Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Ancient Art
Two figurines from ancient Egypt illustrate the changes in Egyptian art that occurred between the Second Intermediate Period (1630-1539 BCE) and the Third Intermediate Period (1075-656 BCE). Both pieces, which appear as part of the Smithsonian Institute's Freer Sackler Gallery, are relatively small: the older piece is 16.3 centimeters in height and the younger is only 10.3 centimeters tall. Several features link the two figurines in terms of geographic place of origin, as both depict a female body in a stiff stance, typical of ancient Egyptian art. However, the latter piece, which is an amulet of the leonine goddess Sakhmet, appears far more relaxed than the earlier figurine. The older female figurine, which is not technically classified as an amulet, is almost geometric in its severity: the woman's shoulders are exaggeratedly broad and her long arms form a triangular image with her long and stiff legs. The Sakhmet amulet, on the other hand, shows a more sophisticated three-dimensional rendering of the human form. Her shoulders are naturally relaxed and hang by her side delicately, especially in comparison with the older figurine. Sakhmet's left leg also stands a bit farther forward than her right, which points to typical renderings of the Egyptian gods and pharaohs from the same period. The older figurine is completely stiff. The Sakhmet amulet is composed of faience, whereas the crude female figurine is of terracotta, contributing to their differences in appearance and design sophistication.
In terms of symbolism, both the amulet and the terra cotta figurine clearly show a female body with proportional breasts. The amulet possesses more immediate symbolic significance due to its rendering of a lion's head in place of the human head: the amulet therefore represents one of the anthropomorphic Egyptian goddesses. The terra cotta figure, on the other hand, possesses a crudely sculpted head, which while not true to the human form is also not representative of any recognizable animal.
Works Cited
'Amulet of a Goddess, Perhaps Sakhmet." Freer Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institute. Online at .
"Female Figurine." Freer Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institute. Online at .
Figurine of the Goddess Wadjet In the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, there is a sculpture in the Egyptian wing that depicts one of the Egyptian goddesses. The piece is entitled "Figurine of the Goddess Wadjet." It is located in Hammer Building Room 303 of the museum amongst the other Egyptian art exhibits. It was given to the museum from the Hearst family, famous for their collection of ancient, historically-significant
He admonishes contemporary African-Americans to look into the teachings and culture of the ancient Egyptians for inspiration. Carruthers goes into "The Instructions of Ptahhotep" which contained maxims to instruct in the correct values, modes of behavior and attitudes appropriate to those who would become civil servants from Prime Minister on down. The pharaohs, he speculates, received this teaching alongside children from all walks of life to instruct them on how
vii). The image is a symbol for the mental concept that it represents. The more realistic representations found at the end of the Amarna period present the royal family as humans with emotions and feelings just like everyone else. This change in representation may have been representative of changes in the relationship between the monarchy and the people. Writings of the time tell us that the king and the royal
The Stress and Coping Model The stress and coping model as a perspective on the human mind concerns the connection between the mind and body. This model assumes that stress in the mind can have a physiological effect. Significant stress, for example, could have significant physical health effects. A person who is under constant stress, for example, might exhibit a lack of overall physical health or the recurrence of a specific
Orient West Minoan and Romantic movements Describe the earlier historical art period, characteristics of the style, and social conditions that may have contributed to the advent of this style. Within the history of the Ancients, the story of Classical Greek art and architecture is prefaced by the earliest epoch of the seafaring Cretan civilization, Minos. The Palace of King Minosis is a magical structure reflective of this early world of classical lyricism. It
The earliest divisions of the temple still standing are the barque chapels, just in the rear the first pylon. They were constructed by Hatshepsut, and appropriated by Tuthmosis III. The central division of the temple, the colonnade and the sun court were constructed by Amenhotep III, and a later on addition by Rameses II, who constructed the entry pylon, and the two obelisks connected the Hatshepsut structures with the core