorers" decided to alert theirretired schoolteacher, Léon Laval, a prehistory and archaeo-logy buff. On 21st September, the expert in cave art AbeHenri Breuil arrived and was so overcome by this master-piece of Prehistory, that he stayed on the spot for severalweeks, before beginning to study it. Although he intervenedlittle at Lascaux, he undertook the direct tracing of the en-

gravings in the Chamber of the Felines. From December 1940, the Lascaux cave was listed as a Historical Monument.It was opened to visitors in 1948. Archaeological research was then entrusted to Abe André Glory in 1952. From 1958Marcel Ravidat and Jacques Marsal first signaled the deterioration due to the invasion of green algae. Today, SimonCoencas is the last living witness of this epoch.

Located in Dordogne, in the commune of Montignac, the Lascaux cave is a timeless and universal work, a World Heritage site dubbed the “Sistine chapel of Prehistory”, a veritable masterpiece of prehistoric parietal art. Also knownas the Lascaux bestiary, its frescos represent many animals, including horses, bulls, deer, ibex as well as felines, a cat,a rhinoceros and even an imaginary figure commonly called the unicorn. These pictures are accompanied by enigmaticsigns and some human representations such as the Man Facing a Charging Bison (Well), raising new questions aboutthe perception of our prehistoric ancestors.

2 - FROM PERIGORD TO THE WORLD :International, cultural and scientific significance of Lascaux

A unique archaeological and geological site


LASCAUX IN 7 DATES

Some 20,000 years ago, men inscribed their story in Lascaux.

1940, Marcel Ravidat, Simon Coencas, Georges Agniel, Jacques Marsal discovered the cave and the work ofLascaux entered History.

1963, put at risk by too many visitors, the cave was closed to the public at the request of André Malraux, Mi-nister of Culture.

1979, Lascaux was listed as an official UNESCO World Heritage site.

1983, the Dordogne General Council undertook an ambitious programme of museographic reproduction withthe opening of Lascaux 2 (life-size replica of the Hall of the Bulls and of the Axial Gallery).

2012, beginning of the world tour of Lascaux, International Exhibition. Using new technologies of moldingand replication the Dordogne General Council completes the replica of the mineral wall of the Nave, another partof the cave not reproduced in Lascaux 2.

Horizon 2016 the whole of the Lascaux cave will make up the centerpiece of the International Cave ArtCentre in Montignac.

Cave art of LascauxCave art of Lascaux. Paleolithic cave art concerns all the engra-ved, sculpted or painted representations, on the walls of cavesand shelters under rocks: animals, images of female or male ge-nitalia, handprints etc. At Lascaux, three fundamental themesstand out: animals, humans and signs.

The animals. The bestiary of Lascaux numbers nearly 600 exam-ples. It is very largely dominated by the horse, while stags andaurochs are equally represented, followed by the ibex and thebison. The carnivorous animals, bears and felines, are fewer innumber, and are engraved or painted in the more remote sectors.The bestiary reflects the fauna known to the men of the Paleolithicwithout being representative of their eating habits.

The humans. Very few sanctuaries feature several images of man.Lascaux is no exception to this tradition; the site only contains oneanthropomorphic representation, that of the Well Scene.

The signs. Lascaux has some five hundred or so of these more orless complex and varied geometrical designs that are much morefrequent in the engraved areas and have preserved their mysteryto the present day. They sometime occur in isolation, but are mostoften juxtaposed with or overlap animal figures.

The Hall of the Bulls. In outline, apart from an incomplete horseand an enigmatic figure "the Unicorn", the frieze numbers somethirty main figures including four majestic aurochs, associatedwith some fifteen horses and three red bovines (1 bison, 1 cow

and her calf) separated by a group of small stags. A bear canbe discerned inside the ventral line of one of the bulls. Some thirtysigns can be seen.

