Egyptian Art

Egyptian Art3,000 BCE- 300 BCEVocabNecropolis: city of the dead, a large burial area/ cemeteryPylon temple: a monumental tower forming the entrance to an ancient Egyptian temple, a massive gatewayHypostyle Hall: a hallway with a roof supported by columnsAmarna Period: era of Egyptian history during the latter half of the 18th dynasty when the pharaohs reign switched to AkhenatenRegistered Art: a panel often used to describe historical narrativesCanon: a rule, for example, of proportionCuneiform: composed of slim triangular or wedge-shaped elements, as the characters used in writing by the SumeriansLamassu: Akkadian protective spirit, often in the shape of a bullStele: an upright stone slab or pillar bearing an inscription or design and serving as a monument or markerCylinder Seal: a cylinder with an incised design or cuneiform inscription to indicate ownership or possession when rolled in soft clayVotive Offering: an offering in fulfillment of a religious vowEgyptian GodsRe: Egyptian sun GodAmen: Sun god of city of ThebesAten: Sun god for AkhenatenIsis: Goddess of fertility, portrayed with cows horns, wife/sister of OsirisOsiris: God of the lower world and judge of the deadHorus: Falcon-headed god, holding the ankh in right handAnubis: Jackal-god of mummification, holding divine scepter in right handCharacteristics of Egyptian art(3,500): Proof of the beginnings of sophisticated civilization around the Nile River. Maintains close relationship to the Nile RiverMostly funerary art

Pre-dynastic Art (3,500-3,000)Difficult to date worksClosely influenced by Mesopotamian and African art Surviving art consists chiefly of ceramic figurines, decorated pottery, and reliefs of stone and ivory. People, boats and animals, detail of a watercolor copy of a wall painting from a Predynastic tomb at Hierakonpolis, c.3500-3200 BCE.

Funerary scene Boats symbolic of life and death, full of mourning women and tombsExemplifies ka as a living force needing to be fueledMesopotamian and African influence exemplified by heraldic figures

Palette of King Narmer (back and front), from Hierakonopolis, Late Predynastic, c. 3100-3000 BCE. Slate, approx. 25 high.

Artistic canon Twisted perspectiveBulls as a symbol of masculinityHorus symbolized by bird with mans armLions and serpents heads symbolize the unification of Upper and Lower EgyptName written in hieroglyphPapyrusHierarchical, Namer is biggest similar to a deityWhite crown of Upper EgyptUtilitarian use as makeup storageCommemorative, not funerary

Old Kingdom (3,000-2,100) Social cohesion and stabilityRuling familys expanding wealth exemplified by the increase in size and complexity of tomb structures that they prepared for themselves for the afterlife. Beginning of dynastiesLife-size, or colossal royal portraits in stone

Mastaba and PyramidsSimilar to ziggurats, except its a tombPyramids only during the Old Kingdom

Pyramids Great Pyramids (Dynasty IV) of Gezeh, from left: Menkaure, c. 2525-2475 BCE.;Khafre, c. 2575-2525 BCE; (Chephren), The Sphinx;Khufu, c. 2600-2550 BCE. (Cheops), The Great Pyramid

Menkaure- tombs for queens, smallest, worst economyKhafre- the sphinx, still had venireKhufu- the biggest pyramid

Pyramids reflected the wealth of Egypt, permanenceThe venire was meant to encapsulate sunlight Impressive mathematic skillsHouse for the ka

KhufuThe biggest pyramidStress relieving chambers of massive granite blocks, cantilevered blocks, and a pent roof to distribute weight2,300,000 blocks which individually can weigh 50 lbs.

Khafre

Portrait of King Khafre with a headdress, but without a beardKhafre is combined with a lion, a guardian figure or protector (like Lamassu and the lions gate)

Diorite- a hard blue stone Subtractive sculpture in the roundIdealized portrait: solidity, unchanging, permanenceWears ceremonial headdress and beard, hands in fists, eyes forward looking into time, strong shoulders and slender waistMenkaureSmallest pyramid

Solid + joined with webbing = PermanenceIdealized canon of proportionsHands in fistsLeft foot forwardLooking into eternityUnnatural poseFist as a unit of measurementBoth ideal forms, Menkaure is softer than KhamererenebtyClothed, wet-drapery styleCeremonial headdress and beardSeated Scribe from the mastaba tomb at SaqqaraDynasty vc. 2500-2400 bcePainted Limestone

Scribes were revered, but were not upper classNatural, not idealizedRelaxedPainted, flesh-likeHolds writing equipment

Middle Kingdom (2,150-1,500)-Follows political turmoil of the Post-Old Kingdom.-Decentralized government, not allowing for major projects like the Pyramids.-Pyramids still in existence but face major down scaling due to ineffectiveness of size to protect tombs.-Instead, tombs are made into intricate systems that are meant to confuse robbers.Rock cut tombs, Beni Hasan, 2000-1900 BCE.

Section (top) and floor plan (bottom), Beni Hasan, 2000-1900 BCE.

Interior Beni Hasan, Dynasty XII, 1950-1900 BCE

Tomb of Khnumhotep at Beni Hasan, Dynasty XII, 1985-1795 BCE.

Fragmentary Portrait Head of Sesostris III, Dynasty VII, 1875-1825 BCE, Quartzite.

New Kingdom (1,500-600)