egypt art

1. Predynastic period
• Significant political and social transition were highlighted during that period as well as
the mighty rulers took over the weaker. There were larger states or chiefdom in the
Nile Valley. Later on the centralized leadership was emerged and subjects expected the
protection from their ruler. Moving on to the Predynastic art, it consists of different
types of works of art.
Early Dynastic Egypt(C.2950-2575BCE)
• During the early Dynastic Period, Egypt became a consolidated state and its art
developed ideas about kingship and the cosmic order which often could be seen in
temples and tombs. Moreover religious beliefs led to the content of most Egyptian
works of art during this period.
The god-kings
• Egyptians believed in eternal life and they believed that gods were disguised in a
human form to serve as a king. Then the kings built temples for gods and were
maintained by priests. During that period the gods were depicted in various forms.
The artistic convention
• Convention is the way of representing things which was accepted by artists or patron
during a particular time and a place and Egyptians followed conceptual principles in
order to depict works of art. But lately designs and proportions were created with
development of mathematics.
NARMER PALETTE
• The Namer Palette was found in the temple of Horus and it was carved during the reign
of powerful king Namer who ruled Upper Egypt. The artist has used the space of the
palette perfectly in order to bring a meaningful content such as unification of Egypt
under ruler Narmer. Also some carved symbols together symbolized messages and
meanings. The most significant quality of Egyptian art is their most portraits of royal
members were portrayed in profile view whereas eyes are in frontal view.

2. Funerary architecture
Egyptians believed that, the soul or life force of every human is very important and in Egypt,
the soul was called the “ka” which was lived after the death and also it continued the
former existed activities even in the afterlife. Furthermore, Mummified body of deceased
or a substitute, a sculpted affinity in a form of statue were sheltered the ka and also they
developed funerary practices in order to make sure that their deceased had a safe, effective
eternal life.
Mastaba and Necropolis
• Mastaba provided a home for the afterlife (Ka) and it was the primary structure where
kings and royal members were buried. In addition, Its overall structure is a low, solid,
rectangular burial structure made out of mud bricks with an external niche for the
purpose of offering. Moreover, The Serdab is a small sealed room (inside the Mastaba)
to place the ka statue of deceased. A chapel is built (to receive offerings). The Mastaba
is connected to the underground burial chamber, therefore the remains of ka of
deceased can repose in the coffin which was placed in a sarcophagus (inside the burial
chamber) Often mastabas were built in a necropolis (a city of the dead), it is at edge of
the desert (where the direction of setting sun laid) located in the bank of the Nile and
Saqqara and Giza are the two most famous.
DJoser’s Complex at Saqqara
 The tomb complex of Third- Dynasty king Djoser and he was accredited the oldest
monumental architecture in Egypt. Furthermore, Imhoptep ( Djoser’s prime minister )
is the architect and his name is inscribed together with King’s name on base of the
statue of the king and he built a step pyramid which include six mastabas.
THE OLD KINGDOM (C.2575-2150BCE)
• , The social political stability can be seen during the Old Kingdom and the Upper
level government officials also became the patrons of the art.

