| Egyptians loved life on earth so much that they | | | | world. Even though the artists of Ancient Egypt were |
| desired to take its pleasures into the after-world. They | | | | keen observers of nature, their art and its subjects |
| believed that the rich and powerful (at least) were able | | | | were created according to a rigid standardization of |
| to take life's pleasures with them via placement in | | | | forms and symbols. |
| royal tombs, the Pyramids. Throughout the dynasties | | | | This is not the reflection of "Primativism," as it is clear |
| of Ancient Egypt, the role of the tomb and | | | | from Egyptian art that their technical skill was |
| accompanying architecture, sculpture, and painting all | | | | advanced and their understanding of natural form was |
| worked to ensure that Egyptians would enter the | | | | astute. Instead Egyptian art was a direct consequence |
| afterlife prepared with all the worldly goods they | | | | of intellectual decisions that were geared toward the |
| needed. | | | | presentation of an ideal. |
| Role of Art | | | | For example, in Ancient Egyptian art, every subject is |
| Most Egyptian art and painting was done for the sake | | | | shown from an angle that would make it most clearly |
| of the dead. At first items like jewelry, animals (cats, | | | | identifiable, according to a rank-based scale (small to |
| for example), food, and other essential tools and | | | | large) based on social hierarchy. The result is a highly |
| treasures were stockpiled within the tombs. The | | | | patterned almost diagram-like appearance. |
| discovery of King Tut's cache brought the issue to | | | | This overriding focus on clarity applied to all subjects. In |
| prominence for those in the Western world thousands | | | | humans, for example, the human head is always |
| of years later, but this practice had been in effect for | | | | shown in profile, yet both eyes are always drawn in |
| much of ancient Egyptian history. | | | | front. Figures are portrayed in the same manner, from |
| For Egyptians who didn't want to stockpile actual | | | | small to large, based on their ranking in society. Children |
| items, yet still wanted to ensure a happy afterlife, | | | | are merely small adults. As a result, Ancient Egyptian |
| many chose painting as a labor-saving and cost-cutting | | | | art appears to have a flat appearance without a hint |
| measure, replacing expensive treasures, sculpture, or | | | | of perspective, but this was a conscious artistic choice. |
| stone carvings. Painting was not limited to tombs. Many | | | | Rules of Representation |
| wealthy Egyptians often had murals in their homes, | | | | Full-length Egyptian figures in Ancient Egyptian art are |
| done in richly textured, painterly styles. Yet most of the | | | | organized by the "rule of proportion," a strict geometric |
| finest examples of Ancient Egyptian art that remains | | | | grid system that ensured accurate repetition of the |
| are remnants from tombs. | | | | artistic ideal. This was a foolproof system that |
| Examples of Ancient Art | | | | regulated the exact distances between parts of the |
| One of the most important tomb paintings is "Geese | | | | body (divided into 18 equal units) and placed in relation |
| of Medum" (2530 BC), which showcases three | | | | to points on a grid. |
| majestic birds from the tomb of Nefermaat, son of | | | | Before beginning to draw a figure, the Ancient |
| Sneferu, the first pharaoh of the 4th dynasty. It is only | | | | Egyptian artist would create a grid. This can be seen in |
| a frieze detail, but it already hints at the vitality and | | | | the Egyptian painting "Pharaoh Tuthmose III" (1450 BC), |
| power of Ancient Egyptian art. | | | | where the grid still remains. |
| "Lamenting Women" (1370 BC) on the tomb of | | | | Breaking with Tradition |
| Ramose (a minister who lived under 2 pharaohs of the | | | | Not only did Egyptians paint tombs, they also painted |
| 18th dynasty) depicts the scene of a funderal | | | | sculpture, and one outstanding example is "Head of |
| procession. Although the women in the painting appear | | | | Nefertitti" (1360 BC), which was a portrait of the wife |
| flat, their expressions of anguish fairly vibrate with | | | | of Pharaoh Akhenaten. This example of Ancient |
| emotion. | | | | Egyptian art is very unusual, however, because it |
| "Fowling Scene" (1400 BC) from a nobleman's tomb in | | | | shows a loosening of the rigid conventions that |
| Thebes is a good example of fresco secco, a | | | | prevailed for centuries. It shows a wistfulness, a grace |
| technique that applies tempera paint to dry plaster, and | | | | and originality rarely seen. |
| echoes once again the importance of nature. | | | | This break with traditional Ancient Egyptian art did not |
| Importance of Art | | | | last. Naturalism and subtleness had no role in Ancient |
| For Ancient Egyptians, it was the "eternal essence" | | | | Egyptian art, and realism was not important. Instead, |
| that mattered, the constant, unchanging reality that | | | | this mysterious time in history would remain fixated on |
| they sought to convey with their art. Art was not | | | | creating an art that strived for the ideal. |
| meant to reflect the changing nature of the external | | | | |