Getting to Know the World

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Getting to Know the Worlds Great Artists
Tulsa Public Schools-Sixth Grade Visual Arts
Assessment
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Getting to Know the Worlds Great Artists
Oklahoma Fine Arts PASS Visual Art History and
Culture
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Getting to Know the Worlds Great Artists
Oklahoma Fine Arts PASS Visual Art History and
Culture
The student will recognize the development of
Visual Art from an historical and cultural
perspective.
Describe and place a variety of specific
significant art objects by artist, style and
historical and cultural contest Identify themes
and purposes of works of art and artifacts in
history and culture Demonstrate a basic
knowledge of several fields of art such as
painting, sculpture, drawing, computer graphics,
printmaking, architecture, and fiber
arts Identify how visual art is used in todays
world including the popular media of
advertising, television, and film
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Getting to Know the Worlds Great Artists
You will look at the work of three cultures. The
Artists worked in the Ancient Worlds of Egypt,
Greece and Rome.
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Introducing the Art of Ancient Egypt
Egypt has a rich and glorious history. Imagine
living in an environment both protected from your
enemies by miles and miles of desert, with a rich
and fertile river land that produces an abundance
of food. Because of the extra food, not everyone
had to be a hunter or farmer. The Nile River
would flood once a year bringing rich silt up
onto the surrounding land. Farmers created
channels for irrigation from this yearly flooding
so that the soil was both rich in fertilizer and
water. The people that were not farmers or
hunters were free to look at other life styles.
There were many different kinds of professions in
Egypt. They included soldiers, judges, priests,
scribes, engineers, merchants, labores and
naturally, artists.
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The Egyptians, in their protected environment,
separated from the rest of the developing world,
evolved a unique way of life that remained
unchanged for several thousand years. They
created beautiful art and architecture to honor
their gods and how they perceived the after
life to be. Some historians say that they had a
Culture of Death because they created so many
buildings that employed thousands of artists,
craftsmen, artisans and laborers. All of these
people worked to create beautiful tombs and
filled them with art work. All of this work was
In support of the after life.
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The first pyramids were constructed as memorials.
In the Fourth Dynasty (2530-2470 B.C.) the
beautiful pyramids at Giza were constructed.
Hundreds of thousands of men, many of whom died
in the effort, worked on the project. The stones
(some weighing over 40 tons) were floated on
rafts across the Nile during flood season. Using
only levers and rollers and ramps, the stones
were assembled into the pyramids.
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The largest of the Great Pyramids was built for
Cheops. It covers about 13 acres and is over 55
stories high. Until modern skyscrapers, it was
the tallest building in the world. It contains
over two million blocks of limestone. Originally
it was covered with polisthed white limestone to
reflect the sun. The glare must have dazzled
Egyptians for many miles around.
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The stones were cut so accurately that, even
today, it is difficult to find a place where a
knife blade can be forced between the two
surfaces. The burial chamber for the mummy of
Cheops is located in the heart of the pyramid.
Besides all the possessions belonging to the dead
that went into the tombs, the walls were covered
with painted relief sculptures showing various
activities of the persons buried there.
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Old Kingdom This is a sculpture of Mycerninus
and His Queen, made about 2470 B.C.E. during the
4th Dynasty. It was carved from a single block
of slate (it is 56 inches high). The artist
began by drawing 4 life-sized sketches viewed
from front, back, and the two sides. He then
laid it on the stone and began cutting into the
stone. Artists today think this is why Egyptian
sculptures always look so stiff and rigid. They
also look straight ahead. In this sculpture the
man is taking an assertive step ahead, and the
woman is gently holding his arm. What do you
think their motions symbolize?
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The word stylized is important to understanding
Egyptian Art. Stylized is opposite to natural or
relaxed. When artists say stylized, they mean
that all of these kinds of art works look the
same. In the case Egyptian Art, you will find
that most male figures will stand stiffly with
their hands at their sides with one foot forward.
You will also find that both men and women will
face forward. Another aspect of Egyptian Art is
that sculptures always show perfect figures.
They are ideal bodies and show no flaws. That
was because they were sculptures of Kings and
Queens who had to been seen as perfect.
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Middle Kingdom Architecture in the Middle Kingdom
shifted from pyramids to the construction of
funeral temples built near Thebes. These were
designed to hold the mummies of the rulers and
were constructed so that part was cut into the
cliff and part was built outside.
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The Middle Kingdom lasted for two dynasties. Art
continued to flourish with craftspeople holding
honored positions in society. Toward the end of
this time Egypt was invaded and ruled by
outsiders for 150 years. During this time there
was no harmony in the land. The outside rulers
did introduce new things the horse, chariots,
wheels and weapons of war
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Here is a sculpture from the Middle Kingdom. It
is a stylized sculpture of a scribe. The
Egyptians honored craft persons and held those
who could write in high esteem.