The Axial Gallery. It is a direct prolongation of the Hall of theBulls, a corridor where the upper part of the walls and the vaultare almost completely covered with a complex ensemble of somesixty animal figures and about fifty painted signs. At the end ofthe Gallery there is the famous upside-down horse, open to ahost of interpretations.

The Apse-Well. The Apse contains more than 1,000 graphicalitems: half of them are more or less complete animal figures, aquarter are signs. The famous Man Facing a Charging Bison isfound at the bottom of the Well. We only know of three other trulycomparables scenes in the whole of Paleolithic art. The presenceof a wounded and suffering animal, a bird and two possible hun-ting weapons, adds to the strangeness of the scene.

The Nave. The barrel vault includes more than 50 animal figuresand more than 20 signs. It includes the famous Black Cow, therump-to-rump Crossed Bison as well as the Frieze of the Stags.

The Chamber of the Felines. Situated at the end of the Nave, theChamber of the Felines was very difficult to reach because of thenarrow “cat flap” and the sloping passageway, and difficult toexplore because of its lack of space. It is divided into two: theCabinet of the Felines and the particularly ornate Cabinet of theHorses.


LASCAUX - INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION


Passage

WellApse

Nave

Axial gallery

Hall of the Bulls

The well scene (Well)

The Frieze of thefive stags (Nave)

The panel of thecrossed Bison (Well)

The panel of theblack cow (Nave)

The panel of the imprint (Well)

The large bulls(Hall of the Bulls)

The chinese horse(Axial gallery)

LASCAUX 2


A basis for scientific researchand conservation of cave artInterview with Yves CoppensPresident of the Scientific Advisory Board incharge of conservation of the cave

What is your history with the Lascaux cave? What emotions, impressions, sensations, did youhave when you entered the cave for the first time?"My answer is paradoxical and twofold. It was at thesame time an impression of incredible noise, but alsoof a sacred silence. In fact all these animals with theabstract lines which accompany them seemed to meloaded with information and meaning; as if they com-municated with one another. The other aspect was thesensation of a vast sacred silence to do with the mysti-cal and mythical aspects of the cave as a witness ofHumanity’s timeless dimension. The painters of Lascauxpainted the cave as one would paint a cathedral, a sa-cred place. All these dimensions appeared to me asleading to the gods, towards the heavens of these pre-historic men, and not to the prehistoric men themselvesbut towards their pantheon."

What is its state of health at the moment?"Lascaux is in excellent health. The cave is doing well,we keep watch and pay close attention to it. The doorsof the cave are closed except for about 800 man hoursper year for inspections. In addition we have a simula-tor at the University of Bordeaux which lets us monitorany actions taken to ensure that there is no collateraldamage."

How do you see the last 50 years of conservation?Has Lascaux 2 really saved Lascaux?"These 50 years have been a bit chaotic. For the simplereason that there has been damage – and not surpri-singly. When you remove 8 m3 of plugs, and bring inthousands of visitors, you increase the pollution of thecave.When the cave began to develop algae and then fungi,there was a reaction of panic, with some harsh mea-sures which caused variations in the cave’s state ofhealth. In the end, it is satisfactory. There was no lastingdamage. So we have to salute the quality of the pain-tings and the Cro-Magnon painters of Lascaux, and thequality of their own painting conservation procedures."

How do you see its future?"Its future: the work of the Scientific Advisory Board isto give the maximum of information to conserve thecave as well and for as long as possible. In this connec-tion, we carry out scientific research to avoid takingactions blindly, and to try and ensure that the cavedoes well. I think that the cave can survive for a goodtwenty thousand more years."

Are you in favor of closing off the site?"I am in favor of closing off the site to minimize pollu-tion as far as possible. The proximity of Lascaux 2 toLascaux could cause damage in the long run. There area lot of visitors – nearly 300,000 per year – which in-creases pollution. So I am in favor of fencing off thesite and of setting up Lascaux 4 at the foot of the hill."

