Ancient Egyptian Art Research Paper
Dan Bussiculo
November 19, 2005
Ancient Civilizations
Museum Project
For this project I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on at least four different occasions, September 20th being the first visit, the subsequent three I didn't write down. I chose to examine the Ancient Egypt civilization, which is extremely rich in everything from hieroglyphics and statues to jewelry and tombs.
The first item I examined was the royal acquaintance Memi and Sabu, from Dynasty 4 2575-2464 BCE. It is painted limestone out of Giza donated by the Rogers Fund in 1948. This statue evokes the intimacy of Memi and his companion, Sabu, although she is set somewhat apart by her oblique gaze. Until recently, the flowering of non royal statuary was believed to have occurred only in the 5th and 6th dynasties. Recent studies indicate however many of these non royal statues, including Memi and Sabu are better dated to the 4th dynasty, contemporary with great royal statuary programs. The early date for Memi and Sabu is based both on her coiffure and on the reciprocated embrace.
The next item was the head of a female personification of an estate. It is from the 4th dynasty, …show more content…
the reign of Khufu ca, 2551-2528 BCE. It is made of limestone probably from Giza out of the pyramid complex of Amenemhat. It was donated by the Rogers Fund and Edward Harkness in 1922. The upper part of a female figure is the personification of Khufu's agricultural estates. The placement of the pharaoh's name on a crossbar with feathery decorations and streamers at the back indicates that the figure has been assimilated to a standard. Estates were not new establishment settlements dedicated to providing for the funerary out of the founder of the temple. Rows of estate personification lining the walks of old kingdom pyramid temples represented the kings eternity.
I then observed a jar and bowl from the mid 4th to the 5th dynasty, during the reign of Khufu 2551-2528 BCE. They were both made from limestone and donated by the Rogers Fund in 1910 and 1921. Both items were created by some with incredible talent as the shape and symmetry of each looked nearly perfect, especially since they are nearly 5,000 years old. The tall jar in particular showcased the sculptor's skills in the unique way in which he/she used the natural colors and translucency inherent in the stone.
Finally a vase caught my eye which was in the shape of a female monkey and her young. It is from the 6th dynasty, the reign of Merenre I, 2255-2246 BCE, and was bequest of Theodore M. Davis in 1915. The piece alludes to motherhood and fertility and also to the exotic lands that provided rare ingredients for the oils and unguents used in the vase. They were believed to have rejuvenating effects and it is believed that they were made for the pharaoh who then gave them to favored women.
The collection of ancient Egyptian art at the Metropolitan Museum ranks among the finest outside Cairo.
It consists of approximately 36,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from the Paleolithic to the Roman period (ca. 300,000 B.C.4th century A.D.). More than half of the collection is derived from the Museum's thirty-five years of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing public interest in the culture of ancient Egypt. Today, virtually the entire collection is on display in thirty-two major galleries and eight study galleries, with objects arranged chronologically. Overall, the holdings reflect the aesthetic values, history, religious beliefs, and daily life of the ancient Egyptians over the entire course of their great
civilization.
1) This collection is nothing short of amazing for a number of reasons. You don't even need to be a big history buff to understand and appreciate everything that the collection has to offer. I for one have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt, but seeing the actual artifacts and reading about them was so much more helpful and useful then looking at them in a textbook. For someone who has never been to the Met before such as myself, it is overwhelming the amount of materiel they have, and the amazing condition that much of it is in. Seeing thousands of years of history right in front of your eyes helped to tie everything together so well.
2) Yes, this collection represents the history, religion, art, and the tools of daily life over the entire course of the civilization.
3) My numerous trips to the Met enhanced my knowledge on the civilization by showcasing everything that I had ever read or learned in school. It's one thing to have the knowledge of ancient civilization such as in Egypt, but it's a whole different ball game when you can go to a museum like this and see everything from what they wore, to religious artifacts, to the tombs.
November 19, 2005
Ancient Civilizations
Museum Project
For this project I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on at least four different occasions, September 20th being the first visit, the subsequent three I didn't write down. I chose to examine the Ancient Egypt civilization, which is extremely rich in everything from hieroglyphics and statues to jewelry and tombs.
The first item I examined was the royal acquaintance Memi and Sabu, from Dynasty 4 2575-2464 BCE. It is painted limestone out of Giza donated by the Rogers Fund in 1948. This statue evokes the intimacy of Memi and his companion, Sabu, although she is set somewhat apart by her oblique gaze. Until recently, the flowering of non royal statuary was believed to have occurred only in the 5th and 6th dynasties. Recent studies indicate however many of these non royal statues, including Memi and Sabu are better dated to the 4th dynasty, contemporary with great royal statuary programs. The early date for Memi and Sabu is based both on her coiffure and on the reciprocated embrace.
The next item was the head of a female personification of an estate. It is from the 4th dynasty, …show more content…
the reign of Khufu ca, 2551-2528 BCE. It is made of limestone probably from Giza out of the pyramid complex of Amenemhat. It was donated by the Rogers Fund and Edward Harkness in 1922. The upper part of a female figure is the personification of Khufu's agricultural estates. The placement of the pharaoh's name on a crossbar with feathery decorations and streamers at the back indicates that the figure has been assimilated to a standard. Estates were not new establishment settlements dedicated to providing for the funerary out of the founder of the temple. Rows of estate personification lining the walks of old kingdom pyramid temples represented the kings eternity.
I then observed a jar and bowl from the mid 4th to the 5th dynasty, during the reign of Khufu 2551-2528 BCE. They were both made from limestone and donated by the Rogers Fund in 1910 and 1921. Both items were created by some with incredible talent as the shape and symmetry of each looked nearly perfect, especially since they are nearly 5,000 years old. The tall jar in particular showcased the sculptor's skills in the unique way in which he/she used the natural colors and translucency inherent in the stone.
Finally a vase caught my eye which was in the shape of a female monkey and her young. It is from the 6th dynasty, the reign of Merenre I, 2255-2246 BCE, and was bequest of Theodore M. Davis in 1915. The piece alludes to motherhood and fertility and also to the exotic lands that provided rare ingredients for the oils and unguents used in the vase. They were believed to have rejuvenating effects and it is believed that they were made for the pharaoh who then gave them to favored women.
The collection of ancient Egyptian art at the Metropolitan Museum ranks among the finest outside Cairo.
It consists of approximately 36,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from the Paleolithic to the Roman period (ca. 300,000 B.C.4th century A.D.). More than half of the collection is derived from the Museum's thirty-five years of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing public interest in the culture of ancient Egypt. Today, virtually the entire collection is on display in thirty-two major galleries and eight study galleries, with objects arranged chronologically. Overall, the holdings reflect the aesthetic values, history, religious beliefs, and daily life of the ancient Egyptians over the entire course of their great
civilization.
1) This collection is nothing short of amazing for a number of reasons. You don't even need to be a big history buff to understand and appreciate everything that the collection has to offer. I for one have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt, but seeing the actual artifacts and reading about them was so much more helpful and useful then looking at them in a textbook. For someone who has never been to the Met before such as myself, it is overwhelming the amount of materiel they have, and the amazing condition that much of it is in. Seeing thousands of years of history right in front of your eyes helped to tie everything together so well.
2) Yes, this collection represents the history, religion, art, and the tools of daily life over the entire course of the civilization.
3) My numerous trips to the Met enhanced my knowledge on the civilization by showcasing everything that I had ever read or learned in school. It's one thing to have the knowledge of ancient civilization such as in Egypt, but it's a whole different ball game when you can go to a museum like this and see everything from what they wore, to religious artifacts, to the tombs.