Ancient Egyptian canon of human image. Development of painting in ancient Egypt Ancient Egyptian canon sculpture wall painting

The sculpture of Ancient Egypt is one of the most original and strictly canonically developed areas of art of Ancient Egypt. Sculpture was created and developed to represent the ancient Egyptian gods, pharaohs, kings and queens in physical form. There were also many images of ka in the graves of ordinary Egyptians, mostly made of wood, some of which have survived. Statues of gods and pharaohs were placed on public display, usually in open spaces and outside temples. The Great Sphinx in Giza was never replicated in life-size anywhere else, but alleys made from smaller copies of the Sphinx and other animals became an indispensable attribute of many temple complexes. The most sacred image of God was located in the temple, in the altar, usually in a boat or barque, usually made of precious metals, although not a single such image has survived. A huge number of carved figurines have been preserved - from figures of gods to toys and dishes. Such figurines were made not only from wood, but also from alabaster, a more expensive material. Wooden images of slaves, animals and property were placed in tombs to accompany the dead in the afterlife.

Statues, as a rule, retain the original shape of the block of stone or piece of wood from which it was carved. In traditional statues of seated scribes, similarities to the shape of a pyramid (cubic statue) are also often found.

There was a very strict canon for creating ancient Egyptian sculpture: the color of a man’s body had to be darker than the color of a woman’s body, the hands of a seated person had to be exclusively on his knees. There were certain rules for depicting Egyptian gods: for example, the god Horus should be depicted with the head of a falcon, the god of the dead Anubis with the head of a jackal. All sculptures were created according to this canon and adherence was so strict that during the almost three-thousand-year history of Ancient Egypt it did not undergo changes.

Early Kingdom Sculpture

The sculpture of the Early Dynastic period comes mainly from three major centers where temples were located - Ona, Abydos and Koptos. The statues served as objects of worship, rituals and had a dedicatory purpose. A large group of monuments was associated with the “heb-sed” ritual - a ritual of renewing the physical power of the pharaoh. This type includes the types of sitting and walking figures of the king, executed in round sculpture and relief, as well as the image of his ritual running - characteristic exclusively for compositions in relief.

The list of Kheb-sed monuments includes a statue of Pharaoh Khasekhem, represented sitting on a throne in ritual attire. This sculpture indicates an improvement in technical techniques: the figure has correct proportions and is volumetrically modeled. The main features of the style have already been identified here - monumental form, frontal composition. The pose of the statue is motionless, fitting into the rectangular block of the throne; straight lines predominate in the outlines of the figure. Khasekhem's face is portrait-like, although his features are largely idealized. The placement of the eyes in the orbit with a convex eyeball is noteworthy. A similar technique of execution extended to the entire group of monuments of that time, being a characteristic stylistic feature of portraits of the Early Kingdom. By the same period, the canonicity of the predynastic period (Ancient Egypt)|predynastic period]] standing at full height was established and gave way in the plastic arts of the Early Kingdom to the correct rendering of the proportions of the human body.

New features also appeared in the reliefs. If in the previous era masters usually preferred multi-figure compositions, now they strived for a laconic form of expression. The more secondary, private features are discarded in the images, the more the main and essential appears in the image, acquiring a multi-valued meaning, elevating it to the category of symbol. A clear example of this is given by the famous stele from Abydos of the king of the 1st dynasty Jet. Here the artist found simple and meaningful visual means. The hieroglyph of the snake, meaning the name Jet, fits into a rectangular field above the conventional reproduction of the palace facade “serekh”, which symbolized the earthly abode of the pharaoh and served as the home of the deity, embodied in the guise of the reigning ruler.

The strict vertical division of the facade, similar to architectural structures, contrasts in the Jeta stele with the flexible body of the snake. The image of the falcon Horus, which was part of the name of the pharaohs of the zero dynasty and the Early Kingdom, was an example of calligraphic writing of the corresponding hieroglyphic sign.

In the composition, you can notice a shift of the images to the left relative to the frame of the stele and the central vertical axis. This technique is based on the rhythmic balance of the proportions of the “golden section”.

Old Kingdom Sculpture

Many sculptural monuments have been preserved from the era of the Old Kingdom, most of which had a ritual purpose. Burials and temples abound with portrait images of doubles of the dead - ka, in which the portrait art of Egypt took shape. The art of the Ancient Kingdom is especially rich in this kind of monuments. These include not only full-length sculptural images, but also “Gizech heads” - casts and sculptures of heads that did not have traditional coloring and probably served as working models for portrait images.