A host of conservation problems

1955: the first signs of alteration were noticed. It was caused by excess carbon dioxide fromthe visitors breathing, causing acidification of the exhaled water vapor which corroded the walls.

1957: installation of a preliminary system for refreshing the ambient air and stabilizing thetemperature and hygrometry.

1960: appearance of the “green disease”, a veil of calcite grew on the walls and over certain works.It was linked to the emanations of carbon dioxide from visitors, to raised temperatures and to artificiallighting.

1963: the micro-organisms continued to proliferate in spite of the installation of zone filters. In Aprilthe then Minister in charge of Cultural Affairs, André Malraux, decided to close Lascaux to the generalpublic.

1965 - 1967: the whole system of thermal and hygrometric regulation was modified.

1983: opening to the public of a replica of part of the cave (Lascaux 2).

1995: inspection by Jean-Michel Geneste of the cave’s technical installations drawn up in the formof a "White Book ". He noted the aging condition of the electrical installations and equipments installedin 1967.

1998: replacement of the hydrothermal regulation system.

2001: appearance of an extremely resistant mushroom Fusarium solani in the entrance vestibule ofthe cave. This phenomenon coincided with the installation of the new hydrothermal regulation systemwhich was poorly designed. The mushroom spread to the paintings, which were soon covered with awhite down of mycelium. Up to December

2003, emergency treatments were applied to the cave to slow the rapid development of the moulds.

2002: an International Scientific Committee for the Lascaux cave was set up by the Ministry of Cultureto deal with the problem.

2006: the contamination was more or less brought under control, but new black stains appeared insome of the more confined parts of the cave, the Passage, the Nave and the Apse.

2008: a biocide treatment was carried out but did not manage to completely eradicate thephenomenon.

2009: a symposium on “Lascaux and Conservation in Subterranean Environments” was held in Parisunder the chairmanship of Jean Clottes.

2010: Minister of Culture Frédéric Mitterrand entrusted paleoanthropologist Yves Coppens with thechairmanship of the Scientific Advisory Board in charge of conservation of the cave.


Appendix 1 – Exhibition staff

Organized by the Dordogne General Council In partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Communication, the Aquitaine Regional Council and the European Union With the support of Crédit Agricole

ARTISTIC AND SCIENTIFIC STEERING COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT OF THE COMITÉ DE PILOTAGEYves CoppensMember of the Academy of Sciences,President of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Lascauxcave

DORDOGNE GENERAL COUNCILBernard Cazeau, Senator, President of the General CouncilBernard Noël, Deputy General Director of Education andCulture

AQUITAINE REGIONAL COUNCILEric Cron, Director of Patrimony and Inventory

MINISTRY OF CULTUREDany Barraud, Regional Conservator ArchaeologyMuriel Mauriac, Conservator of the Lascaux caveJean Clottes, Honorary General Conservator of the Patrimony,Jean-Michel Geneste, Director of the National Prehistory Centre,

Monique Peytral, Artist-painter

DESIGN & BUILDINGProject managementOlivier Retout assisted by Claire de Visscher and Robin Silver

Scenario, research and draftingNicolas St-Cyr assisted by Nathalie Grenet

Stage design and productionDU&MAVéronique Massenet and Rémi Dumas-Primbault assisted by Serge Noël, Christophe Dubois, Pascal Mazoyer, Vincent Capmartin, Derek Metz and Sophie Bertaut

GraphicsGRAFIBUSLuc Maillet and Linette Chambon, assisted by Delphine Gavache and Charlie Abad

AudiovisualsLA PROD EST DANS LE PREMaurice Bunio, assisted by Emmanuelle Findji and RégineNowak

Virtual Lascaux: Michel Bonnat, Philippe Bordelais, ThierryPouffary, Xavier Thenon, Thomas Bunio, Géraud Bec, withthe collaboration of Guy Pérazio and studios Pillule et Pi-geon and Peanut FX

