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12 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Formal analysis 12. The White Temple and its ziggurat Uruk (modern Warka, Iraq) / Sumerian 3500–3000B.C.E.
Content - This is an architectural piece - The main focus of the piece at the time of creation was the white temple that sat atop the ziggurat - The main focus now is the ziggurat that still remains - The sheer height and size of this ziggurat/temple represents the spiritual power of this piece as a middle ground between god and human
Style - This piece was built out of mud bricks and covered in tar to prevent flood waters from entering - The "white temple" was coated in a chalk whitewash - The artist intentionally used line and shape to create a ziggurat that's corners faced the four directions of the compass - The artist also used the principles of balance and emphasis when putting the temple centered on top of the ziggurat |
The sumerian people were believed to be the one of earliest civilization in the middle east. Many of the ideas we have today were taken from them. This temple and ziggurat, which were later adapted by the egyptians, were used as a middle ground for the gods. It was believed that they could come and go as pleased. However, only a select few non-divine could enter the temple, including priests and attendants. This temple was the pinnacle of the city. It was dedicated to the god Enu and within the temple their was an alter where there would be sacrifices to Enu. |
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Formal analysis 13. Tablette of King Narmer Predynastic Egypt 3000 - 2,920 B.C.E.
Content - This is a carved stone stele - The subject matter includes people of importance, signs of power and authority, a procession or parade, and animals of some sort - The subject matter is vastly important because it tells a historical narrative
Style - This is a carved stone// carved using a subtractive method (incised piece) - In creating the figures the artist used twisted perspective (development of human figures) - The artist used symbolic hieroglyphics to tell the story - Creates a visual story using registers |
This piece was created to tell the story of King Narmer uniting upper and lower Egypt through violent measures. Traditionally, palettes were used to crush and mix materials to make things such as makeup. However, this is a sacred tablet that is only used for story telling. Each one of the images depicted holds significance as they represent things anywhere from god to animal. The artists intent was to preserve this historical event. |
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Formal analysis 14. Statues of votive figures from the Square Temple at Eshnunna Modern Tell Asmar, Iraq / Sumerian 2,700 B.C.E.
Content - These are carved stone figurines/statuettes - The subject matter includes realistic depictions of people, praying with eyes wide open - The purpose of this was to portray the people in constant worship
Style - The figures are carved in a subtractive manner either from a cylindrical or brick shaped stone - The artist made all the hands and eyes consistent as a sign of worship to the gods (Stylistic) - Depiction of men vs. women through clothing |
The Purpose of these figures was for the artist to create each figure as a worshipping replica of a real human. The figures would then be placed in the alter so as to be in constant worship of the gods and make the person (depicted in the figure) look better in the eyes of the gods. The hierarchical scale is demonstrate din the size of the figure. Those with more wealth could afford larger figures that would subsequently impress the gods further, resulting in a better after life. One other aspect of the figures was patronism; the buyer paying the artist to create them and represent them well. |
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Formal analysis 15. Seated Scribe Saqqara, Egypt / Old Kingdom Fourth Dynasty 2620–2500 B.C.E.
Content - This is a carved limestone piece - The subject matter includes a seated scirbe (hence the name) writing - This is very important because it depicts someone of a lesser status with more natural qualities - This was very unique for ancient egyptian sculpture - Set and broke the norms of egyptian sculpture
Style - Painted/carved limestone (didn’t lose it’s surface pigments) - Skin tone is the raw stone - Naturalistic style and stylized eyes - the modeling of the form is to the point of specific definitions of body parts and movement - subtractive carving methods - stiff frontal position which is characteristic of Egyptian sculpture |
The purpose of this piece is not entirely known. It could have been a funerary piece used to ensure the king has a comfortable afterlife. What we do know is that the style of this piece was very unique and that is what makes this piece so important. Its naturalism is a huge difference form other pieces of egyptian art. |
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Formal Analysis 16. The Standard of Ur from the Royal Tomb of Ur modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq / Sumerian 2600–2400 B.C.E.
