People, Boats and Animals
-Tomb 100 in Hierakonpolis
-3000 BCE
-late pre-dynastic
-110 cm
-1st example of Egyptian decorated tomb chamber
Major Periods in Ancient Egypt:
-predynastic ~
-early dynastic ~
-old kingdom ~
-middle kingdom ~
-new kingdom ~
in Egyptian society, a king's life was the measure of time
-31 dynasties divided into three kingdoms plus intermediate periods
-predynastic ~ b/w prehistory and 1st dynasty
-early dynastic ~ dynasty 1 and 2, 3100 BCE when King Narmer united upper and lower egypt
-old kingdom ~ 3-6
-middle kingdom ~ 11-13
-new kingdom ~ 18-20
Palette of King Narmer
-Temple at Hierakonpolis
-3100 BCE
-pre/early dynastic
-63.5 cm
-slate palette
-the earliest surviving image of a historic personage identified by name
-ceremonial palette w/ 2 elaborately carved sides in low info ~ all info protrud
Step pyramid and funerary complex of King Djoser
-Saqqara
-2670 BCE
-3rd Dynasty, Old Kingdom
-architect was Imhotep
-the earliest funerary complex
-204' high in layers
-layers ~ staircase so king ascends to gods in death
-step treads incline downward and
The Great Pyramids at Giza
-Khufu (1st and largest) ~ 2601-2528 BCE
-Khafra (smaller) ~ 2570-2544 BCE
-Menkaure (smallest) ~ 2533-2515 BCE
-all named after 4th dynasty rulers
-monumental w/ size and material, yet simple ~ power, strength, stability, lasti
Looking at Kafra...
-middle sized temple
-built 2570-2544 BCE
-E facing funerary temple w/ causeway leads to valley temple on banks of Nile
-limestone cap remains today
-next to valley temple is the Great Sphinx said to protect the pyramid and temples, as well as a partial portrait of Khafra
During the 4th Dynasty there was a dramatic change in funerary architecture...
step --> smooth pyramid
earliest of these pyramids attributed to Sneferu the founder of the 4th Dynasty
Sneferu's son Khufu went on to build the Great Pyramids at Giza
The Great Sphinx
-Giza
-2550 BCE
-sandstone
-19.8 m
-carved from outcropping of sandstone left after quarrying of stone for pyramids
-"protects" Khafra's pyramid and temples
-sculptors combound portrait of Khafra w/ crouching body of lion ~ hybrid creatur
Khafra
-Giza
-2500 BCE
-diorite sculpture
-167.7 cm
-larger than life size ~ power
-seated king in upright, rigid pose
-frontality ~ presence and power
-portrait ~ wealth and power
-behind him falcon Horus spreads wings about his head ~ kingship, earthly
Menkaure and his wife, Queen Khamerernebty II
-Giza
-2500 BCE
-slate sculpture
-142.2 cm
-rigid frontality and kings musculature ~ power, strength
-fairly anatomically correct, geometric knee caps and shin lines ~ naturalistic
-was painted king - red
-kin
Egyptian traditional image of king
-athletic, muscular, broad shoulders
-youthful
-nude to waist
-royal regalia, nemes headdress
-balanced pose
-frontality
-L foot fwd
-arms straight at sides
-fists clenched about cylindrical objects
The Egyptian Canon
-pertained to the body of members of royalty and courtiers, who were portrayed in an idealized manner
-indicated by consistencies in body positions, stance, hieratic scale, etc
-artistic guidelines for designing human image
-5th dynasty
-grid superimposed over human image w/ 1 vertical line through human body and 7 horizontal lines dividing body according to standard module
-ratio between parts of body
-canon changes over time, but main body proportions/ratios remain the same
-enabled artist to make human portrait accurately at any scale
-size signaled social status
-for elite male individuals there were 2 images
2 elite male images of the Egyptian canon
-youthful, physically fit image ~ power, strength, eternal
ex: Hesy-ra Relief
-paunch, rolls of fat, slack muscles, signs of age on the face ~ wisdom, maturity
ex: Seated Scribe
Naturalism in Egyptian Art
correlation exists between social rank and degree of naturalism
the lower the status of the subject, the more relaxed and naturalistic their pose
less "ideal
Burial patterns of the Middle Kingdom as compared to the Old Kingdom
burial patterns for court officials and elites remained constant
internment in sunken tombs and mastabas remained popular
included large hall, burial chamber, statue niche and relief paintings decorating walls
especially rock-cut tombs like those in Beni Hasan
objects of faience
glass paste fired to shiny opaque finish w/ blue green color
color associated w/ fertility, regeneration and goddess Hathor (sky)
objects buried w/ the deceased of faience for ka
also seen in Aegan art
Much of the art of the 11th and 12th dynasties relied on...
