Triassic Period Art

The Triassic period is envisioned as having different areas of tropic temperatures, desert and arid areas, lush forests, high reaching mountains and massive river systems. The large, one land mass of the Pangaea continent was centered along the equator which extended from the north to south and experienced harsh storms. The study of the Triassic period, especially its dinosaur inhabitants, is an ongoing study, especially with the help of fossils being uncovered.



This period of time (220 million years ago) was a time of a different evolution, recovering from a near mass Permian extinction that eradicated almost all land and sea species at the end of this period. Surviving Triassic animals evolved like the first dinosaurs that dominated through the Mesozoic Era. Ancestors of  present day mammal species, and amphibians, such as frogs, turtles, and even crocodiles, were featured in the end of the Triassic period. 


 
Using our imagination in how the Triassic period and its inhabitants may have looked is provided by paleo-artists, such as Josef Moravec. Czech born illustrator Josef Moravec is a renowned paleo artist of prehistoric animals, including his intensive study and imaging of their ecologic and geologic environment. His paintings are displayed throughout the United States and Europe in top museums and are used in respected periodicals about prehistoric life. Moravec’s lifelong fascination with dinosaurs and other ancient forms of life has resulted in his stunningly realistic depictions of the Triassic Period.  He has studied paleontology and believes in capturing the exact anatomical details of the prehistoric land animals, huge sea creatures and the fauna and fossils of the Triassic period. 



Paleo artists use amazing color, even breathtaking black and white drawings that satisfy art lovers, illustrators and especially dinosaur scientists and hobbyists. Moravec's early inspirations came from the award winning work of his idol, Zdenek Burian, who was also a paleo artist in the Czech Republic. Burian's work has been used by professors, scientists and prehistoric researchers to display, not only the Triassic Period, but also the early earth and its inhabitants. 



Triassic Period Art is also conveyed through other paleo artists, such as Winnipeg Canada's, Julius T. Csotonyi. Born in Hungary, Csotonyi's artistic illustrations of the Triassic period have been used by popular science magazines, world museums and he has published many prehistoric books. Paleo art is a specialized art field, which is highly devoted to the reconstructing and life rendering illustrations of extinct animals and the biosocial culture that they needed to survive. 



When fossils are discovered in various parts of the world, these paleo artists are eager to study and help to reconstruct their forms, alongside paleontologists. Their skills and their work, range from an in-depth and articulate anatomical translation, to fully realistic, dynamic scenes, which are astoundingly realistic, drawing our imaginations back into ancient worlds.