Ancient Egyptian Art

To see our full collection of
Ancient Egyptian Art pictures

Thousands of years ago on the Nile River, one of the most ancient and exotic cultures flourished, that of Ancient Egypt. As a result, there is now an abundance of Ancient Egyptian Art from intriguing paintings to breathtaking monumental sculptures, all of which continues to amaze and influence us to this day. The name "Egypt" is derived from the Greeks, who called the land to the south "Aegyptus". The simple act of naming belies all that the Greeks borrowed from Ancient Egypt. Stylistic conventions such as the two-dimensional aspect and austerity of Ancient Egyptian Art is also found in Ancient Greek art, especially Archaic and Early Classical sculpture and vase paintings. For instance, the famous sculpture of Pharoah Mycerinus and his wife is considered by historians to be one of the models for figural sculpture at the Acropolis in Athens.

Ancient Egypt and its culture is most identified with the monumental temples at Karnak and Memphis and the grandeur of tomb construction as seen in the Pyramids at Giza. The most refined and intricate form of Ancient Egyptian Art is found in tomb paintings. Inside all pyramids and mastabas (early burial vaults) is a serdab, a room in which the ka, or spirit of the deceased, resides. The serdab contained a statue of the dead king, in which the ka supposedly positioned itself since it lacked a corporeal body. The serdab was decorated with pottery and personal artifacts and, on the walls, the ancient Egyptians painted scenes of daily life and ritual so that the ka would feel at home.

The civilization, positioned along the narrow corridor of the Nile River Valley, grew to rely on the river for survival. Along with the nutrients that the yearly floods provided their crops, the Nile River also provided copious amounts of fish and attracted game seeking water. Thus, the entirety of the food supply of ancient Egypt existed as a result of the river. For this reason, much of the ancient Egyptian art, especially that of tomb painting, featured activities dealing with the river, hunting, fishing, the use of barges. Also, many of the scenes depicted in tomb painting feature the god of the dead, Osiris and libation offerings and rituals concerned with death and dying.

One of most famous and equally notorious pharaohs to be memorialized in ancient Egyptian art is Tutankhamen. Known for his ascension to power and death at such a young age, legends of a mysterious curse surround the discovery of his tomb. The ornate and opulent sarcophagus of Tutankhamen is gold and inlaid with glass and semiprecious stones, one of the premier artifacts of ancient Egypt. Equally renowned as an emblematic work of Egyptian sculpture is the impressive bust of Queen Nefretete. Found in the studio of a sculptor, Thutmose, historians believe this bust to be a model that Thutmose referenced in larger scale projects.

The richness and brilliance of ancient Egyptian artwork that has survived the centuries of deterioration, war, plundering, and vandalism give us access to the mystique and creativity of another world and another culture long since buried in sand. Luckily, many of these artifacts have been preserved in museums or in the tombs themselves. As a result, the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean world, the empires of the Greeks and Romans, is still alive in the ancient Egyptian art available to us.

James Webb ©2004