relied on old kingdom forms, especially in funerary art
however sculptures of members of the royal family show a breaking away from earlier sculptural conventions
ex: Senwosret III
show less idealism and more naturalism
demonstrated shift in perception of the pharaoh as not only a god, but a ruler with a responsibility to his people
Hyksos invaded ending middle kingdom and yielding 2nd intermittent period
Hyksos expelled by 18th Dynasty ruler Ahmose giving way to the New Kingdom
Senworset III
-1850 BCE
-quartzite
-16.5 cm
-exemplifies change in representation of royalty in portraiture that accompanied the middle kingdom
-man scarred by signs of age ~ naturalistic
-brow creases, eyelids droop, lines "score" flesh below eyes
-physi
Key difference between Old and New Kingdom can be seen in...
their burial practices
New Kingdom pharaohs did not build pyramids but instead chose to dig their tombs in the Valley of the Kings
best preserved example is the funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which demonstrates a radical departure from previous temple and tomb building with an axial plain that takes into account the stark landscape in which it is placed
18th Dynasty pharaohs constructed temples of the Theban divine traid...
Amun, his consort Mut and their son Khons
at Karnak and Luxor
creating 2 temple complexes to honor the triad
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
-Deir el-Bahri
-1478-1458 BCE, New kingdom
-white limestone and sandstone
-part of temple complex
-nestled in cliffside, cliff provided natural monumental background
-"dry" now but was planted in past
-courts linked by wide ramp
Kneeling figure of King Hatshepsut
-Deir el-Bahri
-1473-1458 BCE
-red granite
-2.59 m
-colossal! ~ power, monumental
-kneeling, making offering w/ 2 jars
-inscription on base indicates making (ma'at/order) to Amun Ra
-wearing regalia of king ~ kingship
-n
Hypostyle Hall of Temple Amun-Ra
-hypostyle hall: room w/ many columns
-Karnak, Thebes
-part of Temple Amun-Ra
-1290-24 BCE
-end point for visitor passage
-forest of columns
-columns rep'd plants in stylized forms, capitals like papyrus buds ~ swamp, chao
The Ramesses Dynasty...
was the last significant dynastic family of the New Kingdom
during 19th Dynasty Ramesses II commissioned numerous architectural projects at Abu Simpel, and completed a masive temple at Luxor whose two walls with sloping sides form a gateway for a pylon entrance
Temple of Ramesses II
-Abu Simpel, W Bank of Nile
-19th Dynasty, New Kingdom
-1279-1213 BCE
-location made eloquent statement
-massive rock facade features 4 huge seated statues of the king 70' flanking doorway
-small figures b/w legs of the kings are the
Akhenaten
-Karnak, Thebes
-the Amarna Style, during New Kingdom
-1353-1335 BCE
-sandstone
-3.96 m
-king's regalia ~ kingship
-king w/ narrow shoulders, lacking in musculature, pot belly, wide hips and generous thighs ~ naturalism
-folds/pleats in kilt lik
Akhenaten and his Family
-Amarna/ Karnak, Thebes
-the Amarna Style, during New Kingdom
-rectangular sunken relief
-limestone
-1355 BCE
-Aten, sun disk, w/ life giving beams radiating down w/ hands at ends towards family
-beams directed at Akhenaten and Ne
Antechamber of Tomb of Tutankhamun
-18th Dynasty
-funerary equipment, coffins, statues, marks, items for his daily life like 4 golden chariots and furniture
-many objects featured Tut battling and overcoming enemies ~ kingship and ma'at
Cover of the coffin of Tutankhamun
-18th Dynasty
-gold
-182.9 cm
-innermost coffin; coffin was 3 layers, upper layers mix of wood and gold
-exquisite workmanship
-rich colored inlays
-polished gold surface
-royal regalia
-crossed arms as royal posture
-ho
Prince Rahotep, and his wife, Nofret
-mastaba tomb at Meidum
-2580 BCE
-limestone
-4th dynasty
-120 cm
-painted in color
-pair of sculptures
-limestone softer than diorite ~ less surface detail hence paint adding color
-male darker than female ~ skin tone
Alexander the Great...
