Egyptian Art

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 TOPIC OUTLINE

01 02 03

INTRODUCTION PRINCIPLES EGYPTIAN ARTS

Architecture
AND AND Sculpture
BRIEF HISTORY FUNCTION Relief Sculpture
Painting
Plastic Arts
Applied Arts

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 01

INTRODUCTION
AND
HISTORY
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 Ancient COMBINATION
OF ART & HISTORY
Egyptian Art
Ancient Egyptian art - art of the second
and third dynasty developed in Egypt from
3000 BCE until the third century.
painting, sculpture, architecture, and
other arts produced by the civilization
in the lower Nile Valley from 5000 BCE
to 300 CE.
emphasis on life after death and the
preservation of knowledge of the past
remained stable and uninfluenced over
the 3000-year period
CHREZEL BOLA
PREDYNASTIC
PERIOD
Images of animals, human beings, and supernatural
figures are inscribed on rock walls. These early
images were crude in comparison to later
developments but still express an important value
of Egyptian cultural consciousness: balance.

All Egyptian art is based on perfect balance

because it reflects the ideal world of the gods. The
same way these gods provided all good gifts for
humanity, so the artwork was imagined and
created to provide a use.
OLD KINGDOM
Third millennium BCE
Best known for the large number of pyramids
constructed at this time as pharaonic burial
places
Under the reign of King Djoser, new era of
building was initiated at Saqqara
King Djoser’s architect, Imhotep, is credited with
the development of building with stone and with
the conception of the new architectural form
Frequently referred to as “the Age of the
Pyramids.”

- Djoser pyramid: Step pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, Egypt.

MIDDLE
KINGDOM
Eleventh Dynasty to the end of the
Thirteenth Dynasty, between 2055 and 1650
BCE
The funerary cult of Osiris rose to dominate
Egyptian popular religion

- Osiris: The gods Osiris, Anubis, and Horus, from a tomb

painting.
NEW KINGDOM
“Egyptian Empire”
Between the sixteenth century and the
eleventh century BCE
Covers Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and
Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt
Period of Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun, Ramses
II, and other famous pharaohs.
Most prosperous time and marked the peak
of its power
Proliferation of monumental architecture for
pharaohs

- Painted walls in the burial chamber of Tutankhamun’s

tomb, Valley of the Kings, Egypt (late 14th century BCE)
POWER OF
PHARAOH
Great as they were as a civilization, Egypt had
specific This early Egyptian art shows Menes a
legendary ruler on a carved slate slab with his
arm raised, holding a club, about to crush an
enemy. Belief in an ultimate power of a pharaoh
formed the foundation of belief in Egypt
 02

PRINCIPLES
AND
FUNCTION
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Principles of
Egyptian Art
SCHAEFER’S PRINCIPLE
Johann Heinrich Schaefer (1868-1957)
German egyptologist, art historian,
archaeologist
Principles of Egyptian Art (1919)

DIANNE DE GUZMAN
 Principles of
Egyptian Art
A. OBJECT-CENTEREDNESS
geradvorstellig
”aspective” (Myron Barnstone)
opposite of perspective

Egyptian Wall Painting

in the New Kingdom
 Principles of
Egyptian Art
B. ELEMENTS
Do not mean “figures” but as individual
components that make up it
Not seen up front
Book of the Dead Nakht
 Principles of
Egyptian Art

C. ABSENCE OF SHADOWS
Egyptian paintings knows no shadows
Accidental partial nature of single viewpoint

Detail of the Offering Scene

 Principles of
Egyptian Art
D. SIZE
Not according to space
Gives emphasis to hierarchy and
importance
Hunting in the Marshes
 Principles of
Egyptian Art
E. REGISTERED LINES
Devices for ordering ‘lateral’ space of the wall
Used to organize figures across that space
Not ‘grounds’

Reconstruction drawing
by C. Thorne and R.B. Parkinson

Details
 Functions of
Egyptian Art
1. TO GLORIFY GODS AND
GODDESSES

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

 Functions of
Egyptian Art
2. TO ASSERT, PROPAGANDIZE,
AND PRESERVE VALUES
Tutankhamun in battle armed with
a bow riding a chariot, detail from
a painted casket from the Tomb of King Tut

 03

EGYPTIAN
ARCHITECTURE

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Egyptian A. ARCHITECTURE
Architecture Unbaked mud brick and stone
are the principal building
materials.

Ancient Egyptians would gather

mud from the banks of the river
Nile and chopped up bits of
dried grass or straw and then
mix them together.

