Nefertiti Bust Essay

If you search for a definition of art you are bombarded with ideas about the philosophy of art, and controversy behind this. In a field that is flooded with people who have strong and bold opinions on the matter, there are a few properties that, I believe, a piece has to meet in order to be considered art. The bust of Nefertiti meets these requirements.
First I think that the piece needs to be created with some sort of aesthetic interest behind it. With the Nefertiti bust, this appears obvious to me. The sharp, realistic lines on her face and neck. The bust is made of limestone with a layer of plaster on it. The malleability of the plaster is important as it allows the artist to create this level of realism that would be tough to achieve with just limestone. You can see the subtle shapes in her face that help the sculpture appear lifelike. The movement around her cheeks and mouth aide in this aspect. Even the hollowness at the base of her neck, and philtrum above her upper lip. You can see the shadows that
The level of sensory experience that someone undergoes understandably depends on the individual, but for me with the Nefertiti bust it’s immediate. The symmetry of this sculpture is what really provides me with this sort of response. It’s clear that this is a piece that took a quite a bit of time. Not only is this apparent with the real and natural looking features of this sculpture, but also in its symmetry. This balance is most evident when you look at the sculpture’s face straight on. From the top of her head dress to the bottom her chin the lines of her face tapper down. This line even continues further down to the base of her long neck to complete a triangle. The black contrasting background and the lighting in the photo of the sculpture accentuates this facet of the