Art of the Egyptians and Africans

The "art for art" remained unknown in ancient Egypt; all creation was a practical purpose: the prosperity and triumph of Egypt, providing the survival of rulers and notables. The beautiful had no value in itself; we would say in modern terms, that the supreme intention was magical action. According to our book (art history by Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren): “The architecture is religious or funeral destination; only temples and tombs were built of sustainable materials, although we also know some palaces and fortresses. The statuary, too, funeral (the statue is considered the repository of the soul of the deceased) or divine (the royal statues represent the pharaoh, god on earth or in the hereafter). The reliefs are dependent on strict religious patterns; one painting, especially that found in the tombs of the notables of the New Kingdom, manifest a spontaneity and a certain naturalism, but it was only a substitute art to replace cheaply the painted relief. This liveliness is reflected in the minor arts, and fard for spoons or pots ointments; but the jewels themselves usually hold conventions of religious symbolism”. Although, the step pyramid and sham buildings, funerary complex of djoser would perfectly help to illustrate the image of the art of the ancient Egypt. The Djoser funerary complex, built during the reign of Pharaoh Djoser in Saqqara is located in Egypt. It’s the first of this magnitude and the

The coffin and mummy of Djedmaatesankh are known as one of the few unopened coffins, retaining the original seal. Currently, it has been decided not to open the coffin in order to examine the mummy within due to the fact that it would severely damage the artwork and hieroglyphs that have been painted on the outside. The coffin is made of cartonnage, which is created with moulded linen and plaster and is painted on the outermost layer. These paintings describe the story of Djedmaatesankh’s life, as well as references to the Book of Caverns in order to provide the body “with safe protection as it makes its journey through the underworld on its way to eternal life in the Field of Reeds”. The coffin is from the 3rd intermediate period of ancient Egyptian culture and has been dated to 945-715 BC, coinciding with the 22nd Dynasty in which Ian Shaw relays that the “Chief of the Meshwesh Sheshonq (King Sheshonq I)” ruled. The base materials used are linen and plaster to form the cartonnage, and the artwork on the outermost layer uses a combination of paint and gold leaf to create depictions of Djedmaatesankh’s life. Ancient Egyptians used paint made from a mixture of pigment and plaster to paint on coffins and sarcophagi, and the higher classes used increased amounts of gold leaf as well. Djedmaatesankh’s coffin would be classified as funerary art, which had been created to be of use in funerary rituals and practices. Djedmaatesankh’s coffin is an excellent example of the extensive

They believed they could only reach their potential after death. The ancient Egyptians had symbols in their religion that described their way of life such as the ankh or the amenta. The ankh was the symbol of life. It usually appeared on the Egyptian tomb paintings and other art. The amenta represents the Underworld or Land of the Dead. Sacred objects were a part of the ancient Egyptian religion. Amulets played a major role in their life. It had the kind of magic people could afford and people believed that it was created to protect life and

George Orwell famously declared »all art is propaganda.« Great works of art, in other words, have a very particular message for an intended audience. This function of art transcends historical periods, as is evident if one takes a closer look at the art of specific eras, such as Ancient Egyptian art. Ancient Egyptian art possessed a very specific propaganda function: to promote the divine origins and authority of the Pharaoh and thus a hierarchical social system.

Ancient Egyptian civilization was based on religion. Their belief in the rebirth after death became their driving force behind their funeral practices. Death was simply a temporary interruption, rather than an end to life, and that eternal life could be ensured by means of worship to the gods, preservation of the physical form thru mummification, substantial ceremonies and detailed burial policies and procedures. Even though many today have varying views of an afterlife, many of the funerary practices that originated in Egypt can be seen in present day funeral services.

The Egyptians believed very much in life after death. As Taylor states in Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, “It is often observed that they appear to have devoted greater efforts and resources to preparing for the afterlife than to creating a convenient environment for living” (Taylor, 2001:12). The Egyptians viewed life on earth as one stage and death as the beginning of another. They believed that, “human existence did not end with death and that survival of the body played a part in the new life” (Taylor, 2001:12). One of the key elements in the Egyptian culture and religion was the preservation of the body. The body was the most important aspect because it was like a portal through which an individual could continue to live

Yet the art of the Egyptians had a majorly different purpose of these cultures. Egyptian art was designed to convey divine or deceased heir. To pass on the idea of the recipient receiving the benefit of ritual action. Furthermore, the royal and elite class served as intermediaries between the gods and the people. In stone statuary, limited positions, a strong back pillar for support, and spaces left between limbs gave out the impression of how the stone statuary was quite closed. while in two-dimensional art, the representation of the world was more of an informative way of all the aspects of each element in the