ANGELIQUE ABARDO
TOMB OF
ARCHITECTURE
A place in which a corpse might be
protected from desecration and be provided
with material objects to ensure continued
existence after death.
Highly developed and often grandiose
Might be decorated with scenes that would
enable the individual to pursue magically an
afterlife suitable and similar to his or her
worldly existence.
Comprised two principal parts, the burial
chamber and the chapel
 ROYAL TOMB

Abydos, prominent sacred city and one

of the most important archaeological
sites of ancient Egypt.

TOMBS AT ABYDOS

Saqqara also spelled Sakkara or Saccara

in English, is an Egyptian village in Giza
Governorate, that's known for its vast,
ancient burial ground of Egyptian
SAQQARA TOMB
pharaohs and royals.
 The Step Pyramid of Djoser was the first
pyramid the Egyptians built.

STEP PYRAMID OF DSOJER

Pharaoh Khufu began the first Giza

pyramid project, circa 2550 B.C. His
Great Pyramid is the largest in Giza and
towers some 481 feet (147 meters) above
PYRAMID OF KHUFU
the plateau.
TEMPLE
ARCHITECTURE
Cult temples and funerary/ mortuary temples are
the two principal kinds of temples. Owed most
to the cult of the sun god: Re at Heliopolis
Temple
Architecture
NYUSERRE PYRAMID
The Pyramid of Nyuserre is a mid
25th century BC pyramid complex
built for the Egyptian pharaoh
Nyuserre Ini of the Fifth Dynasty.
Temple
Architecture
LUXOR TEMPLE
The Luxor Temple is a large
Ancient Egyptian temple complex
located on the east bank of the
Nile River in the city today known
as Luxor and was constructed
approximately 1400 BCE.
Temple
Architecture
TEMPLE OF SETI I
Most interesting and unusual cult
temple
Built at Abydos during the 19th
century
Dedicated to Osiris
Contains 7 chapels dedicated to
different deities, including Seti
himself
Have well-preserved barrel-ceilings
and are decorated with low-relief
scenes
Temple
Architecture
TEMPLE OF RAMSES II
Most remarkable monument of
Ramses II, the great builder, is
undoubtedly the temple of Abu
Simbel
Composed of colossal seated
statues emerging from the facade,
which is the cliff face; a pillared
hall followed by a second leading
to a vestibule; and a shrine with
four statues of divinities
 An approach avenue of sphinxes leading to
the great double-towered pylon entrance

NECESSARY fitted with flagpoles and pennants

before the pylon a pair of obelisks and

ELEMENTS OF colossal statues of the king

within the pylon a court leading to a pillared

EGYPTIAN hall, the hypostyle, beyond which might

come a further, smaller hall where offerings

TEMPLE could be prepared

and, at the heart of the temple, the shrine for
the cult image
Funenary
Temple
Most are built along the desert
edge in western Thebes.

HATSHEPSUT
TEMPLE
Designed and built by her steward
Senenmut. Located near the tomb of
Mentuhotep II at Dayr al-Baḥrī.
Funenary
Temple
RAMSES III'S
FUNENARY TEMPLE
Located at at Madīnat Habu
contains the best-preserved of
Theban mortuary chapels and
shrines
the mural decorations on the outer
walls of funerary temples, dealt
mainly with the military campaigns
of the king, while the inner scenes
were mostly of ritual significance
DOMESTIC
ARCHITECTURE
Mud brick and wood were the standard
materials for houses and palaces throughout the
Dynastic period; stone was used occasionally for
such architectural elements as doorjambs,
lintels, column bases, and windows.
Domestic
Architecture
DAYR AL-MADĪNAH
Domestic
Architecture
VILLAS IN
AKHENATEN'S CITY

- Tell el-Amarna
 04

EGYPTIAN
SCULPTURE

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 Sculpture
THE ANCIENT
EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE
The ancient Egyptians made sculptures of
varying sizes from a variety of materials.
Egyptian sculptures tended to be made
within strict parameters.
Sculptors didn’t place their names on their
works.

MARIA MICA VILLAMAR

Famous
Sculpture

GREAT SPHINX OF
GIZA
Famous
Sculpture

THE COLOSSI OF
MEMNON
Famous
Sculpture

RAMSES THE GREAT

ANCIENT
Large sculptures were usually carved from
sandstone.

EGYPTIAN
Some of the most beautiful small
Egyptian sculptures are made of

SCULPTURE anorthosite gneiss.