Content - This is a hollow wood box with lapis lazuli inlays - The subject matter includes one side depicting peace and one depicting war - The peaceful side is the king and many of his people at a feast. On the other registers people are bringing food and animals to the feast - On the war side is an image of the kind over dead bodies and multiple different battle scenes. Also, there is animals, carts, and weapons depicted - These figures are majorly important in telling historical naritives
Style - inlays of the incredibly valuable lapis lazuli stone - The figures are shown in twisted perspective (very common in egyptian art) - The main style technique, is the division of the piece into register - This was utterly important in the development of uniform writing |
This was a funerary piece form a royal tomb. We know that it came from the funeral of royalty because of the stone used and its immense value. The piece was put with the dead body to ensure a good afterlife. This piece was also hugely important in the development of uniform writing because it utilized registers and the story went form top-bottom and left-right. |
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Formal analysis 17. The Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) & Great Sphinx Giza, Egypt / Old Kingdom Fourth Dynasty 2550–2490 B.C.E.
Content - This is an architectural piece - There are 3 pyramids, each dedicated to a different Pharaoh - And there is one sphinx - The pyramids are funerary temples for the Pharaohs - They are significant of the incredible importance of death in Egyptian society
Style - the pyramids and the sphinx are both made of large (carved) pieces of stone - covered in a slick whitewash surface that has worn off - the four corners of each pyramid face the cardinal directions - Built by using slave labor as well as animal labor - |
Each one of the three pyramids were dedicated to one of three pharaohs. Khufu had the first and largest pyramid because he was the most successful and had the longest rule. Following him, was his son, Kahfre. The last and smallest temple was for Menkaura (who was somehow related to the other two as well). Each pyramid was a funerary temple. The dead body of the Pharaoh placed inside, as well as gifts, riches, sculptures, and other things to ensure a comfortable after life. The shpinx stood as a guardian for all of the pyramids. |
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Formal Analysis 18. King Menkaura and Queen Egypt/ Old Kingdom/ Fourth Dynasty 2490-2472 B.C.E.
Content - This is a carved funerary statuary - The subject matter in this consists of the king and queen - This is significant because the King and the Queen were huge figures in Egypt and the fact that they had a statue made to them represents their significance
Style - This is sculpted out of a block of diorite which is a huge indictor of how royal and wealthy the King and Queen were - The figures are portrayed in the stiff, authoritative pose that was common in egyptian sculpture - The artists main job was to portray the king as a god-like figure - Artist captured the wet-drapery style in the clothes that was very accurate to ancient egyptian style - follows the canon of proportion
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This funerary piece was most likely made during the life of the king. It was ordered that the artist create the king in an idealized divine manner. The statuary was placed in the kings tomb to ensure comfort and success in the afterlife. This piece completely represents ideals of ancient Egypt. The importance of fertility is demonstrated by the emphasized pubic triangle on the queen. Also, the style of the clothing mimics that of ancient Egypt. |
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Formal Analysis 19. The Code of Hammurabi Babylon, Modern Iran/ Susian 1,792-1,750 B.C.E.
Content - This is a stone stele - The Subject matter includes King Hammurabi with the flame shouldered god - This demonstrates the connection between god and roayalty - The other part of the subject matter is the laws of Hammurabi - These gave us an insight as to how Hammurabi was so successful in his ruling of Babylonia - Together, the two subject matters demonstrate the connection between the divinity and man as well the God's supposed approval of Hammurabi's laws
Style - This is a freestanding stone stele that is carved out of basalt - The laws are incised within the face of the rock is the ancient mesopotamian language, cuneiform - The figures at the top of the piece are carved using a subtractive technique - relief |
This piece literally served as a way for Hammurabi to communicate his laws. With this piece he kept all the laws in one place and could refer to them when punishment became necessary. This piece also showed the connection between gods law and mans law. |
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Formal Analysis 20. Temple of Amun-re and Hypostyle Hall of Karnak Near Luxor, Egypt/ New Kingdom/ 18th and 19th Dynasties Temple : 1550 B.C.E. Hall: 1250 B.C.E.
