Transcript Unit2-Egypt-F15_dec15

Unit Two:
Ancient & Classical Art
Developed by Cynthia Millis and Lisa Wildermuth
for Online Model ARTS 1303 Course - 2015
Egypt
Please study the related Map and Timeline in the required text.
Chronology
• Predynastic
3500 – 3150 BCE
• Archaic
(a.k.a. Early Dynastic)
3150 – 2680 BCE
• Old Kingdom
2680 – 2190 BCE
• First Intermediate
2190 – 2040 BCE
• Middle Kingdom
2040 – 1780 BCE
• Second Intermediate
1780 – 1560 BCE
• New Kingdom
1560 – 1070 BCE
• Third Intermediate
(a.k.a. Late Period)
1070 – 332 BCE
• Ptolemaic
332 – 30 BCE
Egypt was one of the most stable of the ancient cultures. This was in large part
due to the Nile River. Its predictability and capacity to deliver rich soil each flood
season ensured the Egyptians plentiful crops.
However, the incredible green growth along the Nile stood in sharp contrast to the
desert and mountains just beyond the water’s reach. That contrast was not lost on
the Egyptians who revered nature’s power.
The Ancient Egyptians practiced
>polytheism
Their religion had a huge pantheon. Each god or goddess was charged with a
specific duty and was shown in a very specific way in Egyptian art (exemplified here).
Using the text, how many of the figures can you identify in this scene from a Book of
the Dead?
>Book of the Dead
>papyrus
>scrolls
In addition to their pantheon, the Egyptians also believed in an afterlife and the use
of objects from this life in that afterlife. Tombs were very important and were filled
with images of usable objects (and the objects themselves). The Egyptians believed
it was crucial that one’s body be used to enjoy all of these objects in the afterlife.
>mummification
According to the Smithsonian, describe the process of mummification including
>canopic jars
We know so much about the Ancient Egyptians because they left behind their
written language known as ____________ . This language is pictographic, meaning
______________________________________. The scholar pictured below (right)
was credited with cracking the code - _________________. Discuss how the
scholar was able to use the object pictured below (left) to decipher the Ancient
Egyptian language.
Pre-Unification
Early in Ancient Egyptian history the civilization was divided into two countries
living next to one another. Each country had a different ruler, but seemed to
share cultural similarities. The two countries were known as _______ Egypt
and __________ Egypt.
Lower Egypt
Upper Egypt
• The Delta
• Marshland
• Plant symbol =
papyrus
• Animal symbol =
cobra
• Red crown
• Largest land area
• Mountains and
deserts
• Plant symbol = lotus
• Animal symbol =
vulture
• White crown
Even after unification took place, the symbols of the two geographic regions
play an important role in Egyptian art.
Can you identify the
symbolism on the
pharaoh’s throne?
How about on the
pharaoh’s forehead?
Archaic/
Early Dynastic
Once unified Egyptian rule took the form of
>pharaoh/pharaonic
>dynasty/dynastic
The Egyptians were great at documenting. It seems they recorded everything. Unification
was documented many times. One of the most famous art objects documenting the Egyptian
unification is the Palette of Narmer.
>palette
According to the text, how does the Palette of Narmer differ from most Ancient Egyptian
palettes?
It is not only an unusual palette, but a significant work of art in two ways.
1. Visual Documentation
documents the unification and reinforces that concept with visual symbols.
2. Visual Conventions
introduces us to visual conventions used throughout Ancient Egyptian art.
According to the text, describe the scenes and
symbols that tell us this object documents the
unification.
Discuss the visual conventions found on the
palette. Be sure to address
>registers
>Canon of Proportions
>hierarchic scale
>composite pose/view
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Because of the importance of tombs to the Egyptians, we will compare some through history.
Although burials occur from the beginning, we will start with the first type of complex
construction.
>mastaba(s)
>burial chamber
>chapel
>serdab
>ka statue
According to the Carnegie
Museum of Natural History,
what is a “ka” and why is it
so important?
Old Kingdom
As we enter the Old Kingdom Period, pharaohs are not satisfied with mastaba
burials. They want something more
>monumental =
Although for most wealthy Egyptians mastabas continue, for pharaohs we see the
evolution of the pyramid, from mastaba to step pyramid to true pyramid.