Sculptures made of copper, bronze and

MATERIALS other metals were cast using the lost wax

method.
RELIEF
STRUCTURE AND
PAINTING
Relief sculpture is a complex art form that
combines many features of the two-dimensional
pictorial arts and the three-dimensional
sculptural arts.
Relief
Sculpture

TEMPLE OF KOM
OMBO
EGYPTIAN
PAINTING
Egyptian civilization was highly religious.
Thus most Egyptian artworks involve the
depiction of many gods and goddesses - of
whom the Pharaoh was one.
The use of colour in Egyptian paintings was
also regulated and used symbolically.
Egyptian artists used six colors in their
paintings: red, green, blue, yellow, white and
black.
 RAMESSES THE GREAT
BATTLE OF DAPUR

THE FUNERARY

Pyramid of Khufu
 05

PLASTIC &
APPLIED ARTS

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 Plastic Arts
Came from the word
“Plasticize" meaning "to
mould“
An art form that involves
modelling or moulding solid
objects with three-
dimensional effects, such as
sculpture and ceramics
pottery

ANNA CARMELA NUÑEZ

P L A S T I C A R TS

POTTERY FAIENCE GLASS

Pottery
Ancient Egypt

Also called "ceramics" or "ceramic

art"
Creation of objects made with
clay and hardened with heat.
Served as household wares for the
storage, preparation, transport,
and consumption of food, drink,
and raw materials.
Other types of pottery served as
grave goods
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN POTTERY

Materials

Nile Clay Marl Clay

Cream or white
Red or brown colour
( usually polished to
after heating
give a lustrous look )
 Production
1. SELECTION OF MATERIAL
NILE CLAY - HOUSEHOLD CROCKERY,
CONTAINERS, FOR RITUAL USE
MARL CLAY - STORAGE, PRESTIGE
OBJECTS WORKING
AND
2. GATHERING OF CLAY KNEADING
THE CLAY, IN
IRRIGATION CANALS
AN IMAGE IN
3. PREPARATION OF CLAY A TOMB IN
BENI HASAN
DRIED FROM THE
CRUSHED MIDDLE
KINGDOM
WATERED (TOMB OF
KNEADED BAKET III.)
 Production
4. SHAPING
BY HAND
BY HAND THEN WITH A TURNING
DEVICE
SHAPING ON A WHEEL

5. SURFACE TREATMENT
POLISHED BY RUBBING
POLISHED BY BURNISH

6. DRYING
7. FIRING
KILN
Egyptian Pottery originally made for functional reasons rather
than for decorative purposes.

AMPHORA PITHOS
Most common and Huge tub, cask, or vase
useful vessel Used in the household
Made in all sizes cellar
3 inches to 3 or 4 feet Usually 6 feet in diameter
in height
Holds liquids or basic
commodities
Egyptian Pottery The later artistic Egyptian pottery became
more decorative and siliceous

FIGURAL VESSELS
CANOPIC JAR
Figural
Storage to preserve
representations
viscera for the afterlife
of either animal
Stomach, intestines,
or human
lungs, and liver
For ritual
Hapi, Duamutef,
purposes
Imsety, and
Qebehsenuef
Faience
Ancient Egypt

Term "faience" is a misnomer

A ceramic material with a
siliceous body and a brightly
colored glaze.
Commonly blue or green in
colour
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FAIENCE

Dynastic Period

Animal and human

figurines
Most striking is the
hiippopotamus figure
Faience tile (wall decor)
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FAIENCE

Late Period

Faience art was

highly developed
Amulets and
divine figurines
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FAIENCE

New Kingdon

Complete mastery the

technique
ushabti - stand in for the
dead
Faience tile with floral
design
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FAIENCE

Other creations

Simple beads,
amulets, and other
jewelry components
was-scepter (a symbol
of divine power)
Glass
Ancient Egypt

Glass were in the form of Glaze

Not used independently until 18th dynasty
Used for small amulets, beads, inlay, and
vessels
Opaque and usually blue, but other
colours were also present
A symbol of luxury
The use was discontinued after the 19th
century but was revived for the use of
inlays
 GLASS

BEADS & AMULET VESSEL INLAYS

Applied Arts JEWELRY
Egyptian jewelry was rich in gold, which was
utilized for settings, cloisonné work, chains,
and solid and hollow beads.
Precious stones were not used, but a wide
range of semiprecious stones was exploited:
carnelian, amethyst, garnet, red and yellow
jasper, lapis lazuli, feldspar, turquoise, agate.
Additional colours and textures were
provided by faience and glass.