Content -This is a stone temple - The main subject matter includes the front pylon (that also spanned all around the temple), the cause way, the hypostyle hall, and the obelisks - The pylon was a massive stone wall that created the outskirts of the temple - The cause way was very important for religious processions - The hypostyle hall was incredibly important architecture and contributed to the invention of clerestory windows - The obelisks were all made from one block of stone and were very sacred in purpose (reaching towards the sun) and creation
Style - This temple is bilaterally symmetrical and is divided in half by the causeway - Each pillar/pole is individually carved with hieroglyphics and painted (yet still remain smooth in appearance) - The hypostyle hall is constructed using the pole an lintel method - The height gave way to the creation of clerestory windows that allowed light into the temple |
This is a very important temple that set the stage for architecture to come. Each pharaoh that ruled during the time of its creation added to the temple and, in turn, added to the sacredness. The further back that the temple was built, the more sacred area that was being built. In over 250 acres, the temple was home to courtyards, a sacred lake, a sanctuary, and the hypostyle hall. All of these had their own religious and spiritual purposes. |
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Formal Analysis 21. Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut Near Luxor, Egypt/ New Kingdom/ 18th Dynasty 1,473-1,458 B.C.E.
Content - This is a limestone temple - The main subject matter is the three tiered temple and the nearly 200 statues of Hatshepsut found inside the temple - These statues are very important in Hatshepsut securing and fighting for her rights as a pharaoh. - There is an obvious causeway that divides the temple in two
Style - This temple is half carved into the limestone behind it and half built of limestone - facade of the temple mirrors the natural landscape -colonnades line the front of all three tiers - bilaterally symmetrical on either side of the causeway - statues on columns - filled with granite sculptures - one specific sculpture is the Kneeling Hatshepsut/ houses the ka within the sculpture (ka statue)
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This temple was major in Hatshepsut's securing of her title as pharaoh. As the first female pharaoh she had to prove her rule through this temple and the many treasures inside. The vastness, as well as the style, demonstrate the strength and longevity of her rule. |
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Formal analysis 21. Kneeling statue of Queen Hatshepsut Near Luxor, Egypt/ New Kingdom/ 18th Dynasty 1,473-1,458 B.C.E.
Content -This is a stone statue - The subject matter consists of Queen Hatshepsut kneeling in offering to the Aman-re (the sun god) - The orbs she's holding are most likely ceramic vessels
Style - This is carved using subtracted techniques - Frontal, egyptian position - Depicted with breasts (shows femininity) - Kneeling in offering - Also depicted with official pharaoh wear |
This statue was made during Hatshepsut's life so as to be ready upon her death date. It's purpose was to praise Amun-Re, the sun god. This would ensure that she received utmost comfort in the afterlife. The other purpose of this sculpture was to house the ka. It ensured the spirits entrance into the afterlife. There were over 200 sculptures just like this one within the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. |
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Formal Analysis 22. Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and the Three Daughters Egypt/ New Kingdom (Armana)/ 18th Dynasty 1,353-1,335 B.C.E.
Content - This is a bas relief / sunken relief/ incised/ subtractive stone piece - The subject matter consists of King Akhenaton, Queen Nefertiti, and three of their five daughters basking in the glow of Aton, the sun god - This is really important because it is a very intimate portrayal of the royal family
Style - the naturalism of the king kissing his daughter represents the style of the armana period - The hieroglyph of the sun disk and its rays represents Aten - The iconography of the sun disk and it's rays demonstrates how Ahkenaton recreated Egyptian religion in the way that the monotheism, only served him and his wife as higher beings - Ankh shows at the end of the rays near the face of the queen and king, as to suggest Aten giving life to them and them only Also, the figures are dpeicted in twisted perspective... interesting contrast to the rest of the style |
This piece was created to depict the royal family. It was in the style of the Armana period, the period of Akhenaten's rule. It also demonstrates the connection between royalty and divinity as well as the very special connection between Aten and Akhenaten. |
