Cloe Lobdell

11/20/14
HUM

Egypt: A Great World of Art

Egyptian art has a wide variety of symbolism behind their art, but none of it is
made without meaning. Ancient egyptian art comes in many forms, and most are
specifically unique to egypt. MAny of egyptian art was not meant to be seen. Painting
and pottery, two of the biggest form of egyptian art, were not created to marvel in their
beauty, they served a purpose, to worship and protect.

Because the ancient egyptian civilization had a very religious nature, most of the
art depicted gods, goddesses, or pharaohs who were considered divine along with
gods. Their art is considered very orderly, because of the use of clear lines, simple
shapes, and the use of flat, one shade colors. They used vertical and horizontal lines to
give correct proportions to the work.These characteristics gave the art order and
balance. Their form of painting was very simplistic, they did not use perspective. The
people were sized based on importance. for instance, a pharaoh would be bigger than a
servant, and a greater god would be bigger than a lesser god, and so on. Animals
played a huge role not only in egyptian society, but in the art. Egy has such a dry
climate that many of the colors used in all forms of art has survived very well. But these
colors are very important. Blue and green represented the nile and life, yellow represent
the sun god, and red represented power and vitality. Prtists in ancient egypt very very

attention detailed and had a good foundation of the human anatomy, for most figures
look very realistic.

Painting played a huge role in the culture and beliefs of ancient egyptians. Most
paintings created were associated with death. They covered tombs with painting of
spells from the book of the dead and deities, to keep the deceased safe. Dietise armed
with knives and snakes, and spells to drive away evil incest and animals, the tombs
were filled with protection in the form of paintings different hieroglyphics were painted
on or in the tombs, as well as on papyrus scrolls, these were meant to give the dead the
knowledge needed to travel safely through the afterlife. Many of the drawings and
writings found in hieroglyphs, originate from the book of the dead. Most include people
doing everyday activities, or worshiping a god or person of high power. These came
from the tomb, honoring a life, or giving power and luck to the soul. The egyptian
funerary art served more than one purpose. Not only did much of it protect the body
from evil, it was used to document their life. Portraits of the dead were painted, as well
as some aspects of their life. These drawings were used for protection, honoring, and
also provided a place for his ka, the mysterious entity that gave an important part of the
personality.

Forms of three dimensional art were also very important to egyptian culture.
Sculptors used a variety of materials; clay, wood, metal, ivory, but most commonly,
stone, due to its durability and access. Many of these statutes were also painted with
vibrant colors to represent different characteristics or elements. The most common
statutes included Phaos, deities, and animals. Sculpture also played a huge part in the

afterlife. Statues of slaves, animals and other tools and things necessary to survive in
the afterlife were placed in tombs. Small statues of deities and protective animals were
also created to help guide someone in the afterlife, just like many of the paintings.
Egyptian artists were among the first to cover sculptures, especially pottery with
enamel. Pottery also played a big role in funerals. many pots and vases symbolized part
of the human body, the heart, lungs, intestines, and some actually contained the organs
when buried. Pots were created for everyday use, and burial. Many of them had
decorations, which again were to help the dead, or if they weren't used as funerary art,
they sometimes depicted everyday life on the nile, or a god or goddess. MAinly,if they
were used for burial, they used canopic jars; special jars made of stone or pottery for
storing the innards of the dead. There were a specific jar for each organ, they weren't all
just put in one. Later on the lids of these became shaped like god and goddesses;
horus, with the head of an eagle, or anubis, with the head of a jackal. these were
created to protect and preserve the person, not only in body, but in mind.

Much of egyptian art was used either to worship someone of high power; god or
pharaoh, as a temple offering, or to help protect and guide the dead. As it may seem, all
egyptian art was used for burial, but not all of it. Some was used to worship deities and
people of high power, and some just for everyday use, such as pots. In ancient egypt,
death was a huge part in their daily life and society. egypt's greatest achievements, the
pyramids, are said to have been built as tombs, I still think the aliens built them as a
warning sign, but i'm no historian. Paintings and hieroglyphics were used to help
protect, guide and remember those who have died. Sculpture was used to worship gods
and pharaohs and also guide and protect the dead by placing a statue of a god with

them in the tomb. Pottery was used for everyday essential, or to preserve the vitals of
the deceased. Egyptians didn't create art for aesthetic pleasure, but for purpose. No art
was created without purpose and symbolism. That is what makes egyptian art so
unique, they had a purpose. Also their style was so clean, simplistic and balanced, that
even though they didn't create art to look at, the art found is very pretty and again, very
balanced. No other society ever, created art this simplistic and for reason, not to
impress or intimidate insurers, but for their given purpose, and only that.