Egyptian Sculptures

  

"Ka Statues"

Sculptures were a very important feature of the great temples and tombs of ancient Egypt. It was believed that these sculptures filled the place with powerful spiritual qualities.

Some sculptures include descriptions of kings, gods and also symbolic objects starting from the time of the Old Kingdom to the middle of the Roman Period. Egyptian sculpture took the form of statues and reliefs. These were often life-sized. All statues and reliefs were carved into blocks of stone. Some of them were not only carved but also painted with natural minerals such as iron ores (red and yellow colours), copper ores (blue and green colours), soot or charcoal (black) and limestone (white).

Egyptian sculptors were the first people to create life-sized statues and reliefs in stone, copper and wood. They produced detailed images of animals, plants, humans, and even landscapes. Through their sculptures, they recorded the essential elements of their world for eternity. Normally, the kings used reliefs to record victories in battle, royal forces, and religious scenes. Whilst sculptures were usually of kings, gods and goddesses.

Sculptures such as the ‘ka statues’ usually served as funerary art. They accompanied the deceased in burial tombs with the intention of preserving life after death.

The Great Sphinx is the largest sculpture around the world. It is located among the great pyramids of Giza. It is 241 ft long , 63 ft wide, and 66.3 t high. The Great Sphinx is carved out of limestone. As many of you know, it represents a mythical creature known as a sphinx. The sphinx has a lion’s body but a human head. It is believed that the head is that of the King Khafra, who was ruling at that time. I personally believe, that the statue is half lion to symbolize power.

"The Great Sphinx"

References

British Museum, N/A. The British Museum. [online] Available at: <http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/galleries/ancient_egypt/room_4_egyptian_sculpture.aspx> [Accessed 18 May 2014].

Ancient Egypt Tattoos

Tattoos have been used for thousands and thousands of years. The earliest known examples of tattoos were found present on several female mummies. These are dated to 2000 B.C.

Evidence about these tattoos is found. The evidence that women had tattoos on their bodies is found in figurines and female figures represented in tomb scenes.

The tattoos seem to be only a female practise in ancient Egypt. Mummies found with tattoos were usually dismissed by the male undertakers who seemed to assume that these women were of ‘dubious status’. These mummies were also not buried as they should have. For example one of the women was a high-status priestess named Amunet but was described as “probably a royal concubine”.

It has been long assumed that such tattoos were the mark of prostitutes or were meant to protect women against sexually transmitted diseases. Some also believe that the tattooing of ancient Egyptian women had the function as a permanent form of amulet (to protect them from the evil) during the difficult times of pregnancy and birth. The tattoos are around the abdomen, on top of the thighs and the breasts. The tattoos applied around the abdomen are usually dots. During pregnancy, this pattern would expand in a protective fashion in the same way bead nets were placed over wrapped mummies to protect them and ‘keep everything in’.

It is possible that the instruments they used for tattoos are best described as a sharp point set in a wooden handle and is dated to 3000 B.C. Small bronze instruments that resemble wide, flattened needles were also found. If these are tied together in a bunch, they would create repeated patterns of multiple dots.

References

C. Lineberry, 2007. The Ancient and Mysterious History. [online] Available at: <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/tattoos-144038580/?page=2> [Accessed 16 May 2014].

Sarduriur, 2013. For Service, Slavery and Sex: Tattooing in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. [online] Available at: <http://warboar.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/sss/> [Accessed 16 May 2014]. 

Pyramids

One of the 1st pyramids

A pyramid is a structure that roughly, its shape is that of a pyramid in a geometrical sense. From the outer look, a pyramid has triangular surfaces that meet to a single point at the top. Not every pyramid is of the exact same shape. A pyramid must have at least 3 surfaces (without base). Saying that, it may have more than 3 surfaces. The most common pyramid shape is the one with a square base and 4 triangular surfaces.

The pyramids were built by Ancient Egyptians. They have built them as toms for the pharaohs and their queens. There are about 80 pyramids known today that were built in Ancient Egypt times. The three largest and best-preserved of these were built in Giza. The most well-known pyramid was built for the pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the ‘Great Pyramid’. 

