1. Egypt
Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom
Artist as Magician

2. New Vocabulary Ka
Palatte
Mastaba
Pylon

3. Civilization in Egypt organized earlier, but first organized in dynasties 3000 BC-the start of the old kingdom
Pharaoh was supreme ruler and a god- basis of all civilization and of artwork
Knowledge of civilization rest solely in tombs
Preoccupation with the cult of the dead (like Neolithic) but no fear of the spirits of the dead
Each person must provide for the happiness of his afterlife- would reproduce daily life in tombs for their Ka (spirit) to enjoy- blurring of line between life and death
Tomb was like afterlife insurance

4. King Narmer united upper and lower Egypt
Palette is first known work of historical art (as opposed to pre-historic)
Symbols include: Papyrus, falcon, bare feet, lower figures
Palette of King Narmer, c BC

5. Other Side-
appears barefoot again and marches to inspect decapitated enemies.
Pharoh is strong bull trampling enemy and knocking down a citadel- bulls tail is a part of pharoh garb for 3000 years
Center section does not convey a specific meaning
Both panels have a strong sense of order
Artist works for clarity first
Only 3 views- frontal, profile, from above
Strives to show pharaoh in most complete way- but this prevents any feeling of movement

6. Tomb Architecture-relates only to Pharaoh and high officials

7. Step Pyramid of Zoser, 2600 bc
Built on a mastaba, burial chamber deep underground with a shaft linking it to the pyramid, meant to serve as a great monument

8. Step Pyramid of King Zoser, 3rd Dynasty, 2600 bc
Part of a huge funerary district with temples and other buildings, scenes of religious celebration before and after death

9. Columns
Egyptian architecture began with mud bricks, wood, reeds- Imhotep (first artist whose name was part of recorded history) used cut stone masonry
style was similar to less enduring material- columns are always engaged rather than free-standing- just like bundles of reeds used to look like-
now columns had an expressive purpose rather than just functional
tapering fluted columns were designed for harmony and elegance, not just to hold things up
Papyrus columns are linked with lower Egypt

10. Great Pyramids at Giza, 4th Dynasty
Burial Chamber is in the center of the pyramid rather than underneath
Originally covered in smooth stone
Funerary district is much more organized than Zoser- surrounded by mastabas and smaller pyramids

11. The Great Sphinx, Pyramids at Giza
Next to pyramids (closest to Chefron)
65 feet tall
Damaged during Islamic times, but had features of Chefron
End of the period of huge scale monuments

12. Made of carved of extremely hard stone called diorite
Chefron from Giza
Made of carved of extremely hard stone called diorite
shows enthroned king with the falcon of the god Horus
Shows the artist’s cubic view of the human figure- created by drawing the front and side view of the figure on the block of stone and then working inward until the views met
figure is immobile and firm- the body is impersonal but the face has some individual traits

13. same height, provide a comparison of male and female beauty
Standing (common pose), both have left foot forward, yet they are not moving forward-
same height, provide a comparison of male and female beauty
Mycerinus and Queen

14. Women were always shown as lighter in color than men
Rahotep and Queen

15. Most poses were seated or standing- another pose added in the 4th century bc-
the scribe pose- cross-legged on the ground- scribe is a high court official- most scribes were sons of pharaohs. Alert expression in face, individualized torso- flabby and middle-aged
Old kingdom also invented the portrait bust- whether it was an abbreviated statue or had some greater significance(I.E. the Neolithic separating the head from the body) is unknown- shows skull and flesh
Seated Scribe

16. Tomb paintings (non-royal)- landscapes were popular
background is very active
Ti is much larger than others- shows importance
Ti isn’t engaging in activity- he’s watching- also shows importance
Action is going on after death- body does not respond, but the spirit appreciates the activity
Scenes are not nostalgic, they describe life cycle activities
Ti Watching a Hippo

17. The Middle Kingdom
Collapse of centralized pharaonic power at the end of the sixth dynasty= Egypt entered political disturbance for 700 years-
power by local overlords who revived rivalry of the north/south
after 12th century, invaded by Hyksos, of Asiatic origin and ruled for 150 years until 1570 BC
Portraiture- faces are troubled rather than serene- have self-awareness- very realistic physically and psychological-
Portrait of Sesostris

18. New Kingdom...
500 years following Hyksos- 18th-20th dynasties are a golden age of Egypt-
extended borders into Palestine and Syria –period known as the empire- tremendous architectural projects-centering on new capital, Thebes
divinity of kings now connected with god Amun who was fused with Ra (sun god) and was the ultimate deity- priests of Amun grew in wealth and in power and threatened power of pharaoh-
Amenhotep IV tried to gain more power by declaring the existence of only one god, the sun god Aten- changed his name to Akhenaten, closed the Amun temples, and moved the capital to central Egypt-
his attempts at monotheism did not outlast his reign ( BC)- country became based on priests until until taken over by Greek and Romans
New Kingdom art covers many styles

19. Built 1480 BC against rocky cliffs, dedicated to Amun-
linked by ramps and colonnades to a small chamber deep in the rock-
great example of architecture within natural setting- ramps echo shape of cliffs
Temple of Hatshepsut, 1480 BC

20. More imperial palaces built
Dedicated to Amun, supreme God
An example of the form of most New Kingdom Palaces
Entrance is a Pylon
Closed off by walls
Faces the Nile
Columns made much heavier than needed
Temple at Luxor, 1390 BC

21. How has the society’s vision of beauty changed?
How has style changed?
Mai and his Wife
How has the society’s vision of beauty changed?
Akhenaten- done 10 years later

22. Owes his fame to the undisturbed contents of his tomb!!