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The New Kingdom In about 1567 B.C., the princes
of Thebes overthrew the invaders and established
the New Kingdom. It was a golden age in Egypts
history. Egypt became very powerful, and
everyone flourished, including artists.
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This is the Temple of Ramses. In 1968 it was
moved 700 feet to save it from submersion in the
Aswan High Dam resevoir.
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This is a fowling scene from the tomb of Nebamum,
Thebes 1400-1350 BCE. The art of adorning tomb
walls with paintings became popular during the
New Kingdom. This is the tomb of Nebamum, a
deceased noble man.
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Nabamun is enjoying recreation in his eternal
afterlife. He is striding forward and vigorously
swinging his throwing stick. In his right hand
he holds 3 birds he has caught. A wild cat,
perched on a papyrus stem has caught 2 more
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His wife and daughter accompany him. They hold
the lotuses they have gathered. They are smaller
because they are of a lesser rank.
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This bust of painted limestone is of Nefertiti
(which translates to The Beautiful One is Here).
It was sculpted about 1352-1335 BCE. She
looks like she is day dreaming or in a trance.
It was found in the workshop of a sculpture and
is unfinished. Her left eye is unpainted and
lacks the inlaid eyeball. Although it is
somewhat stylized, there is a new natural
feeling about it . Her head is relaxed and you
can get a sense that Nefertiti was a real person
with human emotions.
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This is another art work that features Nefertiti.
Carved into this relief (a relief is a
sculpture that is not fully three dimensional.
You cant walk around it and see the back) is
Akhenaton, Nefertiti and three daughters.
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The pharaoh, his wife and their three daughters
bask in the life-giving rays of Aton, the Son
Disk. The mood is informal. Akhenaton lifts one
of his daughters in order to kiss her. Another
daughter sits on Nefertitis lap and gestures
toward her father.
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The youngest daughter reaches out to touch a
pendant on her mothers crown. This is very
different from the formal earlier art works.
Nefertiti was an influential woman. The young
Akhenaton often looked to his mother for advice.
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Some of the most spectacular art work we have is
from the tomb of the Boy King, Tutankhamen. His
tomb was largely un plundered. He died at age 18
and ruled for only 10 years. The treasures of
his tomb, which include sculpture, furniture,
jewelry, and accessories of all sorts, were
uncovered in 1922. He was not a famous ruler in
his time, but because his tombs treasures are so
complete, we know more about him than
others. The principal monument in the collection
is the enshrined body of the pharaoh himself. It
rests in the innermost of 3 coffins, one inside
the other 1323 BCE). The innermost coffin is the
most expensive. It is made of beaten gold (about
a quarter ton of it) and inlaid with such
semiprecious stones as lapis lazuli, turquoise,
and carnelian.
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Most of us will never have the opportunity to
travel to Egypt to see the Pyramids. However,
there are many pieces of Egyptian Art in the
United States. If you go to Philbrook Museum you
will see a mummy casket for a bird (special
family birds and pets had caskets made for
them!) The Metropolitan Museum in New York City
has a vast collection of Egyptian Art Work. It
even has a temple that has been taken apart brick
by brick and re built inside the museum. It
rests surrounded by a little indoor lake with
palm trees.
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Introducing the Art of Ancient Greece
This is an early Greek sculpture, created around
600 BCE. Compare this time frame with the
Egyptian sculptures you just saw. Tutankhamens
casket was created in 1,323 BCE. The first
sculpture we looked at, Mycerninus and His
Queen, was created in 2,470 BCE. Like early
Egyptian sculpture, early Greek sculpture was
very stylized. This early sculpture is called a
Kouros. It takes the same stance as the early
Egyptian sculptures. One foot is stepping
forward, the arms are straight at the sides, the
head faces forward. It, like the Egyptian
sculptures appears stylized and rigid.
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Introducing the Art of Ancient Greece
This kouros stood over a grave in the countryside
somewhere near Athens. It was a grave marker.
There are two differences from the Egyptian
sculptures. First, they were nude, the Egyptian
sculptures were clothed. Second, they loved
pattern, and showed that in the braided hair.
The Egyptian sculptures had stylized hats on
their heads.
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The female counter part to the Kouros is the
Kore. It is the early stylized Greek female
figure. This Kore is missing her arm. It would
have held a symbol that would have identified her
as a maiden or a goddess. She stands alone and
is not placed side by side with the Kouros.
She is also clothed. In fact, the interest in
pattern is important to note when looking at the
folds in her gown, and in her hair. One final
difference between the female and the male
sculptures is that she is painted.
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Much of what we know of Greek painting comes to
us from the vase paintings. The early vases were
terra cotta (the orange color or the clay) and
black. They only had geometric patterns painted
on them. Later vases, like this one have the
geometric patterns and scenes that tell a story.
This scene is called Herakles Strangling the
Nemean Lion.
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