From pyramids to cursed tombs, Egypt fascinates and draws us in. Read on to
learn simple facts about Egyptian art bound to appeal to your customers!
Egypt – The Land of the God-King
Welcome to the second installment of Traveling through Time where we explore
the ancient world of the Egyptians and their classic art style.
The skinny: All art in Ancient Egypt followed the same basic principals.
First and foremost, it was meant to withstand the test of time. It was
intended from the very beginning to keep history alive. Just look at the sheer
massive size of many of its most famous art works: The Great Pyramids of Giza,
The Giant Sphinx, and The Temples of Karnak and Luxor. All of these sites point
to the "forever" theory. They wanted those in the future to know who lived in
the past. As if by having the Great Pyramid still standing, those that erected
it, somehow still live on through it. Their artistic mode of representing
humans, nature, the gods, and the environment remained almost the same for over
four thousand years, with new artists, simply replicating those great masters
that came before.
Second, all Ancient Egyptian art adheres to a sense of order. Lines are clear
and simple and they are combined with clear simple shapes and flat areas of
color that help to create this sense of order and balance. The ancient artists
used vertical and horizontal reference lines in order to maintain correct
proportions.
Third, social hierarchy played an important role in their art. You’ll notice
that a Pharaoh will be painted the largest, regardless of where he is seated in
the piece of work. Just as a more important God will be larger than a lesser
deity will.
And lastly, symbolism was used to help establish the Egyptian’s sense of
order. Being a highly religious culture, most of their art was dominated by the
Egyptian gods and goddesses and their Pharaoh, who they recognized as a living
god. Animals were also represented, as they were associated with different gods
and goddesses. Colors took on symbolic meanings as well; for instance, blue and
green represented the Nile, which give Egypt life, so it stood for life. Yellow
stood for the sun, which also meant the sun-king/god.
Arkahdia Arts offers a vast selection of Egyptian inspired art as well as
museum replica pieces.
Next week: Greek and Roman architecture.
