For this analysis, the artwork I selected a Volute Krater made in Greece during the 4th century B.C.E. The artist, The Underworld Painter, uses several lines, especially in the temple made for Atlas. The horizontal and vertical lines give the temple definite shape because of the thickness and they signify that a hero who has died, is the focal point on the back of the vase. The artist also uses curved lines at the top of the vase to show the richness of detail and drive the story further. The artist also uses the pointing hands of several figures to show a psychological point; Atlas on his throne and Selene driving her chariot.…
The statue of Menkaure and a queen, probably Khamerernebty II is a notable statue uncovered by the archaeologists excavating in Menkaure's valley temple. Menkaure was an Egyptian king ruling during the Old Kingdom and is remembered for his famous tomb, the Pyramid of Menkaure. Like the other kings who preceded him, Menkaure had several wives, Khamerernebty II and Rekhter. Like many of the other sculptures that preceded this, the artist used the same canon, having the hands being straight beside the human body and the king standing next to his queen. The canon sculpture and its placid nature of the statue contributes to the idea of the pharaoh representing the king going by the belief that gods possess, or take residence, within the pharaoh’s…
Throughout ancient Egyptian history, art and culture remained constant to support the idea of “order over chaos.” However, in the mid-14th century BCE a revolution occurred in Egyptian society, culture, and religion, consequently causing a brief transformation in Egyptian art. These changes can be detected in the Relief of Princess with an Earring. This sculpture was made in the 18th Dynasty (1353-1336 BCE), during the reign of Akhenaten. Although only a portion of the limestone relief is displayed in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology, the sculpture still demonstrates the attributes that are found in art from Amarna Period.…
This week we learned about the chapter, Egypt Under the Pharaohs in the Old, Middle, and New Kingdom. I will be cornering in on the art of the Palate of King Narmer, the Fragmentary head of Senuret III, and Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and three daughters. I will also be discussing “Egypt’s Golden Empire: The Warrior Pharaohs”. In the Old Kingdom, the front and back carvings on the Palette of King Narmer were of big focus.…
Lamassu and the Colossal Statue of King Tutankhamun The University of Chicago Oriental Institute is an archeology museum and serves as the research center for ancient Near Eastern studies. The Oriental Institute has participated in major archaeological excavation in the Near East and as a result they feature incredible objects that are in their permanent collections. Two sculptures in particular from two different exhibits stood out amongst the rest for me upon my visit, they were so impressive that I felt compelled to discuss them further. The first one being, Lamassu, Assyrian Art, 800 B.C. and the other is called Colossal Statue of King Tutankhamun, Egypt, 1334 B.C.…
The sculptures of the Bust of Nefertiti and the Pharaoh Menkaure and his queen Khamernebty II are both represented as full round, however, there are many differences between the two. For example, the Bust of Nefertiti was created during the Armana art period. Where art is noted for its artistic style, which is drastically different from conventional styles of art and centered around the worship of Aten. The Armana period focused more on natural beauty and depicted its art with color and a more realistic face. However, the statue of King Menkaure and his queen show a sense of power and contain no color or emotion depicting the seriousness of the sculpture.…
ASSIGNMENT #2: FORMAL ANALYSIS AT THE MET As time goes on we, as human beings, are always changing. Countries grow, languages die and new trends emerge as cultures evolve. However, as much as things change throughout history a lot can remain the same, or reoccur in the same way.…
Akhenaten also commissioned personal works that depicted him in more intimate scenes with his family. This unique style did not flatter the king or his family and they were revealed as real people. This was completely unheard of as past pharaohs were only seen in formal poses and depicted in a flattering, regal…
Symbolically the importance of governmental order is part of the symbolism of the bull, which can also be stylistically observe in the “Bull Palette” from the latter 4th millennium Egyptian stone carvings. Therefore, a visual and iconography analysis of “The Palette of Narmer” defines the symbolic and narrative structure of this object within the context of Egyptian history and artistic…
Art is an expression of the human condition since the time when men and women dwelled in caves. Creativity is not proprietary to what we consider modern times. This essay will look at two sculptures from the third millennium B.C. Each of these statues tells us something about the motivations of people of that particular era.…
The cultural artifact that I propose to study is the bust of the Queen Nefertiti who was an Egyptian queen and the Royal Wife of the Pharaoh Akhenaten. The Queen is known to the modern world for her famed illuminous bust that now resides in Berlin’s museum. Nefertiti’s bust was created by the sculptor Thutmose and was discovered in his workshop by the German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt. The bust is an example of providing us, the Ancient Egyptians examples of art and how they regard facial proportions. The bust is considered the most copied works of art from Ancient Egypt.…
The second sculpture is to be compared and contrasted with is the Mask of Agamemnon. Both being the same type of artwork could have been made in different techniques, have different stories, and many more. While the two sculptures may look boring and emotionless, the Head of an Akkadian Ruler shows the strength and leadership that Sargon once had, and the Funerary Mask of ‘Agamemnon’ displays how the people of Mycenae…
It is well known that Western culture and the Western world has endeavored to assert itself over other cultures for many centuries. Beginning with the colonization of groups of people deemed lesser by the standards of white Europeans, who often forced their customs or religion on people they had colonized, Western civilizations continue to push their cultural standards on other parts of the world, especially when it pertains to art. In the essay, “The Trouble with the Term Art”, Carolyn Dean raises questions about the overwhelming western standard of art, and how different cultures have different views of aesthetic beauty. The central argument of Dean’s essay is that the normal definition of art has been skewed to only include the values of Western society.…
As time passes, so does the trends of different arts and culture. Part of why ancient art is so fascinating is the fact that art today is different in so many ways than all arts before; therefore making the incredible ancient pieces so intriguing. Along with time, every different civilization interprets and executes art differently, aiding in the immense diversity we see. From approximately 1400 BCE to 460 BCE, several different civilizations were taking control over the Near East, thus bringing their own aesthetic to the arts. In addition to these novel and ever changing aesthetics, the art and architecture was also affected by the civilizations coming before them.…
Ancient Greece has been heralded as one of the remarkable foundations for global culture. From advances in art and architecture, Greek culture has permeated virtually all of the western world, specifically from the Classical period on. The Kritios Boy represents the beginnings of the quintessential Classical Greek statuary, and will serve as an innovative gateway into the expansive and influential Classical Greek tradition. Through a distinct shift in the representation of the human body and its subsequent development in sculpture, the Kritios Boy emulates Greek ideals of harmony and order, and will influence the development of the Classical style.…