ancient egyptian art lesson

15
Ancient Egypt Art I

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A presentation meant to serve as an introduction to Ancient Egypt and its art. I use this lesson for Art I students.

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Page 1: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Ancient Egypt

Art I

Page 2: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Fertile Crescent-The first civilizations developed along the Fertile Crescent in an area called Mesopotamia. -This area is located on the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.Who Settled This Area??:-Before settling into civilizations, early humans were wanders who lived in tents. -Sometime before 4500 B.C., they settled in Sumer after their name:Sumerians What Did They Develop?-Agricultural communities with markets that eventually developed into towns.-Towns were built around high temples-Sumerians were highly gifted, creative people who tilled soil, built houses, and built irrigation systems and levees to

control flood waters. -Believed to have invented wheeled transportation and the potter’s wheel.-Often considered to be the first to develop a writing system: Cunieform (series of wedge shaped symbols/pictures

scratched into wet clay tablets)

Page 3: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

The Rise of Ancient Egypt-The fertile valley sits along the Nile River.-5000 B.C., it is believed that people from Western Asia settled this area-Over time, these people began to move away from hunting animals for food and began raising “farm” animals

-This is thanks to the fact that they did not have to move around any more.

-Settlements brought forth the growth of villages and towns, some of which grew so large that they took control of neighboring villages and towns. -This formed Kingdoms-As Prehistory came to a close, there were two kingdoms formed in Egypt: Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt

-Lower Egypt=fan shaped delta region at the mouth of the Nile-Upper Egypt=valley carved into the desert by the river

-This gave rise to the leadership of Pharaohs: ruler who governed with complete authority

Page 4: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Egypt

Page 5: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

The Decline of Ancient Egypt

-After thriving through three major periods of history (known as the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom), and many religious reformations, Egypt was made a province of Rome.

How did this happen??-332 B.C., Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered Egypt, ending the

New Kingdom.-30 B.C. Egypt was made a Province of Rome.

Page 6: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Art: Pyramids-Egyptians place a great deal of religious importance on the idea that the soul would be resurrected to live an

eternal life in the spirit world after death. -They also believed that the soul would eventually reunite with the body after death.

-It is for this reason that they worked so hard to preserve and protect that body after death. If the body were lost or destroyed, they believed that the soul would wander aimlessly all throughout eternity unable to find it.

-This prompted the development of Pyramids as tombs.

Page 7: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Evolution of the Pyramid Shape

-Started as hidden pits with sand and stone on the top. -Later, sun-dried bricks were used to build mastabas: low flat tomb

-These were rectangular with sloping sides, a chapel, and false burial chambers to deter bandits. -Then, mastabas were stacked on top of one another to form the step pyramid.-Finally, They were built without the steps and a point was added to the top-giving us the true

pyramid form.

Page 8: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Mastaba

Page 9: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Step Pyramid

Page 10: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Pyramid

Page 11: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Art: Sculpture

-Despite the precautions taken by the Egyptians to protect the body for the soul to return to, many bodies were still destroyed and/or lost when tombs were robbed for treasures.

-This prompted Egyptians to take up the practice of creating sculptures of pharaohs as a substitute vessel for the soul to enter. These were placed in the tomb, near the sarcophagus: a stone coffin

Page 12: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

The Great Sphinx

-Perhaps the most familiar sculpture of ancient Egypt.

-Carved on site from rock-Head of what is often

believed to be the pharaoh Khafre and the body of a reclining lion.

-65 feet in height

Page 13: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Akhenaton and Queen NefertitiNote the realism of these two portraits:

Page 14: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Paintings-Painting were done on the walls of

the tombs-They were included in most all

wealthy person’s tomb as a cheaper alternative to expensive wall carvings.

-Walls were covered with plaster, and then painted on to tell a story of some sort.

-Notice the odd way that the people are drawn….

Page 15: Ancient Egyptian Art Lesson

Rules of Egyptian Art-Every part of the body must be shown from the most familiar point of view:

-Head, arms, legs, and feet were always in profile-eyes and shoulders were seen from the front

-This made paintings look distorted and unnatural...but the work was still appealing because they did not exaggerate this and they worked to keep everything in proportion.

-Why was a complete image so important (no body part left behind)??-If the soul were going to use a piece of artwork as a substitute for the body, it would need all of the body parts. This was far more important to them than making an image that looked beautiful or accurate.

-If an arm were missing in the image, the soul would spend eternity in a deformed body!