Egyptian art history and characteristics

Egyptian Art

The Might of ISIS

The official name of the piece that I am going to discuss within this paper is "Isis Nursing Horus." It was on display at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. This is a piece of Egyptian art that has been attributed to the late period, probably during the 26th dynasty, which took place approximately from 664 to 525 B.C. This particular piece of art is emblematic of Egyptian culture and mythology in a number of tangible ways, since it depicts divine figures who were models for royal personages.

Due to the fact that this piece depicts divine figures (Isis is shown breast feeding her young son, the god Horus) it is highly significant that the artist is unknown. In a practical sense, the lack of the artist's identity simply stems from the fact that he or she created this work multiple millennia ago. However, the divine beings rendered in the work are timeless, as are the general motifs that they represent which are of immense importance in Egyptian culture. In this respect this piece can be considered a religious piece of art. This notion is reinforced by the relatively small stature of this sculpture that is constructed of strikingly blue lapis lazuli. As such, it was more than likely an amulet or a charm to be worn around the neck as a piece of religious jewelry -- quite possibly by some royal or noble person. It is only a couple of inches tall, and its width and diameter are accordant to this small stature.

Physically, this amulet shows Isis wearing some sort of a royal vulture headdress seated on a throne -- a fact which denotes both her divine and royal status. She holds her infant son in the small of her lap, with her left hand steadying his head and her right hand just underneath her breast, as though she were preparing to being or end feeding. She is draped in a full-length gown that, when seated, hangs near her mid-calf. Although the goddess does have the ends of her lips curved upwards as though in a smile, her facial expression is for the most part staid and relaxed. Thus, the overall impression for the viewer who comes near enough this amulet to look upon it in detail is a feeling of relaxation and composure, and of a mother doing a simple duty for her child -- and happily so.

As previously mentioned, the culture that was responsible for the creation of this work of art is Egyptian. An individual can ultimately learn a lot about Egyptian religion, mythology, and royalty by looking at this amulet, if he or she is cognizant of whom it depicts and their roles in those three components of ancient Egyptian society. This amulet reveals the fact that Egyptian religion was polytheistic; although Iris and her son are shown in it, there are still other gods (such as Isis's husband, Osiris) that Egyptians worshipped who are not depicted in it. 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.