Statuary compositions in the Old Kingdom strictly followed a certain number of canonized types. Particularly widespread are standing figures with their left leg extended forward, sitting on a throne or kneeling. The canonical type of scribe statue was widely used. In connection with ritual purposes, the technique of complex inlay of eyes or a relief outline along the contour of the eyelids, as well as careful decorative design of statues, which, despite the canonical composition, received an individual pictorial interpretation, have long been introduced into use. These are the sculptural portraits of the architect Rahotep (son of Pharaoh Snofru) and his wife Nofret - the archaeologists themselves who carried out the excavations were shocked by the liveliness and expressiveness of these sculptures; royal scribes, nephew of Pharaoh Cheops, architect Hemiun. Ancient Egyptian artists achieved high skill in wooden sculpture (the statue of Kaaper, known as the “Village Chief”). Small figurines depicting working people are ubiquitous in tombs. Here the canon is observed less strictly, although the masters do their best to avoid imbalance in the position of the figure.

Reliefs in this era are not limited to the sphere of small forms. A narrative narrative appears in them, especially characteristic of ritual images in tombs. Gradually, a strict system of their placement develops: full-length figures of two deities or the owner of the tomb are placed at the entrance to the temple or tomb. Further along the walls of the corridors follow images of gift bearers, directed towards the middle niche with a false entrance. Above the niche of the doorway there was usually an image of the deceased in front of the altar. Such ensembles were carried out by a group of craftsmen according to a single plan, strictly corresponding to the nature of the architectural solution. The reliefs (bas-relief and relief with a deep contour) differed in the plane of execution and were usually painted. Relief compositions were complemented by painting.

Middle Kingdom sculpture

Significant changes in sculpture occurred precisely in the Middle Kingdom, which is largely explained by the presence and creative competition of many local schools that gained independence during the period of collapse. Since the time of the XII Dynasty, ritual statues have become more widely used (and, accordingly, produced in large quantities): they are now installed not only in tombs, but also in temples. Among them, images associated with the rite of heb-sed (ritual revival of the pharaoh's life force) still dominate. The first stage of the ritual was associated with the symbolic murder of the elderly ruler and was performed over his statue, which in composition resembled canonical images and sculptures of sarcophagi. This type includes the gray-haired statue of Mentuhotep-Nebkhepetra, depicting the pharaoh in a pointedly frozen pose with his arms crossed on his chest. The style is distinguished by a large share of conventionality and generality, generally typical for sculptural monuments of the early era. Subsequently, the sculpture comes to a more subtle modeling of faces and greater plastic dismemberment: first of all, this is manifested in female portraits and images of private individuals.

Over time, the iconography of the kings also changes. By the time of the 12th Dynasty, the idea of ​​the divine power of the pharaoh gives way in images to persistent attempts to convey human individuality. The heyday of sculpture with official themes occurred during the reign of Senwosret III, who was depicted at all ages - from childhood to adulthood. The best of these images are considered to be the obsidian head of Senusret III and sculptural portraits of his son Amenemhet III. The type of cubic statue - an image of a figure enclosed in a monolithic stone block - can be considered an original find by masters of local schools.

The art of the Middle Kingdom is the era of the heyday of the plastic arts of small forms, mostly still associated with the funeral cult and its rituals (sailing on a boat, bringing sacrificial gifts, etc.). The figurines were carved from wood, covered with primer and painted. Entire multi-figure compositions were often created in round sculpture (similar to how it was customary in the reliefs of the Old Kingdom).

New Kingdom Sculpture

The art of the New Kingdom is distinguished by the significant development of monumental sculpture, the purpose of which now often extends beyond the sphere of funerary cult. In Theban sculpture of the New Kingdom, features appear that were not previously characteristic of not only official, but also secular art. Individuality distinguishes portrait images of Hatshepsut.

In the art of the New Kingdom, sculptural group portraits appear, especially images of a married couple.

The art of relief acquires new qualities. This artistic field is noticeably influenced by certain genres of literature that became widespread during the New Kingdom: hymns, war chronicles, love lyrics. Often texts in these genres are combined with relief compositions in temples and tombs. In the reliefs of Theban temples there is an increase in decorativeness, free variation of bas-relief and high-relief techniques in combination with colorful paintings. This is the portrait of Amehotep III from the tomb of Khaemkhet, which combines different heights of relief and in this respect is an innovative work. The reliefs are still arranged according to registers, allowing the creation of narrative cycles of enormous spatial extent.