3. The Great Pyramids at Giza.
• The three great pyramid tombs at Gizza are the most famous pyramids which were
built by three powerful Fourth Dynasty kings named Khufu , Khafre, Menkure and
among those the oldest and the largest one was Khufu while the Menkure
considered to be the smallest. Rituals were followed before buried the body in the
pyramids. Also some strategies were used against Tomb robbers.
Constructing the pyramids
• Building a pyramid is a grave commission and each cut stone block weighning of 2,5
ton and they were transported by team of workers.
Khafre’s Comlplex
• This is known to be the best preserved funerary complex. It’s famous for the Great
Sphinx that sits behind the Kafre’s valley temple.His head is combined with the long
body of a crouching lion. During this period architects have used lots of techniques
when constructing colossal buildings
Menkaure and a Queen (sculp)
• A sleek double portrait of Khafre’s heir Menkaure and a queen which emphasize
dignity, calm and permanence and it was discovered in Menkaure’s valley temple
Seated Scribe (sculp)
• Existed in early fifth Dynasty and discovered near the tomb of a government official
named Kai whom could be portrayed. This portrait reflects the assumed qualities of
a scribe in early Egypt.
Pictorial Relief in Tombs (Sculpture)
• The interior walls of tombs of men of means were decorated with paintings and
reliefs to ensure that the ka was provided with a pleasant place to live its afterlife.
Those paintings and reliefs carried religious meanings, deceased’s life style or
ceremonial events represent the importance of deceased.
The Tomb of Tai
Tai was a wealthy Fifth government official and the painted relief on wall of his
tomb shows him watching a hippopotamus hunt which was an official royal duty.
Moreover, the subject matter which conveys through this painted relief is the
triumph of good over evil. All in all, the artist has used many Egyptian
representational conventions.

4. THE MIDDLE KINGDOM (C.1975-C.1640 BCE)
With the end of Old kingdom under exhaustion, the political agitation, warfare and
instability of Egypt welcomed the intermediate period with opened arms and
Mentuhotep (a series of kings from Eleventh Dynasty) gained the power in Thebes
and Nebheoetre Mentuhotep is one of the powerful kings who reunited country as
well as he found the Middle kingdom. The Twelfth Dynasty could flourished the art
and writing during this period. However, their stability was secured until foreign
invaders weaken the thirteenth Dynasty.
Portraits of Senusret 3
Senusrest 3 is a dynamic king and a successful general of the Twelfth Dynasty. His
portrait portrays lack of emotions and preoccupied monarch. All in all Portrait of
Sensuret 3 portrayed a bold image of a firm ruler.
Rock-cut Tombs (Architecture)
The nobility and high-level officials of Eleventh and Twelfth Dynasties owned tomb
which hollow out of the face of a cliff (Rock-cut tombs) which typically included a
portico (projecting porch), a main hall, and a shrine with burial chamber. A
necropolis which located in Beni Hazen is very impressive.
Funerary Stelae (sculpture)
The tomb of the sculpture Userwer represents three levels of decorations. The
Stele of Userwer shows that the system of canonical figure proportion was
established in the Middle Kingdom. Stele of Amenemhat is a modest stele which
was a vibrantly painted relief. This painted relief conveys the theme (subject
matter) of family unity.
Town Planning
The town, Kahun was built by Senusret 2. On his plan parallel streets were laid out
on a grid and they have used mud brick to construct dwellings.
THE NEW KINGDOM (C.1539-1075BCE)
During the 2nd intermediate period taking advantage of weakened Egyptian state Hyksos
took control of lower and parts of Upper Egypt. But later on Eighteenth Dynasty
regained the control. Thutmose 3 abled to strengthen his kingdom and he was the first
“pharaoh”

5. The Great Temple Complexes. (TEMPLES)
During the New Kingdom Thebens worshiped triad of deities ( Amun , Mut and Khons).
Temples were erected to glorify kings themselves.
The New kingdom Temple Plan
Egyptian temples took a form of a house and later on the plan were developed. A pylon
at the gateway and a peristyle court (surrounded by columns) , Hypostyle hall ( a vast
hall filled with columns) were some elements included in the temple plan of New
Kingdom.
Karnak
It was a significant sacred site where the complex of Great Temple of Amun was
expanded and renovated by kings during the New Kingdom. Kings of Nineteenth
Dynasty renovated this area.
The Great Hall at Karnak
A colossal hypostyle hall located between two pylons at the end of the main forcourt
which was erected by Sety 1 and his son Ramses 2(Nineteenth Dynasty). “The Temple
of the Spirit of Sety,Beloved in the House of Amun” was another name given to this.
The architect has used successful techniques to construct the Great Hall.
HATSHEPSUT
The first women ruler of the Egypt and was the daughter of Thutemose 1. Priest of
Amun declared her as a king. Later her funerary temple was located at Deir el-Bahri. In
the temple a colonnade (a row of columns supporting a series of arches) could be seen.
THE TOMB OF RAMOSE (tomb paintings)
The wall of the Tomb was painted or with shallow pictorial relief carvings.it shows the
celebration of the accomplishments, affiliations of Ramose and his wife Mertyptah.
The Akenaten and the Art of Amarna period
Religion power struggle during reign of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) led to sharp decline
and he was reputed to be first monotheist ruler as he introduced worship of the sun
disc.