Since the beginning of time, artists have labored extensively to find innovative ways to convey sentiment, passion, and feeling. Telling stories and trying to unlock the minds of people through different avenues of artistic labors. Art touches and affects people in unique ways; it can have special or unusual meaning on the person depending on how one views it. Artists’ rendering of their art is interpreted in numerous ways by others who view it unless it is explained by the artist on its meaning giving a clear example of what they are portraying. Two people looking at the same painting, sculpture, portrait, or photo may come to different views on the arts meaning even though they are looking

Egyptian cultural dates back to 5500 BCE this was a time when their culture flourished with the rise of technology and the death of the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt Cleopatra VII. It is worldwide know today for its amazing, breathtaking monuments Built for honoring the gods of Egyptian lands and celebrating its many great leaders. The Egyptian culture is often mistaken of having an obsession with death this is mistaken with the fact that they are a very proud people of their back ground and their gods. The acts of mummifying their people and building humungous tombs where a way to celebrate the lives of those people contrary to them being obsessed with death you could say they were obsessed with honoring the lives of the deceased. The ancient Egyptians from the low class citizens to the wealthiest of them felt a great amount of love and passion for their land they as a society believed they lived in the greatest place on the earth. This could have also been a testament to the fact that ungratefulness was considered a gateway sin that would cause greater issues to their society because they believed it created a pathway for more negative acts.

Art has evolved and regenerated itself many times during our human existence. These differences are defined through changes in styles under various theories. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, a style known as Expressionism became popular. During this movement the artists were trying to use their artwork as a tool of expression toward life. It was mainly dominant in the nonrepresentational arts, such as abstract visual arts and music. It also was probably one of the most difficult movements to understand because the whole point of the piece lay within the artist. Not only was it a movement, it defined the act of art as a whole. From the beginning of time, each work of art, excluding replicas, show a way of expressing

1. The Egyptians were extremely religious, and their belief in life after death was an important part of their culture. They believed that, in order for the spirit to live on, the dead person's body had to be preserved, or mummified, and buried along with supplies of food and drink, tools and utensils,valued possessions--all the things the person had needed or enjoyed on earth. The higher the person's station in life, the more extensive the preparations for the afterlife. Kings and other weathly persons had elaborate tombs built. Sculptures and wall paintings in the tombs were also created for use in the next life.

The Egyptian city of Amarna was a capital built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten which was abandoned shortly after his death in 1332 BCE. The city of Amarna was where Akhenaten pursued his vision of a society dedicated to the devotion of the power of the sun god, the Aten. It remains the largest accessible living site of Ancient Egypt. It is a key to the history of the religious experiences of Egypt and to a fuller extent the life of an egyptian. There is no other site like it. The website mentions that the site is in danger of encroachment. This sounds very interesting to me and I’d like to see how the life of an Egyptian was at the time. I don’t know much about the Egyptians, but I’d like to learn more

The ancient Egyptians are known for many of the incredible aspects of their culture and everything they have produced. Some of the well known ancient Egyptian relics are the ones like the ancient pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, mummies, and their many forms of art. Ancient Egyptian art is one of the most recognized styles of art. The most commonly known types of ancient Egyptian art are types like paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. Not only is Egyptian art beautiful, but it carries a huge deal of value and significance with it. A great portion of the time, the art has some kind of religious meaning to it. Consequently it is very difficult to discuss the art itself without delving into the various gods and goddesses presented in it.

We are still finding evidence of paintings and artifacts as of today. Some of the paintings of ancient Egypt have stood the test of time due to Egypt’s dry climate. Most of the paintings were done on walls and in caves and in funeral tombs to depict the life of the deceased and offer a pleasant passage. A famous painting that was done by the Egyptians is called Judgment before Osiris. This painting was done on papyrus and depicted a scale and judgment. If the heart of the deceased was lighter than the feather of truth then their soul could enter afterlife.

Egyptian Art and Architecture, the buildings, paintings, sculpture, and allied arts of ancient Egypt, from prehistoric times to its conquest by the Romans in 30 bc. Egypt had the longest unified history of any civilization in the ancient Mediterranean, extending with few interruptions from about 3000 bc to the 4th century ad. The nature of the country, fertilized and united by the Nile, and its semi-isolation from outside cultural influences, produced an artistic style that changed little during this long period. Art in all its forms was devoted principally to the service of the pharaoh, who was considered a god on Earth, to the state, and to religion. From early times a belief in a life after death