Ancient Egyptian Art

New Kingdom

The New Kingdom

THE NEW KINGDOM

The Middle Kingdom ended with the invasion of Egypt by the Hyksos from the east. Soon after Ahmose came to the throne in 1550 BCE, the Hyksos were expelled and Egypt entered the period known as the New Kingdom.

Egypt at its height:

Like its predecessor, the Middle Kingdom disintegrated, and power passed to the Hyksos, or shepherd kings, who descended on Egypt from the Syrian and Mesopotamian uplands.

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The Grand Mortuary Temples

• Describe the grand tombs and mortuary temples of Hatshepsut and Ramses II. What is their significance in terms of statuary and architecture?

Architecture

Hatshepsut's temple:

New Kingdom architecture is dominated by grandiose temples, often built to honor pharaohs and queens, as well as gods. The most majestic of these royal mortuary temples, at Deir el-Bahri, was constructed for the female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, on of the most remarkable women of the ancient world.

3-21: Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut (with the Middle Kingdom mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II at left), Deir el-Bahri, Egypt, Dynasty XVIII, ca.

1473-1458 BCE.

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SenmutMortuary Temple of HatshepsutDeir el-Bahri, Egyptca. 1,473-1,458 B.C.E.

Image gallery Senmut, Mortuary temple of HatshepsutDeir el-Bahri, Egypt, Dynasty XVII

Built 1480 BC (New Kingdom) against rocky cliffs, dedicated to Amun-

linked by ramps and colonnades to a small chamber deep in the rock-

This is a great example of architecture within natural setting- ramps echo shape of cliffs and the horizontal rhythm of light and dark in the columns mimics that of the cliffs above.

ANCIENT EGYPT

Queen Hatshepsut became the Pharoh when her husband Thutmose II had died. The heir to the throne was to be given to his twelve year old son, but he was too young to rule. Hatsheptut then assumed the role of King, and became the first great female monarch whose name was recorded.

Many of the portraits of Hatshepsut were destroyed at the order of Thutmose III (the son too young to rule), as he was resentful of her declaration of herself as pharaoh.

Statue of HatshepsutDeir el-Bahri, Egyptca. 1,473-1,458 B.C.E.limestone76 3/4 in. high

Hatshepsutwith offering jarsDeir el-Bahri, Egyptca. 1,473-1,458 B.C.E.red granite8 ft. 6 in. high

Image gallery Hatshepsut with offering jars, Deir el-Bahri, Egypt, ca 1473- 1458

This statue has been carefully reassembled after its destruction. Most of the statues of Hatshepsut had to be reassembled due to their destruction , as ordered by Thutmose III.

The female Pharaoh is seen here in a ritual that honors the sun god.

Her depiction as pharaoh is clear, as she is seen wearing the royal male nemes headdress and the pharaoh’s ceremonial beard. The uraeus cobra that once adorned the front of the headdress was hacked off by the agents of Thutmose III.

The figure is represented as anatomically male, but other statues have been found that represent her with woman’s breasts.

ANCIENT EGYPT

Image gallery Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel, Egypt, Dynasty XIXCa 1290-1224 bc

Ramses was Egypt’s last great warrior pharaoh and ruled for two thirds of a century.

This monument was moved in 1968 to protect it from submersion.

Ramses was very proud of his accomplishments and proclaimed his greatness by placing four colossal images of himself on the temple façade.

ANCIENT EGYPT

New Kingdom: Egypt at its height

Image gallery Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel, Egypt, Dynasty XIXCa 1290-1224 bc

ANCIENT EGYPT

Image gallery Interior of the Temple of Ramses, Aubu Simbel,Egypt, Dynasty XIX, ca 1290-1224 bc

ANCIENT EGYPT

These atlantids were 32 feet tall and were carved from the cliff. They contain no load-bearing function (similar to those of Beni Hasan).

The tomb is decorated with paintings and reliefs depicting Ramses and his royal sons with the major deities of Egypt.---Osiris, Isis, Hathor, Horus, and Thoth decorate the tomb walls.

This tomb was robbed within a half century after its construction. The royal burials have not been found.

Temple of Ramses IIfrom Abu Simbel, Egyptca. 1290-1224 B.C.E.colossi approximately 65 ft. high

Temple of Ramses IIfrom Abu Simbel, Egyptca. 1290-1224 B.C.E.colossi approximately 65 ft. high

Temple of Ramses IIfrom Abu Simbel, Egyptca. 1290-1224 B.C.E.atlantids approximately 32 ft. high

Ramses II (1279-1213)• greatest New Kingdom ruler• military leader of Egypt• expanded into southern

Turkey• built many monuments to

himself• last gasp of Egyptian power.

3-23: Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel (now relocated), Egypt, Dynasty XIX, ca. 1290-1224 BCE. Sandstone,

colossi approx. 65' high.

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Colossi carved in a cliff:

Hatshepsut's mortuary temple never fails to impress visitors by its sheer size, and this is no less true of the immense rock-cut temple of Ramses II (r. 1290-12:24 B.C.) at Abu Simbel.

http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp./org/orion/eng/hst/egypt/abusimbel.html

3-24: Interior of the temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel (now relocated), Egypt, Dynasty XIX, ca. 1290-1224 BCE. Sandstone, pillar statues approx. 32' high.

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Pillar statues:

The pillars located in the interior of the temple of Ramses II, are 32 feet tall, carved from the cliff and have no load-bearing function.

3-25: Restored view of the temple of Amen-Re, Karnak, Egypt, begun fifteenth century BCE (Jean-

Claude Golvin).

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The Family of Ramses:

Ramses fathered many sons. The most important members of his family were honored with immense monuments of their own.

Immense pylon temples:

Distinct from the pharaonic mortuary temples built during the New Kingdom are the edifices built to honor one or more of the gods.

3-26: Hypostyle hall, temple of Amen-Re, Karnak, Egypt, Dynasty XIX, ca. 1290-1224 BCE.

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Hypostyle halls:

The dominating feature of the statuary-lined approach to a New Kingdom temple was the monumental façade of the pylon, with was routinely covered with reliefs glorifying Egypt's rulers. Inside, was an open court with columns on two or more sides, followed by a hall between the court and sanctuary, its long axis placed at right angels to the corridor of the entire building complex. This hypostyle hall (one where columns support the roof) was crowded with massive columns and roofed by stone slabs carried on lintels. The lintels rested on cubical blocks that in turn rested on giant capitals.