Cave paintings exist from many parts of the world, from around 50.000 to 15.000 years BP. one thing that is interesting to me is, that mouth-sprayed negative images of hands, is to be found many places also, not just in one particular cave. Academic studies have actually been carried out to figure out if the sex of the painters, and apparently they were made with hands from both sexes.
It is a mind blowing thought to me, the incredible step from "animal" to "conscious being" aware of its existence, was the transition that also brought "art" with it. The combination of consciousness and sensing the world, also brought the need to express this experience to others, and one-self. How far language had developed at this point I think is unsure, but maybe the need for expression with a limited language, helped develop an artistic expression as a kind of supplement.
It seems natural that the painters would recreate their prey animals and also carnivores that could eat them. They were never more than a few days away from starvation or encountering a deadly saber-tooth tiger, so naturally those aspects were constantly on their minds. I find it likely that men painted the animals, but that women found the "social" aspect of hand-paintings attractive and "joined" in. The group think or the "collective" feel is to me clear in the way that the hands are placed close together or overlapping. But also a reach for something religious or higher power to protect them.