Title: Characteristics and Images
1Egyptian Art
- Characteristics and Images
2Characteristics
- Balance and Symmetry
- Measured Proportions
- Geometric Basis
- Multiple View Points
- Scale
- Naturalistic Details
- Depiction of Animals
- Color
- Surface Contrasts
3Balance 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
4Section 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.
5Measured 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
6Measurements in palm width
7Geometric Basis
- Cube
- Horizontal Axis
- Vertical Axis
- Guidelines on all sides
- Figures seldom completely freed from stone
- Sense of permanence
8Statue of HatshepsutThebes, Deir el-Bahri,
Dynasty 18, ca. 1473-1458 B.C.Limestone
(originally painted), h. 76 3/4 in.
9Multiple 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
10Stela of a Middle Kingdom officialAbydos,
Dynasty 12, ca. 1954 B.C.Painted limestone, 41 x
19 5 /8 in.
11Scale
- 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
12Nikare and his familySaqqara, Dynasty 5, ca.
2420-2323 B.C. Painted limestone, h. 22 1/2 in.
13Naturalistic Details
- Keen observation of nature
- Sublte indications of musculature and bone
structure
14Statuette of an offering bearerThebes, tomb of
Meketre, early Dynasty 12, ca. 1985 B.C.Gessoed
and painted wood, h. 44 1/8 in.
15Depicting Animals
- Animals often appear
- Usually symbols associated with life after death
16Ivory 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.
17Color
- 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
18Fragment 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.
19Surface Contrasts
- Stone sculpture
- Highly polished
- Rough finely incised details and patterns
20Canopic 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.
21The 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