6. The New Amarna Style
He did radical changes to traditional royal artistic conversation. The content and the
formal element were often used redoubtably in portraits. The lime stone relief of
Akhenaten and his Family‘s content was the Pharaoh’s super-human sovereignty.
The Return to the Tradition: Tutenkhamen and Ramses 2
Turankhamen returned to worship of Amun. Tutenkamun died young and buried in the
Valley of Kings.
Tutenkhamun’s Tomb
The mummified body was laid inside three coffins that identified him with Osiris. The
innermost coffin is made out of gold.
Ramses2
He built temple of Yahweh and his and queen Nefertari’s tombs are in the Valley of
Kings. Walls of Neferti’s coverd with paintings. The artist was managed to get the use of
formal element as well as the attributes of color. (Hue, saturation, value)
THE THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD (c.1075-715)
Transition period with separate dynasties in Upper, Lower, and central Egypt.
Karomama , a divine consort of Amun and the granddaughter of king Osorkan was
carved to a sculpture using the medium of bronze.
Late Egyptian Art (C.715-332BCE.)
With the influence of other countries, especially Rome, the traditional Egyptian
conventional art convert into a combination of Greco- Roman Egyptian Art.
Furthermore the mummies become “soft Sculpture”

7. Egyptian Temples
The ancient Egyptians believed that temples were the homes of the gods
and goddesses. Every temple was dedicatedtoagod or goddess and he or
she was worshipped there by the temple priests and the pharaoh. The
large temple buildings were made of stone so that they would last
forever. Their walls were covered with scenes that were carved onto the
stone thenbrightly painted. These scenes showed the pharaoh fighting in
battles and performing rituals with the gods and goddesses
There were six main parts to ancient Egyptian temples built during the
New Kingdom period.
The pylon
The courtyard
The hypostyle hall
The second hall
The sanctuary
The sacred lake
One of the most mysterious places in ancient Egypt was the inside of a
temple. Temples were the homes of the gods and goddesses and very few
people were allowed to see the inside.

8. • The pylon was the large gate at the front of the temple. The walls of the
pylon were decorated with carved and painted scenes of the pharaoh,
gods and goddesses. Infront of the pylon were obelisks and large statues
of the pharaoh.
 The courtyard was a large open room without a roof. The outer wallsshowedscenesof the
pharaoh inbattle. The innerwalls showedthe pharaoh making offeringsto the gods and
goddesses.People were onlyallowedtoenter the temple courtyard on festival days.
 The wallsof the courtyard were decoratedwith carved and paintedscenes.This scene shows
a personwith a table of offeringsthat have beenbrought to the temple
 The hypostyle hall was a large room with columns.Most of the room was dark exceptfor the
centre aisle which was litby small windowscut intothe roof. This hall representeda marsh in
the beginningoftime.It was filledwithcolumnsthat lookedlike papyrus plants. In the dark
corners, the columns look like papyrus plants withclosedflowers.In the centre where the
lightshinedin, the columns look like papyrus plants bloominginthe sun. Scenesof religious
rituals were carved into the walls.Only the important priestsand the pharaoh were allowed
to enter the hypostyle hall. Thisroom wouldhave beenusedfor performingreligiousrituals.

9.  Hypostyle Hall , Plan of the GreatTemple of Amun,
Karnak,
NewKingdom, c. 1295-1186