The first step in the evolution begins at the tomb complex of the pharaoh Djoser.
He hired the architect, ____________, and together they designed the complex.
Djoser’s Complex was a sensation! Pharaohs after him wanted their tomb complexes
to be bigger, better and their pyramids to be perfect.
So, the pharaohs after Djoser tried to achieve a perfect, smooth-sided, or “true”
pyramid. This took some trial and error (see a failed pyramid below).
Until finally, perfection was achieved at…
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Each of the three pyramid complexes belonged to a different pharaoh of the fourth
dynasty. Put the pharaohs’ pyramids in order according to age (oldest first):
1.
2.
3.
Using the drawing to assist you, point out
the main parts of each complex and their
function.
The complex of ________
includes a sculpture of the
pharaoh as a
>sphinx =
According to Dr. Bob Brier for
Archaeology, what are some of the
theories regarding the construction
of the Pyramids of Giza (Gizeh)?
Sculptures found at the pyramid complexes at Giza serve as excellent examples of
Old Kingdom Period pharaonic sculpture.
Discuss the characteristics of sculptures of pharaohs from the Old Kingdom Period.
Be sure to include the term
>idealized =
Khafre
Menkaure and Wife
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Here the sculpture on the right serves as a counterpoint to our pharaohs.
Sculptures of other individuals are markedly different from sculptures of pharaohs.
According to the text, how so?
Middle Kingdom
Sculptures of Senusret III illustrate the difference between Old Kingdom and Middle
Kingdom sculptures of pharaohs. Discuss the difference. Be sure to include the term
>realism =
What might be the reason(s)
for this difference? HINT:
What happened between the
end of the Old and beginning
of the Middle Kingdom
Periods?
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The standard Egyptian tomb-type shifted
from the mastaba to the _________ tomb
during the Middle Kingdom.
How were these tombs “constructed”?
The walls of these tombs were painted, usually with scenes from life on the
wealthy tomb-owner’s estate. Wooden models, also related to life on the estate,
were placed in these tombs. The tomb owners believed all things depicted (both
2 D and 3D) would be usable in the afterlife.
After searching the Met’s collection of Egyptian tomb models, list some of the
activities/objects the tomb owners wanted in their afterlife.
New Kingdom
This “new” time is considered the period of Empire in Ancient Egypt. Think about
other Empires we have or will be covering in this course (or even outside this
course). What constitutes an Empire?
One of the pharaohs from early in the New Kingdom credited with building the Empire
was Hatshepsut. Using the text and article from Smithsonian Magazine,
How did she come to occupy the throne of Egypt,
to become the pharaoh?
How was she portrayed in art and why?
Hatshepsut undertook a huge building campaign during her reign. The crown jewel
of that campaign was her Funerary Temple. Although the temple itself is unique,
she followed the burial trend of the New Kingdom. Pharaohs were buried
underground in tombs with hidden entrances in the Valley of the Kings. Then built
their temples geographically separate from their tombs. According to National
Geographic why?
If we look at typical New Kingdom temples, that of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri
becomes even more striking. Using Digital Karnak by UCLA define this selection
of architectural terms relating to New Kingdom temples:
>obelisk
>pylon
>peristyle court
>hypostyle hall
>sanctuary
Based on your definitions, what can you identify in these
images?
An interesting interlude during the New Kingdom Period
comes during the reign of Akhenaten. After reading the
text and the article from the BBC, what religious reforms
did this pharaoh undertake?
Discuss his new political capital.
How is art from the Amarna Period different from the rest
of Ancient Egyptian art?
Akhenaten had many important women in his life including his mother, wives and
daughters. Using the Berlin Museum site in the notes below and the Time
Magazine article become acquainted with Akhenaten’s family.
Who is this? How is she related to Akhenaten?
Where does this statue and the statue on the
next slide reside? What is the controversy
surrounding this?
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Tutankhamen is credited with restoring Ancient Egypt’s religious traditions after
the brief Amarna experiment. However, he is most famous for his tomb! Using
this New York Times article published in 1923 and a GWS, describe the
circumstances of the tomb’s discovery and a brief inventory of the items found in
the tomb.
“Yes, wonderful things.”
Quote from the modern discoverer of the tomb, ____ ______.
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