Egyptian art has an almost instantly recognizable style to it. This comes mostly from they're deep rooted and unvarying artistic conventions. The Egyptian presentation of humans, especially ones of important status, is in the form of composite poses. Heads are shown from the profile, while the eyes are from a straight on view. From the waist down is also in profile with the legs commonly staggered to show them both, while the torso is done from the frontal view. In Egyptian pieces, the person of status is scaled much larger than the other figures to show his importance.
It is interesting to think about creativity relating to Egyptian art. I don't particularly find their motives for making art all that creative. Most all of artistic creation by the Egyptians was for a purpose, to record history, tell a story, religious belief, or to praise a king or god. However, they're approach, style and conventions is impressively creative. So much so it was sampled and incorporated into other cultures who were exposed to it. The composite pose convention is very effective in relief or painting where a scene is to be depicted. The head and legs in profile give direction, while the front view torso allows both arms and shoulders to be shown that gives an unquestionably human form. The use of scale to depict status is awesome and to this day gives a feeling of power to that figure. I'm very impressed by their use of symbols in art to communicate ideas of religion, politics and culture that would be easily understood by people of the time. Like on the Palette of Narmer, the whole idea behind the falcon figure is very creatively and clearly expressed using only images. When they developed a form of writing it is fully pictorial as well. In sculpture they're depiction of humans is very life like, maybe not in scale, but the distortions of their 2D work do not show up in their statues. I think the blending of human and animal parts in Egyptian art work is very creative because there is nothing in nature that support that being possible.
The thing that interests me about the Egyptians is their mindset toward the things they create. No doubt creative and always serving a purpose but also so awesomely over the top. Six tier step pyramids built over a grave, solid gold funeral masks, fully engraved makeup stones, the Great Sphinx, all amazing. Its as if the thought was, especially for royalty, we need this thing so lets make it on the grandest scale and utmost beauty and because that, everything that survives today is incredible. To be a god king is a good thing and they made the most of it.
I agree with you that the “motives” or reasons Egyptians made their art was not based on individual creativity or personal inspiration. Egyptian art’s primary goal was visual literacy - clear communication. Egyptian art was highly stylized so that Egyptian citizens, largely illiterate, could read and understand the meaning that was being communicated through the art. The most important function of Egyptian art was to communicate between Egyptians and their gods.
ReplyDeleteI am also interested in the Egyptians “mind set” or reason toward the things they create. Their art and architecture reflected their religious beliefs. Central to those beliefs was that the Pharaohs became gods in the afterlife. The Egyptians spent their earthly life in preparation for the afterlife, building pyramids and temples for themselves in the afterlife.
I agree on your point of their creativity being put to use. So awesomely over the top... now days it is. But I wonder if back then it was just typical? But it all turned out absolutely beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI love how creative they were with their communication and documentation. And I think a lot of their poses they used, the meanings and hierarchy in the art are still easy to see today.