As a drawing, painting has documented origins in caves and on rocks. The finest examples, believed by some to be 32,000 years old, are in the Chauvet and Lascaux caves in southern France. In shades of red, brown, yellow and black on the walls and ceilings are bison, cattle, horses and deer.

Paintings of human figures can be found in the tombs of ancient Egypt. In the great temple of Ramses II, Nefertari, his queen, is depicted headed by Isis. The Greeks contributed painting, but much of their work has been lost. One of the best remaining representations is the Hellenistic portraits of the mummy of Fayum. Another example is the mosaic of the Battle of Issus at Pompeii, which was probably based on Greek painting. Greek and Roman art contributed to Byzantine art in the fourth century B.C., which began the tradition of iconography.