Painting of ancient Egypt: what is it

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The painting of Ancient Egypt, like other types of art, was in constant dependence on religious requirements, which was reflected in its special development, which had a cult character. Traditionally, it is characterized by strict formalization, adherence to certain canonical schemes or artistic norms that developed back in the era of the Old Kingdom, during the first and second dynasties. So, the human figure was depicted in profile (or rather, the head and lower body - in profile, and the eyes and shoulders - in front). On the other hand, it should be said about the high degree of realism that prevails in the pictorial descriptions of natural objects, agricultural and other practical human activities. The main colors used by ancient Egyptian artists are white, red, blue, black, yellow, silver and green.

At first glance it may seem that the painting of Ancient Egypt has remained unchanged for thousands of years, but it is not. It evolved and changed depending on howsociety evolved and changed. And even within the strict framework of canonical art, some art schools and individual masters showed their creative ideas.

In general, the image of a person from the point of view in full face and profile is one of the main features of Egyptian art. The painting of Ancient Egypt is characterized by complex images of most of the identifying signs and parts of a person, which were more detailed than the image of any realistic pose, since they helped Ka (or ku), the second shell of a person, representing his energy double or soul-double and living in the tomb, unmistakably recognize the deceased and move into him. Therefore, the portrait likeness of a pictorial or sculptural image was very important. In theory, the mummy was supposed to become a haven for Ka, but in case of damage, she moved into the image. When depicting people, their social status was taken into account. It was described by such elements as a costume, headdresses, ceremonial accessories, which were in the hands of the depicted person. In other words, the painting of Ancient Egypt, which is an extremely interesting and vivid example of art, focused solely on the representation of images.

Most of the paintings (in tempera technique) were painted on stone or plaster, consisting of layers of gypsum, straw and clay. As a rule, artists worked in groups under the guidance of masters. Masters applied the contours and details of futureimages, and the artists painted them. They painted with pigments, which were obtained as a result of various chemical processes, all of them were very symbolic. As in medieval Europe, the painting of Egypt did not belong to a specific type of human activity - a craft or an art. In other words, if we perceive the Egyptian artist in the modern sense, he did not represent a creative person. Therefore, it is impossible to name any specific artists who became famous for their outstanding achievements.

Given the extreme religiosity of the Egyptian civilization, most of the themes in painting are associated with images of gods and goddesses, the pharaohs were one of them. Such an artistic rule as linear perspective did not exist in the minds of Egyptian artists. The main emphasis was placed on the size of the figure, the larger it is, the higher was the social status of the depicted person.

A kind of cultural revolution took place in the country during the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton). Akhenaten's incredible religious reform, which consisted in adherence to monotheism (monotheism), carried out radical changes in art. It became naturalistic, dynamic. The portraits of the Egyptian nobility were no longer idealized, and some of them were even caricatured. But after the death of Akhenaten, everything returned to the old traditions that characterize Ancient Egypt as a whole. Art continued to be defined by conservative values and a strict order right up until the Hellenistic era.