A Level History references

Egyptian Art 3200-1070 BC

What were the key characteristics?

The uniformity of Egyptian art is the result of a precise grid system that craftsmen employed, and the work
would be created communally, where masters would be responsible for highly detailed work, and apprentices
would be left the routine. The art was made ‘conceptually’ as opposed to ‘perceptually’ where importance was
placed on the representation of an object, and techniques such as foreshortening or emphasis on light and
shadow would take away from the purpose of the work.

Egyptian alabaster (calcium carbonate or properly cal- cite or travertine) is a soft stone that was favored through- out Egyptian history for its
color and for the fact that it could be polished to a high gloss. Alabaster was avail able in a wide variety of colors, from bright white to
yellow and even nearly to green, usually with contrasting bands of white. Found mainly in Egypt's Eastern Desert, alabaster was used for
large-scale architectural features (floors, columns, walls, shrines), statues and ste lae, and small objects. The material was worked with
copper chisels, saws, and drills, and it was smoothed with pebbles and possibly scraps of leather. The work- manship of alabaster vessels
shows great variation. While the walls of some vessels are so thin as to be translucent,

In the Twenty-Second Dynasty (c. 945 B.C.), the use of form-fitting cartonnage shells made of
linen or papyrus impregnated with gum came into fashion

How was public reception towards this movement?

Because art at the time was purely functional, art during this time was commissioned exclusively by and for
high ranking priests, royals, and military commanders.
What was the philosophy of the movement?

The art made during this period was functional. Ancient Egyptian was formed around a concept of harmony
(‘ma’at’) .Virtually all examples of two-dimensional work-whether wall painting or carved related in some
way to religious beliefs pertaining to Egyptian mortuary cults or to the veneration of the gods and kings. The
belief in the potency of art dictated the mere representation of foodstuffs within the tomb was capable of
sustaining the soul of the deceased in the afterlife. The image of an individual, carved in imperish- able stone
and incised with names and titles, served to perpetuate that person among the living for eternity. Very few
examples of Egyptian art existed for purely aesthetic reasons.

The human figures in Egyptian art exist to aid the dead into the afterlife by portraying them in their ideal
eternal form, youthful, healthy, slim. Art had a transformative religious power to the ancient Egyptians,
completely irrelevant to aestheticism, or beauty.

The Western conception of equating change with positive progress was unknown in ancient Egypt. On the
contrary, the Egyptians believed that the condition of the world was perfect at the time of creation and that
earlier styles were to be carefully preserved and emulated. This innate conservatism ran deep in the Egyptian
psyche. Rituals and beliefs that the art served, such as the belief that rebirth was dependent upon the
preservation of a Valley, were firmly established at recognizable as being of Egyptian origin. Since art served
the needs of stable religious beliefs, the themes and forms of Egyptian art were particularly resistant to change.
What was going on contextually that influenced the art?
 Faience was sintered-quartz ceramic with surface vitrification, used to
create relatively cheap small objects in many colors. Glass was originally a
luxury item but became more common, and was used to make small jars,
for perfume and other liquids, to be placed in tombs. Carvings  of vases,
amulets, and images of deities and animals were made of steatite. Pottery
was sometimes covered with enamel, particularly in the color blue.
 Papyrus was used for writing and painting, and and was used to record
every aspect of Egyptian life.
 Architects carefully planned buildings, aligning them with astronomically
significant events, such as solstices and equinoxes. They used mainly sun-
baked mud brick, limestone, sandstone, and granite.
 The Amarna period (1353-1336 BCE) represents an interruption in ancient
Egyptian art style, subjects were represented more realistically, and scenes
included portrayals of affection among the royal family.

What are my opinions on the movement?

Cool shite with the importance of art beyond aesthetics, that’s quite nice I think, I could
definitely talk about that. But like also, you can’t really be interested in AE art, it’s more about
the culture and the feeling n stuff like that yanno. Not the same really otherwise.

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https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-arthistory/chapter/persia/
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/acha/hd_acha.htm
https://www.iranchamber.com/art/articles/art_of_achaemenids.php