Egyptian Art

Style

• The definition of style when used in art is: – an artwork, artist, or movement that follows a

distinctive method, form, and set of rules – For example any loose brushy, dripped or poured

abstract painting is called expressionistic. – Often a style is linked with a particular historical

period, set of ideas, or movement.

Style Example

Abstract Expressionism

Jackson Pollock Wassily Kandinski

Egyptian Art

• Government Controlled Rules of Art• 3100 BCE through 31 BCE (Roman Conquest)

Egyptian art is said to be timeless. For nearly 3,000 years artists used many of the

same artistic rules made by priests.

Where do we see Egyptian Art?

Most Egyptian art is found on the thousands of burial tombs

and temple walls scattered across Egypt.

What purpose did it have?

The Egyptians held the belief that the preservation of the body was not enough.

If the likeness of the person and all aspects of life and the Egyptian beliefs of the afterlife were preserved upon the walls it would help the ka in the afterlife.

This concept also applies to all of the statues, jewelry, furniture, and etc. that were placed in the tomb.

Stylistic Rules

1. Used to decorate tombs and temple walls2. Linear Picture Plane3. Horror vacui4. Hierarchical scale5. Geometric Regularity6. NEPOHB: Natural & easy position of the human body

a. Head in profileb. “Full face eye”c. Full torso and legsd. Two “inside” feet

Linear Picture Plane

All of the forms are in line. No background or foreground

YES No

Horror vacui

“Fear of empty spaces” Art crowded with figures or decorations.

YES No

Hierarchical scale

Art showing more important figures larger than less important figures.

YES No

Geometric Regularity

Use of basic shape and a repetition of patterns

YES No

NEPOHB Natural & easy position of the human body

Everything (all parts of the body)had to be represented from its most characteristic angle

(all at the same time).

Consider the effect which this idea had on the representation of the human body.

Head in Profile

The head was most easily seen in profile so they drew it sideways.

YES No

“Full Face Eye”

If we think of the human eye we think of it as seen from the front. Accordingly, a full-face eye was

planted into the side view of the face.

YES No

Full Torso and LegsThe top half of the body, the shoulders and chest, are best seen from

the front, for then we see how the arms are hinged to the body. Conversely, arms and legs in movement are much more clearly

seen sideways.

YES No

“Two Inside Feet”

Egyptian artists found it hard to visualize either foot seen from the outside. They preferred the clear

outline from the big toe upwards.

YES No

Egyptian Art ReviewNot all the rules listed will appear on every piece of

art. However, a majority of the rules were used. The rules were also consistently followed for 3000

years creating a unique style of art that we can clearly associate with the Ancient Egyptians.

*Many of the “Yes” photos are not from the Egyptian style of art. They were used to represent the singular concept.