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Moreover, this particular work displays some of the key characteristics of Isis. In addition to her magical powers, Isis represented for Egyptian culture the model of perfection for womanhood. This model, of course, includes the role of the woman as a mother, which is why it is vital that she is breast-feeding her newborn in this sculpture.
It is also key to understand the fact that Horus was one of the principle gods in the Egyptian pantheon. He was their son God and as such represents the ultimate manifestation of a king. The sculpture reinforces this fact by depicting Horus' royal and divine lineage, since he is being nursed by another very well-known Egyptian divinity. Lastly, it is essential to realize that as the quintessential matriarch and womanly figure, Isis was the example that many Egyptian queens were based upon. Thus, it is possible to see other queens wearing a headpiece similar to the one that Isis is adorned with. Also, it is important to realize that as the Egyptian Sun God, Horus was the model for the myriad kings and Pharaohs that preceded him, which is another important aspect of Egyptian culture readily discernible in this sculpture.
The Walters Art Museum displayed this particular object in a way so that contemporary members of society could understand its religious and royal influence at the time of its creation....
One of the fundamental ways that it was able to do so was by including an accompanying fact sheet that denoted exactly who the figures were depicted in the work (which the prudent viewer could also discern by analyzing the title), and by explaining their cultural significance for the Egyptians. Other than that, it is worth mentioning that compared to some of the other Egyptian art that was available on the day I went to the museum, there were certainly bigger works and those which attracted more attention. This one was in a modest display case and merely had the accompanying text with it.
Thus, there certainly does appear to be an underlying message about the way the museum chose to display this religious artifact. It was in a part of the museum in which there were other warts of work, not all of which were inherently religious. Therefore, the museum certainly seems to be emphasizing the practicality of religious art. Although there are spiritual and even mystical connotation associated with it, there are also down-to-earth, pragmatic aspects of such artwork. The fact that the figures represented in it are viewed as models of Egyptian manhood and womanhood -- and were the basis for many of the Egyptian kings and queens, suggests that even religious art has a practical place in the world -- which applies to religions in our world today.
If anything, the style of Akhenaton would tend to emphasize positive features, and perhaps even idealize the figure. The change in style may be attributed to Akhenaton's introduction of monotheism into Egypt. Ahten, the one God into which all other Egyptian deities were formed, was usually portrayed as a sun figure. In keeping with Ahten's supremacy and the tendency of Egyptian monarchs to affiliate them with the prevailing deity,
On viewing extensive amounts of Egyptian art, the similarities between the subjects and styles is somewhat astounding to a Western eye, which is more trained to notice the different signs of individual artists. It easily becomes clear that though the Egyptians saw aesthetic value in art and material things, most of the artwork they left behind -- especially in tombs and funerary chapels -- serve a much higher purpose
The "Stela" was made around 1350 BCE, during the amarna period, and depicts Akhenaten, who initiated monotheism in Egypt, and his consort Nerfiti, in a limestone relief carving. The "Stela" represents the pharaoh and his family in a naturalistic manner that breaks from the traditional Egyptian stylization. The royal couple hold their three babies underneath the sun in a garden setting. The lines of the carving are more fluid, and
Ancient Egypt featured a wide variety of different pharaohs's. It is often a less well-known fact that these on occasion included a female pharaoh, such as Nefertari or Hatshepsut. The 18th Dynasty is no exception to this rule. It is interesting to see the extent of the importance of religion in lives of the kings and the people of the time. Often this is indicated by the art created to
Artists express feelings, thoughts, and images within their art. Sometimes they show more than that and paint their spirit on canvas. Spirituality was an important aspect of identity for many throughout the centuries and millennia. In modern times, artists like Georges Braque and Wassily Kandinsky wished to showcase the essence of the intangible by illustrating it through unique patterns and shapes. During the Renaissance period, and during the Baroque
These pyramids were the resting places of these kings and pharaohs' sacred bodies, which the Egyptians believed should be preserved if the soul should live beyond. This explains why they prevented the decay of the corpses through a mysteriously elaborate method of embalming as mummies. They lay these mummies in stone coffins and wrote incantations to assist them in their journey in the next world. The Egyptians meant that