JAMIE BAYOCOT
JEWELRY
Ancient Egypt

The concept of symmetry was utilized

in the small pectoral or pendant (3.3 ×
2.4 inches [8.4 × 6.1 cm]) that
belonged to Sesostris III in the 12th
dynasty (1938–1756 BCE).
Necklace beads are usually made of
gold, stones, or glazed ceramic.
JEWELRY
Ancient Egypt

They are cylindrical, spherical, or in the

shape of spindles or disks, and are
almost always arranged in numerous
rows in alternating colors and forms.
Menat was the exclusive attribute
of divinity and was therefore worn
only by the pharaohs.
Usekh is much more widely used
throughout the whole period. It has
many rows and is semicircular in
form.
JEWELRY
Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian jewelers had a fine

eye for colour and an excellent sense
of design.
Earliest Dynasty: bracelets from the
tomb of King Djer at Abydos
4th Dynasty: the armlets of Queen
Hetepheres
Gold Inlaid bracelet buried with
Queen Ahhotep of the early 18th
dynasty
JEWELRY
Ancient Egypt

18th Dynasty: First sign of outside influence.

Earrings which are imported jewels, unknown in classical Egyptian
production.
Headdress that covered nearly all of the hair, made of a network of
rosette-shaped gold disks forming a real fabric.
Foreign influence increased to an ever greater extent during the last
dynasties and with the arrival of the Greeks.
Applied Arts COPPER AND
BRONZE
Metalworking techniques were most likely
brought to Egypt from the Middle East at an
early date.
Copper was the most prevalent metal at first,
but by the late third millennium, it had been
alloyed with tin and used as bronze.
Egyptian metalworkers' craftsmanship was
evident in their fine bowls, jugs, and other
vessels from all periods and in statues and
statuettes of gods, kings, and ordinary people.
COPPER AND
BRONZE
Ancient Egypt

In the Late period many vessels were

produced by casting.
Huge situla, a vessel used for
carrying sacred liquids, is often
decorated with scenes and
inscriptions.
COPPER AND
BRONZE
Ancient Egypt

Life-size statue of Pepi I is the earliest

and largest metal figure from Egypt.
COPPER AND
BRONZE
Ancient Egypt

Large-scale bronze figure casting

peaked in the late New Kingdom and
continued until the 25th dynasty.
Figure of Karomama
Huge quantities of fine castings of
traditional holy figures and animals
were made throughout the Late
Period.
Gayer-Anderson cat
Applied Arts GOLD AND
SILVER
Egypt is a land rich in gold, and ancient
miners employing traditional methods were
thorough in their exploitation of economically
feasible sources.
Silver was used to fashion beads as early as
the Predynastic Period (ca. 4400–3100 B.C.)
and remained important for personal
ornaments and cult objects in Egypt through
Roman times.
GOLD
Ancient Egypt

Because gold was more readily

available than silver in ancient
Egypt, it was less valuable (until the
late New Kingdom).
Gold was lavishly used for many Gold-plated and gold-inlaid furniture of Queen
decorative purposes as thin sheet, Hetepheres of 4th-dynasty

leaf, and inlay, in funerary

equipment, and for vessels and
furniture.
Falcon head of a cult statue of 6th-dynasty date
from Hierakonpolis
SILVER
In a hoard of precious vessels found at
Bubastis and dated to the 19th
dynasty, there were three silver pieces
Massive silver coffins and several
of exceptional interest. number of vessels in the royal
burials at Tanis

Jug with a golden

goat-shaped handle
Applied Arts WOOD
Ancient Egyptian woodworkers are great in
wooden sculptures but they excelled in
cabinetmaking.
Chairs, tables, stools, beds, and chests
found in Tutankhamun’s tomb
Techniques of inlay, veneering, and marquetry
are mastered.
Fine furniture was produced in very early
Furniture from the secondary times.
burial of Hetepheres
WOOD
Ancient Egypt

Egyptian woodworker created

charming and delicate products
Toilet spoons and containers in the
form of graceful swimming girls, lute
players in the marshes, and fishes and
animals
The most extreme and remarkable is
the great boat, Khufu Ship. It is more
than 140 feet (43 metres) long and
was found in a trench by the side of
the Great Pyramid
Applied Arts IVORY
The Egyptians incised pictures on flat slabs of
ivory, and sometime after 3000 BCE they
introduced the technique of relief carving.
Later Egyptian ivory work, most of it of
excellent quality, is primarily decorative in
nature, featuring in handles, spoons, and
casket and furniture inlays.
Tutankhamun's tomb contained many great
examples of ivory use, ranging from basic
geometric marquetry patterns to box panels
carved with finely detailed depictions of the
monarch and his queen.
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