'Benben'

Why did Egyptian rulers choose this particular shape and why did they build them so large? Nowadays, it is believed that they chose this shape to mimic the ‘Benben’. The Benben is a pyramid shaped stone found in the earliest of temples. It is thought to symbolize the elevation of earth from which the Egyptians believed that life emerged. This is also connected to Re (the Sun God) as it was him who according to some of the ancient Egypt mythology, rose from the earth to create life. Regarding the size of the pyramids, they symbolize the power of the pharaohs and maybe even the glory and strength of their country.

By time, pyramids evolved. The first one built in Egypt had stepped sides and the top of it was a flat surface (as we best know). As they evolved, there were both failures and glorious failures that finally led to the smooth sided pyramid. Throughout their history, pyramids continued to evolve. Not always from the outer appearances, but from the way they were built and in the construction. They had arrangements of the layout of the internal chambers.

Pyramids

References:

AKN Solutions, 2013. The Great Pyramids and More. [online] Available at: <http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pyramids.htm> [Accessed 16 May 2014].

The British Museum, N/A. Pyramids. [online] Available at: <http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/pyramids/home.html> [Accessed 16 May 2014].

The Prince of Eypt

Architecture

The Prince of Egypt is a motion picture film about Moses. Both artistic and historical license was taken.

In this film, Egyptian architecture is shown. 

The statues shown in the film are clearly inspired by real life, historical Egyptian architecture.

Hieroglyps

Hieroglyphics are also shown in The Prince of Egypt. During Ancient Egypt times, the hieroglyphic script was mainly used for formal inscriptions on the walls of temples and tombs. The word hieroglyph comes from the Greek hieros (sacred) and glypho (inscriptions). In some inscriptions, the glyphs are in full colour whilst others are simply plain outlines.

Looking at the jewellery in this film, one can clearly notice the difference between the rich people and their slaves. The slaves are dressed with plain clothing while the family of the king are all dressed in white clothing and gold jewellery. During Ancient Egypt times, jewellery was very important to their culture. The Egyptians wore their jewellery to honour their gods and pharaoh. At the time, the Egyptians’ beliefs were that if they wore jewellery they were most likely to survive the afterlife. They also believed that jewellery makes them look more attractive to everyone else.

References:

PrinsenAvEgypten , 2013. The Prince of Egypt 1998 English (Multi-Subs). [video online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epk7JUofoEY> [Accessed 14 May 2014].

S. Ager, 2014. Omniglot. [online] Available at: <http://www.omniglot.com/writing/egyptian.htm> [Accessed 14 May 2014].

Egyptian Revival

Furniture

The Egyptian Revival is the same Egyptian style that was brought back around the 19^th and 20^th centuries. The major art works of Egyptian art such as the pyramids and the sphinx were used in various artistic media including architecture, furniture, ceramics, and silver.

Over the 19^th century, other continents started to get influenced from this Egyptian Revival. American tastes started to evolve from a highly ornamented artistic taste to a simpler sense of decoration.

The first wave of Egyptian Revival in the United States was firstly architectural such as the Washington Monument which was begun in 1848. There are also many examples of Egyptian-inspired cemetery architecture.

Architecture

Architecture in cemetery

The first wave of Egyptian Revival in the United States was firstly architectural such as the Washington Monument which was begun in 1848. There are also many examples of Egyptian-inspired cemetery architecture. 

The second wave of the Egyptian Revival style in the United States began around 1870. After the civil war, Americans became interested in other cultures. They mostly looked to the Middle East and North Africa for inspiration.

Most of the Egyptian Revival furniture is marked by a combination of Egyptian symbols with traditional Western forms, particularly the classical.

The sphinx, the pyramid and hieroglyphics (symbols) became common iconographical forms. In fact, they are all seen in Tiffany & Co.’s ornamented clock which was once owned by her father Charles.

Tiffany & Co.'s ornamented Clock

References:

Ickow Sara, 2010. Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. [online] Available at: <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/erev/hd_erev.htm> [Accessed 12 May 2014].     

