Egyptian Art
Over 3,000 years, Egyptian art changed, but if you're not an expert, you might not have noticed. Tradition dominated, although even in Egyptian art, there were fads and developments.
Some notable features:
In human figures, eyes are frontal, the face is in profile, the upper torso is frontal, and the legs and arms are in profile. This idea of showing the most interesting features of the human figure is repeated by the cubists.
Storytelling is valued over realism.
Important people are large, less important people are small.
Some notable features:
In human figures, eyes are frontal, the face is in profile, the upper torso is frontal, and the legs and arms are in profile. This idea of showing the most interesting features of the human figure is repeated by the cubists.
Storytelling is valued over realism.
Important people are large, less important people are small.
From the Tomb of Nefertari
Notice the frontal eye, profiled head, frontal shoulders, profiled arms and oddly placed thumbs.
Nefertari wears a vulture crown, with a red sun, symbolizing infinity, on the reed crown above. She is wearing a sheer linen garment. To this day, we don't know how the Egyptians could have spun or woven linen so fine. To her left is a cartouche with her name, a black oval that looks like a rope with a knot at the bottom, symbolizing that inside the rope are powerful words. You can see that part of her name includes a vulture hieroglyph, like her crown. She is facing a cow, which might symbolize her special relationship with the Goddess Hathor.
As with most "primitive" art, there is no shading and no perspective. Nefertari is depicted in the cleanest possible way, with the symbols that were important to her clearly displayed. This makes the mood very serene, even though she has a vulture as a hat.
It is not known how this painting was made, but it is mostly likely egg tempera made from ground up pigments from minerals and soot. It was probably brushed on to a dry limestone wash.
In my opinion, many of the ancient Egyptian frescoes are masterworks. Since the Egyptians were quite satisfied with the one style they had, they had the opportunity to perfect it. Apprentice artisans grew up already knowing what art should look like, and when they were old enough to paint, their training was probably more in the preparation of materials. Since the form of their art was in their bones and blood, they did it well.
Nefertari wears a vulture crown, with a red sun, symbolizing infinity, on the reed crown above. She is wearing a sheer linen garment. To this day, we don't know how the Egyptians could have spun or woven linen so fine. To her left is a cartouche with her name, a black oval that looks like a rope with a knot at the bottom, symbolizing that inside the rope are powerful words. You can see that part of her name includes a vulture hieroglyph, like her crown. She is facing a cow, which might symbolize her special relationship with the Goddess Hathor.
As with most "primitive" art, there is no shading and no perspective. Nefertari is depicted in the cleanest possible way, with the symbols that were important to her clearly displayed. This makes the mood very serene, even though she has a vulture as a hat.
It is not known how this painting was made, but it is mostly likely egg tempera made from ground up pigments from minerals and soot. It was probably brushed on to a dry limestone wash.
In my opinion, many of the ancient Egyptian frescoes are masterworks. Since the Egyptians were quite satisfied with the one style they had, they had the opportunity to perfect it. Apprentice artisans grew up already knowing what art should look like, and when they were old enough to paint, their training was probably more in the preparation of materials. Since the form of their art was in their bones and blood, they did it well.
Lesson Plan for Egyptian Art
1. Show images from King Tut exhibit. Discuss.
2. Relaxation exercise
3. Choose from five 15-minute stations (see below).
4. Masterwork: Make an Egyptian-style piece of art.
5. Cleanup.
2. Relaxation exercise
3. Choose from five 15-minute stations (see below).
4. Masterwork: Make an Egyptian-style piece of art.
5. Cleanup.
Station One: Egyptian Motifs
1. Learn a pattern, memorize. (You can click on these patterns to enlarge them)
2. Learn another pattern, memorize.
3. Combine them.
2. Learn another pattern, memorize.
3. Combine them.
Station Two: Egyptian Border Patterns
1. Learn a pattern, memorize
2. Learn another pattern, memorize.
3. Combine them.
2. Learn another pattern, memorize.
3. Combine them.
Stations Three and Four: Egyptian Gods
Learn how to draw a god, memorize.
Station Five: Egyptian Symbols
1. Learn how to draw one of the symbols.
2. Invent your own. Invent a meaning for it.
2. Invent your own. Invent a meaning for it.