The Black Cow and its procession: Elena Man-Estier, Gé-raud Bec

The Lascaux spear and the truncated blade: Pascal Magon-tier, Jean-Michel Geneste, Serge Maury, Bernard Sanserre,Jacques Pellegrin, Alain Martin, Jean-Paul L'Homme, Malvina Baumann, Caroline Peschaux

Interviews with experts: Baptiste Magnien,Hassan Kamrani, Jérôme Million, Géraud Bec

InteractivesBLUE YETIJean-Michel Couturier and Magnolya Roy assisted by Lau-rent Garnier, Pierrick Letos, Nicolas Louvancourt, Anne Mo-rata and Gregory Cosenza


LightingACLAlexis Coussement, assisted by Mathieu Gabry

IllustrationsBénédicte Roland and Philippe Mignon

PRODUCTION AND BUILDING

Woodwork ConstructionSEQUOIA - Matthieu Dheilly and his team

Replicas in stone shroudATELIERS DES FAC SIMILES DU PERIGORDFrancis Ringenbach, assisted by Valérie Mathias, AuréliaTéxéira, Alan Bolle, Régis Drain, Thierry Lorent, under thedirection of Eric Chapuis

Anatomical sculptures of Cro-MagnonATELIERS DAYNESElisabeth Daynès, assisted by Peggy Martin, Céline Verney,Charlotte Spiers

Molding of objectsAlain Dalis

Reproduction of objectsSerge Maury

Special equipmentVEROLIVOlivier Taussig, assisted by Dominique Porcher, AuréliaMaury, Jean Baptiste Bonanni

Multimedia and light coordinationBIG BANGPhilippe Rouillon, assisted by Pascal Dapsance

PrintsMULTIPLAST – in APPARENCEMichel Protat, assisted by Anne Langerôme

Silk-screensOEIL DE LYNXChristophe Michel, assisted by Pierre Brugeail

Photo CreditsMinistry of Culture and Communication Regional Cultural Affairs Board, Aquitaine Institute of Human Paleontology Historical Monument Research Laboratory Architecture and Patrimony Media Library National Prehistory Centre Toulouse MuseumInternational Prehistory HubDordogne Departmental Archaeology Service

LIFE MagazineNational GeographicFotoliaPhilippe Psaila

Alain RoussotBrigitte and Gilles DellucFrançois LavalMonique PeytralJacques LagrangeMaurice DéribéréDidier Galop

Illustrations: Bénédicte Roland & Philippe Mignon, ChristianJégou

FILM CLIPS

‘Corpus Lascaux’Mario Ruspoli (1986) / Centre des Monuments Nationaux

«Les Gestes de la Préhistoire» (1998)Pascal Magontier, Jean-Michel Geneste, Serge Maury,Jacques Pellegrin,Jean-Paul L'Homme / Dordogne General Council

‘À l'époque des peintres de Lascaux’Daniel Cardot (1974) / CERIMES

‘Le temps des chasseurs solutréens’Pascal Magontier (1999)

‘L'âge du renne’Pascal Magontier (1999)

‘Dessins animés préhistoriques’Marc Azéma (2011)

AcknowledgementsThe Dordogne General Council wishes to thankJacques Buisson-Catil and the team of the International Pre-history Hub, Jean-Jacques Cleyet-Merle, National Museumof Prehistory, Brigitte and Gilles Delluc, National NaturalHistory Museum ,Jean Michel Geneste and the team of theNational Prehistory Centre ,Laurent Bergeot and IsabelleGrasswill, National Monuments Centre, Delphine Lacanette,Laboratoire Trefle, University of Bordeaux, Elise Leboucher,Historical Monument Research LaboratoryJean-Daniel Pariset and Jean-Charles Forgeret, Architectureand Patrimony Media Library, François Semah and DenisVialou, National Natural History Museum,Jean Paul Jouary, Paris - Sorbonne UniversityMarinette Ravidat.

This exhibition is dedicated to the memory of the prehisto-rian Norbert Aujoulat (1946-2011)


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lascaux - international exhibition

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