The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the history of painting:
History of painting – painting is the production of paintings, that is, the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface (support base, such as paper, canvas, or a wall) with a brush, although other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used. The history of painting reaches back in time to artifacts and artworks created by pre-historic artists, and spans all cultures. It represents a continuous, though periodically disrupted tradition from Antiquity.