Egyptian Art was once considered to be unchanged, when viewing this art as a whole. Egyptian Art seems to be repetitive pattern of images and ideas. Yet all of these images are uniquely different.
Ranging from 3000b. c to 50b. c. Taking the same principles through out the entire period. Which consists of Old, Middle and New Kingdoms. Each dynasty had a different addition to the basic concepts that were established in the beginning, ideas of the artist grew faster and better.
Many cultures shared from the influence of Egyptian Art. Even if it was not copied, their artwork was either compared or contrasted with that of the Greeks, Romans, Summerians, Assyrians and Persians. All in one way or another form have come in contact with Egyptian Art. Art is different variations of expression, either self-expression or cultural.
From painting, sculpture, architecture, to funeral preparations to pottery. Art is also a form of communication. Communicating ideas theories or even history. Expressing ideas that cannot be done with words. To take something that is thought to be intangible and shape and mold it into something that can be seen or touched.
One culture takes another cultures work and either copies or changes it, to fit into their views and principles. Sometimes the artwork can be viewed differently between two cultures. Yet they can have the same purpose. For example Mycenaean tomb was compared to the tombs of the New and Middle Kingdom.
The tombs were made in two separate time periods; the views of the after life are different. The perception or preparing of he the dead is similar to each other. Showing how the Egyptians had an influence on many cultures. Tombs are placing for the dead. In most cultures of the Ancient world, there were tombs. Tombs were erected and built usually for the highest official in the time period.
In Egypt tombs were made, there were different types. The most famous are the pyramids. These triangular buildings were made for pharaohs. Mostly done by slave labor, these tombs were made with such preciseness that it is still not known how they were made. Tombs were reflection of the deceaseds life.
It was made to reflect all the things that the person had done in order to make it in the afterlife. So these tombs were decorated with everything that would be needed for the after life. The coffin that was used for the body can be seen today in modern times. In American culture when a person dies they are put into a coffin, sometimes it reflects the person. Coffins were elaborate parts of burial procedures in Egypt.
Also in modern days, statues are erected for the deceased in memory of the person or their act. Egyptian Art is linked to Greek art. The columns that the Greeks are known for, originally have come from Egyptians, many of the building that are built in present time have origins linked to Greek Art. The Artwork of the Egyptians laid down basic steps to writing. The introduction of heliographic, which is the form of having symbols to represent thing, this is the basis of words.
After many years of refinement different languages are formed from these basic heliographic. In modern day art, Egyptian style can still be traces and linked. The way that humans were represented in both a standing and a sitting manner; the details to the body, to show the parts of the body, to show the differences between man and woman, gods and humans, Egyptian art is known for its representation of the pharaohs and queens. Many things that we use today have come from the Egyptians the chest that is the basis of storage. Usually all families have one for storage, the Egyptians created this between 1500bc and 1200bc. The chest originally were the hollow dug outs of tress, with iron place in the so that they would not break and were used for storage.
Soon the design of these chests meant to have a meaning. The way in which something was carves into the chest would tell what it function was. The storage of food, or to store clothing is two examples of what the meaning meant. In addition to hieroglyphics, which were mostly done on walls, the Egyptians started to use paper, it was called papyrus and it was used to document mostly all important events and history of Egypt. Most papyrus documents have been found in Egypt, where the papyrus plant was cultivated for the manufacture of writing material and the dry climate favored preservation.
Papyrus documents have been found dating from as early as about 2600b. c. When it comes to art and painting the Egyptians had a certain style, it was perspective, which was originated by the Chinese. Perspective is the method of graphically depicting three-dimensional objects and spatial relationships on a two-dimensional plane or on a plane that is shallower than the original (for example, in flat relief).
The Egyptians used perspective when drawing images. Many Egyptian paintings and drawings, for example, show the head and legs of a figure in profile, while the eye and torso are shown frontally). This system produces not the illusion of depth but the sense that objects and their surroundings have been compressed within a shallow space behind the picture plane. As artist today we still use this style of perspective drawing. Not exactly the same as the Egyptians, the concept is still there.