Egyptian

Worship

Praise

Egyptian artists developed forms that became the usual way of expressing meanings.For example this is how worshipping is always shown in Egyptian art. With both arms extended forward and both hands upraised, whilst praising is always shown with a figure bent on one knee, with one arm raised and the other held against the chest with a clenched fist.

Egyptian artists were not interested in shadows, or space. Therefore their art is simplified. Their art is based on clear outlines, simplified shapes, and flat areas of colour. In a way, Egyptian art resembles the Japanese prints. There is also no sense of perspective. Scenes were always arranged in horizonatal rows which are called registers.   Images of the king are often larger than the others. This is to give the ruler more importance.   

Blue and green were usually associated with water and vegetation. Yellow and gold stood for the sun and the sun god. Red and red-orange involved the desert, power, blood and vitality. Gender was also indicated by the colour. Men were drawn with a reddish-brown skin while women were drawn with a yellow-tan colour.

References:

Edith W. Watts, 2014. The Metropolitan Museum of Arts. [online] Available at: <http://www.metmuseum.org/~/media/Files/Learn/For%20Educators/Publications%20for%20Educators/The%20Art%20of%20Ancient%20Egypt.pdf> [Accessed 10 May, 2014].  

Contemporary Artist

Raymond Pitre - Artist

Raymond Pitre is one of the best known Maltese contemporary artists. He was born in 1940 during an air raid. His one and only wish was always the one to paint.

R. Pitre, 1979. 'Screaming Man' [oil].

In general, I think that Pitre’s work is very colourful. Sometimes, his paintings show sadness, frustration, and insecurity but these paintings are also colourful. Most of his work consists of thick brush strokes and also a few splashes in some paintings. I must say that Pitre’s work is very expressive. His childhood was not a very good one. He was born a rebel. School was a great obstacle for him and he often skipped it. Raymond Pitre’s family environment was always tense and never really tranquil. He says that the relationships between his parents were always strained and difficult, often stormy, so that he always felt insecure. I think that therefore, his paintings really express his feelings.

E. Munch, 1893. 'The Scream' [oil and pastel]. National Gallery, Oslow,Norway. 

Because the artist was no one’s student and because he had not attended the school of art or mixed with other artists, Pitre was unknown at the time outside his small circle of friends. However, in 1959 Enrico Scicluna encouraged him to enter a work for a Sacred Art Exhibition which was to be held in the following year. Pitre was unemployed at the time but he invested in a large canvas and a new set of paints and worked on ‘Mystic Return of St Paul’. He was influenced by Salvador Dali’s ‘The Madonna of Port Lligat’. His painting was highly rejected and turned down along with Pitre’s feelings. He was very disappointed. At this time, Pitre started to discover some interest in religion and wanted to become a monk. However, this did not work out and the artist went back to the usual world, unemployed and also with a depression. In the 1960’s he was suffering from agoraphobia which is a fear of being in public places and resulted him in always staying in his studio. It was at this time when he started to work on the series ‘the Scream’. The topic is not a new one. It is quite obvious that the inspiration came from Edvard Munch’s famous painting called ‘The Scream’.

R. Pitre, 1962. 'Scream' [mixed medium].

Pitre did not want to paint the act of a screaming man in a sudden attack of panic, like Munch did. He wanted to paint the scream itself as an expression of his own state of being at that time. As for Munch’s painting the background was important. However, it was unimportant for Pitre’s scream. In fact, for him a busy background was a distraction so he reduced it to a monochrome background. The screaming face in Raymond Pitre’s work is the whole length of the painting. An elongated face which is certainly human but very strange.  As Munch’s painting, the eyes in Pitre’s work are also filled with fear; also the mouth is opened in the act of screaming.

You can see drama in this series of the scream. However, what is different from Edvard Munch’s work is that here, the drama lies in the fact that the scream does not escape into nature such as Munch’s. It remains soundless. It can only be heard in the head and reflected in the features.

R. Pitre, 1964. 'Scream 1' [oil].

References:

F. Salt, 2011. Frank Salt – Fine Art. [online] Available at: <http://www.franksaltfineart.com/Paintings/291/11158> [Accessed 11 April 2014].

K. Wain, 2000. Pitre. Malta, Pitre.