conquered Egypt and founded Alexandria before his death in 323 BCE
his general Ptolemy established the Ptolemaic Dynasty which lasted 300 years until Egypt was conquered by the Roman emperor Augustus in 30 BCE via Battle of Actium
Ptolemaic Dynasty ended w/ death of Ptolemy 14 Cleopatra and Caesar's son
Papyrus shaped half columns
-N palace, funerary complex of King Djoser
-Saqqara
-supported mud brick walls in palace, of limestone in complex
-imitate papyrus stems and bundled reeds
-capitals look like blossoms
-lintels b/w columns painted to resemble wo
Relief panel of Hesy-ra
-Saqqara
-2660 BCE
-wooden stele
-114 cm
-non-naturalistic composite view
-composite view ~ legibility and static
Seated Scribe
-Saqqara
-2400 BCE
-limestone sculpture in the round
-53 cm
-1 of 2 canons of Egyptian human rep
-body shows aging, slackening in sallow cheeks, sagging jaw, loose stomach ~ maturity
-rigidly upright and frontal ~ elitist
-high status given
Ti Watching a Hippo Hunt
-Tomb of Ti, Saqqara
-2510-2460 BCE
-5th Dynasty
-painted limestone
-low relief painting
-114 cm
-underscores relation b/w social rank and naturalism
-large size of Ti ~ hieratic scale
-Ti stands rigidly in composite pose legs and
Lady Sennuwy
-Upper Nubia
-1920 BCE
-granite
-172 xm x 116 cm
-sculpture
-exemplifies change in representation of royalty in portraiture that accompanied the middle kingdom; as compared to Queen Khamerernebty embracing King Menkaure
-narrower shoulders an
Rock-cut tombs
-Beni Hasan
-1950-1900 BCE
-11/12 Dynasties
-hollowed out of rock terrace E Bank of Nile
-allowed ka to view across river to the living
-large entrance hall led to columned hall and burial chamber w/ niche for statue carved from stone
-pain
Interior Hall of Rock-cut Tombs
-Beni Hasan
-1950-1900 BCE
-12th Dynasty
-composite view of figures ~ power, elite/royalty
-decorative purpose for ka
-male skin tone darker
-hieroglyphs ID figures
-paintings and painted reliefs
-ADLS of deceased for ka
Feeding the Oryxes
-Tomb of Khnum-hotep
-Beni Hasan
-1928-1895 BCE
-wall painting in great detail
-male skin tone
-composite view, even animals
-workers restraining and feeding oryxes ~ ADL
-men as lower social status workers w/ less taught muscles ~natur
Female Figurine
-Thebes
-12/13th dynasties
-faience ~ color
-schematized woman figurine
-8.5 cm
-small and portable
-legs stop at knees ~ restrict mobility or inessential to function
-delineated breasts and pubic area w/ painted shell girdle ~ fertility o
in addition to sculptures and small figurines buried w/ the dead, as well as other objects of daily life for the ka, egyptians buried jewelry w/ the dead
-jewelry used in everyday life for adornment, formal dress, cult statues and protection of mummies
-surviving pieces such as Pectoral of Mereret demonstrate tech skill of jewelers
Pectoral of Mereret
-Tomb in pyramid complex of Senwosret III
-Dashur
-12th Dynasty, middle kingdom
-gold, carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise
-pendant
-6.1 cm
-shrine w/ 2 lotus capital columns
-2 sphinx trample enemy under foot and 1 raised paw supports
Seti I's Campaigns
-compare w/ apparent elements of power to the Lion Hunt Relief ***
-
Interior of Ramesses II
Senemut with Nefrua
Musicians and Dancers
Mai and his Wife, Urel
Queen Tiy
Queen Nefertiti
The Weighing of the Heart and Judgement by Osiris