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Egyptian works of art served a practical purpose and not merely tangible expressions of inspiration and
imagination. For the Egyptian, art was a handicraft and the process of artistic creation was dependent upon
the genuine belief in the magical nature of things. The artist, through his work, could effectively call into being
not only living creatures and material objects, but also living activities and situations. Thus, he was able to
create the conditions for the afterlife in a recognizable form.

Since the Egyptian approach to art was basically practical, concept of the artist as an individual, a creative
personality was almost entirely absent. The artist was just like any other craftsman, at most only paid artisan,
one in a team, a faceless executants, rigidly trained, whose technical skill might secure him a measure of
individual recognition. In general it was ͙͙

Pyramids of Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Mankaure (Mycerinus) at Giza

 
: Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt

-calls their land ͞Kemt͟ or black land
Nile River: annual overflow promoted good agriculture. United Egypt
Climate: Hardly any rain due to very fertile land on either bank of the Nile River.
(gold and ivory from Nubia, granite and sandstone from quarries near Aswan, limestone from Tura)
Geology: Abundant supply of stone like sandstone, granite, dolerite, serpentine quarried in the south,
timestone of all qualities was readily available, calcite (Egyptian alabaster) was the stone most often used
from earliest times to make vessels. Semi precious stones were also found, most common of which were
pebbles of garnet, carnelian, amethyst.
Metal: imported gold from Nubia, exploited copper mines from Sinai
Wood: cedar was imported, native woods like acacia had to be jointed to produce pieces of useful size; then
these joints in coffin and furniture were hidden by surface decorations.
Religion: 2 basic principles
.. life after death and the dual role of the leader (pharaoh) who was both a king and a deity.



   
3200BC the king of Upper Egypt known as ͞Narmer-Menes͟, completed the unification of 2 lands, and
established a kind of centralized government.

Palette of King Narmer, from Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, 3000-2920BC, slate, 2͛1͟ high, Egyptian
Museum.

King Narmer, wearing higliwhite bowling pin shaped crown of Upper Egypt



 
Remnants are little, found in tombs of kings and nobles of Saqqara, Abydos and desert graves of poorer
people.
Written records. Names of kings and no. of years reined. History divided into dynasties and grouped to be
categorized under Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom.

  

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1.? Strong central government, craftsmen were drawn to court to work for the king.
2.? Techniques of working in stone, wood, metal made much progress
3.? 3 great pyramids at Giza (4rth dynasty)
 4.? Monuments built celebrated the divinity of kings of Egypt, linking people with gods who controlled the
welfare of the land
5.? Trade and economy flourished so that by 6th dynasty, Egypt produced large metal figures
6.? Old kingdom ended with the reigns of weak kings and disintegration of the centralized gov͛t.
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1.? This prosperous period began with the reunification of the country started by Mentuhotep of Thebes
2.? Under the rule of his successors (Kings of the 12th dynasty), Egypt flourished and expanded beyond the
boundaries of the Nile Valley
3.? Lower Nubia was annexed to Egypt and they exploited copper mines of Sinai.
4.? Egyptian influence spread to Syria, Palestine and Cyprus
5.? For 2 centuries, Egypt enjoyed benefits of peace under a strong gov͛t where craftsmen achieved new
levels of excellence but very little architecture remains.

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1.? There was a new blossoming of the arts and crafts of ancient Egypt.
2.? Boundaries of Egypt were extended far to the north and east, trade flourished as never before.
3.? Craftsmen benefited from contact with other civilizations, as those of Crete and Mesopotamia, and
worked with imported new materials.
4.? The king, Akhenaten (1363-1346BC) encouraged a break with the formal tradition of earlier periods. A
more realistic treatment of the human face and body developed which became extreme in its
exaggeration of the human form.
5.? After his death, earlier traditions were resumed but craftsmen only produced uninspired imitations of
the old forms in the Old and Middle Kingdom.
6.? They learned glass making from Syria and Mesopotamia
7.? This kingdom lasted for 500 years and was the last lengthy period of stability.

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? In freestanding sculpture, the human figure was typically presented from a frontal view in a standing or
sitting pose.
? They were made of durable materials such as granite, diorite and limestone
? The figures usually had solidly rounded, generalized bodies, but individualized faces
? Their surfaces were painted to indicate flesh tones, hair color, clothing and jewelry. Sometimes, rock
crystals were inserted in the eye cavities.
? As a rule, sculptured portraits of royalty were dignified and austere, whereas figures of such persons as
servants and slaves were more animated and lifelike.
? On the whole, later sculptures imitated the monumental style of the Old Kingdom works.

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? These were closely connected arts in Egypt͛s history. They both had a flat and linear quality, making no
attempt to indicate depth or realistic proportion.
? Painting, which developed as an adjunct to sculpture, was governed by the same conventions as relief
carvings.
? The most prominent of these conventions was the presentation of the human face and limbs in profile,
and the shoulders, upper torso, and eye in front view.
? Painted walls relief usually depicted scenes from daily life. They were composed of large and small
figures arranged in horizontal bands along clearly delineated groundlines. The figures were painted in
flat, even tones and were rarely shaded. In both reliefs and frescoes, the spaces around the figure were
filled with hieroglyphics.
 ? Ëuring the New Kingdom, painting and relief sculpture had become distinct arts. Relief sculpture were
used mainly in royal tombs and religious temples. Painting, which permitted freer and easier
treatment, was used increasingly to decorate walls with informal vignettes and everyday life

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? Aside from the great abundance of stone coming from the high cliffs through which the Nile had cut its
course, the regular inundations of the Nile river furnished material for sun-dried bricks for buildings.
? Papyrus stalks from the river banks, bound together and palm trunks made posts. Reeds covered with
mud were formed into mats for roofs.
? Egyptian buildings are basically of 2 types: tombs and temples. There are 2 main classes of temples:
mortuary temples, devoted to the cult of the dead pharaoh and the cult temples, for the popular
worship of the ancient and mysterious gods. Both types were complex in plan and each ruler tried to
outdo his predecessor.

A typical temple plan: an avenue of sphinxes led to its monumental gateway, or pylon. The gateway opened
into a survey, colonnaded courtyard which led to the columned hypostyle hall which was lighted from the
courtyard. This hall led to still dimmer sanctuary, open only to priests and pharaohs where the various rituals
were performed.

˜$˜ ʹ Flat-topped, slope-sided tombs made of mud bricks arranged in geometric patterns. Use
limestone with chambers for the body and other for articles for the dead.

Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara- made out of stone.stone structure. 3rd dynasty. Of Ëjoser. Home in afterlife.
Imhotep is the royal builder, chancellor and high priest

Great Pyramids at Giza

Great Sphinx at Giza. Sandstone. Of Khafre

Mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. 18th dynasty