Characteristics and Images

1
Egyptian Art

• Characteristics and Images

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Characteristics

• Balance and Symmetry
• Measured Proportions
• Geometric Basis
• Multiple View Points
• Scale

• Naturalistic Details
• Depiction of Animals
• Color
• Surface Contrasts

3
Balance and Symmetry

• Balanced Forms
• Clear Outlines
• Simplified Shapes
• Flat Areas of Color

• Order and Clarity
• Horizontal Registers
• Emotion and Activity usually avoided
• Value and Depth unimportant

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Section from a Book of the DeadThebes, Dynasty
21, ca. 1070-945 B.C.Painted and inscribed
papyrus, h. (of illustrated section) 13 3/4 in.
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Measured Proportions

• Horizontal and Vertical Guidelines
• Consistent Proportions
• Uniformity of balance regardless of scale
• Adds to Unity
• Related to the width of the palm of the hand

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Measurements in palm width
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Geometric Basis

• Cube
• Horizontal Axis
• Vertical Axis
• Guidelines on all sides
• Figures seldom completely freed from stone
• Sense of permanence

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Statue of HatshepsutThebes, Deir el-Bahri,
Dynasty 18, ca. 1473-1458 B.C.Limestone
(originally painted), h. 76 3/4 in.
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Multiple Points of View

• Two-dimensional rules for human figures
• Each part of body in most complete form
• Shoulders from the front
• Torso and hips in three-quarter view so legs and
  arms in profile
• Head in profile to show both front and back
• Eye seen from front looking at viewer

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Stela of a Middle Kingdom officialAbydos,
Dynasty 12, ca. 1954 B.C.Painted limestone, 41 x
19 5 /8 in.
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Scale

• Size indicates relative importance
• King often larger than life to show powers
• Wives, family, servants, animals, architectural
  details smaller than high officials or tomb
  owners

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Nikare and his familySaqqara, Dynasty 5, ca.
2420-2323 B.C. Painted limestone, h. 22 1/2 in.
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Naturalistic Details

• Keen observation of nature
• Sublte indications of musculature and bone
  structure

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Statuette of an offering bearerThebes, tomb of
Meketre, early Dynasty 12, ca. 1985 B.C.Gessoed
and painted wood, h. 44 1/8 in.
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Depicting Animals

• Animals often appear
• Usually symbols associated with life after death

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Ivory hunting dogLate Dynasty 18, 1400-1350
B.C.Ivory, tinted red inside mouth and black
around eyes and on undersides of paws, l. 7 1/8
in.
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Color

• Use of pure colors
• Both warm and cool
• Aesthetic appeal plus symbolic meaning
• Blue and Greenwater, the Nile, and vegetation
• Yellow and Goldsun, the sun god
• Red and Orangedesert, power, blood, and vitality

• Lighter and darker skin tones used to
  differentiate overlapping figures
• Menreddish brown skin
• Womenyellow-tan skin

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Fragment of a battle sceneThebes, Asasif,
Dynasty 18, probably reign of Thutmosis IV (ca.
1400-1390 B.C.)Painted sandstone, 24 x 45 1/4
in.
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Surface Contrasts

• Stone sculpture
• Highly polished
• Rough finely incised details and patterns

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Canopic jar with a lid in the shape of a royal
woman's headThebes, Tomb 55, Valley of the
Kings, Dynasty 18, latereign of Akhenaten (ca.
1349-1336 B.C.) or shortly afterAlabaster with
glass and stone inlays h. 20 1/2 in.
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The images in this presentation were obtained
from the following website.
To view more images and learn more about Egyptian
Art, click on the link below

• http//www.metmuseum.org/explore/newegypt/htm/th_f
  rame.htm