AP Art History Essay
Egyptian Art
Ancient Egyptian Art is one of the most recognized, admired and collected art in the history of the world. From giant pyramids to detailed sculptures, for years Egyptian art has fascinated, impressed and awed generation after generation with its exquisiteness and beauty. The most important artistic periods are the Old, Middle, and New Kingdom. In the Old Kingdom, a firm stance and bold expression are incorporated into most of the works. The dead were very sacred to the Egyptians. They built pyramids that served as monuments and tombs for the dead. The Great Pyramids are probably one of the most fascinating accomplishments ever completed by mankind. They were built in Giza from limestone and were almost five hundred feet high. Each side of the pyramid oriented toward a point on the compass. Every pyramid had a temple in the inside in honor of the dead pharaohs. Another major piece of art from the Old Kingdom was the Seated Scribe. It was made from limestone and is one of the first examples of realism in Egyptian art. He has realistic features rather than idealistic features like the pharaohs. Even though it looks as if it is a portrait of a specific person, it is not. It is just a conventional image of a typical scribe of that time. One thing that makes this piece so special is that the color still remains fully in tact. The New Kingdom focused mainly on characterized by rounded and long figures. The Mask of King Tut is probably the most popular piece in the New Kingdom. It is made from gold, enamel, and precious stones. It was discovered in 1922 in Cairo, Egypt, fully in tact. His features were smoothly idealized. He lay in a six and half-foot long, gold coffin. This mask is now often thought of as the face of all Egyptian culture. The Egyptian people dedicated their lives to their art. They made a huge impact, not only in art alone, but in architecture. They thought of the impossible and made it possible