Amarna period

The art of the Amarna period is distinguished by its remarkable originality, which stems primarily from the nature of the new worldview. The most unusual fact is the rejection of a strictly idealized, sacred understanding of the image of the pharaoh. The new style was reflected even in the colossi of Amenhotep IV, installed in the Temple of Aten at Karnak. These statues contain not only the typical canonical techniques of monumental art, but also a new understanding of portraiture, which now required a reliable representation of the pharaoh’s appearance, down to the characteristic features of the body structure. The criterion of verisimilitude was a kind of protest against the previous official art, therefore the word “maat” - truth - is filled with a special meaning. Images of Akhenaten are an interesting example of a combination of authenticity with the requirement for extreme generalization and normativity characteristic of Egyptian art. The shape of the pharaoh's head, the unusually elongated oval of the face, thin hands and a narrow chin - all these features were carefully preserved and reflected in the new tradition, but at the same time all the artistic techniques were fixed on special samples - sculptural models.

The characteristic techniques of depicting the pharaoh were extended to members of his family. A frank innovation was the depiction of figures entirely in profile, which was previously not allowed by the Egyptian canon. What was also new was the fact that ethnic features were preserved in the portrait: such is the head of the pharaoh’s mother, Queen Tia, inlaid with gold and glassy paste. The intimate lyrical principle is manifested in the Amarna reliefs, full of natural plasticity and not containing canonical frontal images.

The works of the sculptors of Thutmes’ workshop are rightly considered the culmination of the development of fine art. These include the well-known polychrome head of Queen Nefertiti in a blue tiara. Along with the completed works, many plaster masks that served as models were also found in the excavations of sculpture workshops.

Late Kingdom sculpture

During the time of Kush, in the field of sculpture, the skills of ancient high craftsmanship partly fade away - for example, portrait images on funeral masks and statues are often replaced by conditionally idealized ones. At the same time, the technical skill of sculptors is improving, manifesting itself mainly in the decorative field. One of the best portrait works is the head of the statue of Mentuemhet, made in a realistic and authentic manner.

During the period of Sais's reign, staticity, conventional outlines of faces, canonical poses, and even the semblance of an “archaic smile”, characteristic of the art of the Early and Old Kingdoms, again became relevant in sculpture. However, the masters of Sais interpret these techniques only as a theme for stylization. At the same time, Sais art produces many wonderful portraits. In some of them, deliberately archaic forms imitating ancient rules are combined with rather bold deviations from the canon. Thus, in the statue of the close associate of Pharaoh Psametikh I, the canon of a symmetrical image of a seated figure is observed, but, in violation of it, the left leg of the seated person is placed vertically. In the same way, canonically static body shapes and the modern style of depicting faces are freely combined.

In the few monuments from the era of Persian rule, purely Egyptian stylistic features also predominate. Even the Persian king Darius is depicted on the relief in the garb of an Egyptian warrior with sacrificial gifts, and his name is written in hieroglyphs.

The majority of sculptures of the Ptolemaic period are also made in the traditions of the Egyptian canon. However, Hellenistic culture influenced the nature of the interpretation of the face, introducing greater plasticity, softness and lyricism.

Depicted as a man with the head of a black jackal. He was depicted as a man with the head of a falcon and symbols of power in his hands. They depicted him as a freak - a dwarf with crooked legs, a wide bearded face, dressed in a lion's skin. Depicted as a man with the head of a frog or a blue man.

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Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution

higher professional education

"Tomsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering"

Department of Theory and History of Architecture

Essay

on history on the topic:

Ancient Egyptian canon in the depiction of gods and humans.

Tomsk

2014

Introductions 3

Canon in the image of a person 5

Predynastic period and early kingdom 5

Ancient kingdoms (3200 - 2400 BC) 6

Middle Kingdom (21st century early 19th century BC) 9

New Kingdom (16th - 15th centuries BC) 11

Canon in the depiction of gods 14

Zoomorphic deities. 14

Anthropomorphic deities 19

Conclusion 24

References 25

Introduction

Ancient Egypt is one of the greatest civilizations of the past. The study of the heritage of this amazing country began about three hundred years ago. Since then, a whole direction in science has appeared: “Egyptology”. But Egyptian history still holds many secrets.

The population itself called their country kmt (Kemet) or Ta-kemet, in Russian this means “black land”, in honor of the fertile black land so valued by the Egyptians.

Ancient Egypt was located in the Nile River valley up to the first cataract and in the Nile Delta, formed by several channels flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. At the first stages of its development, the country found itself isolated. Hot sands limited the valley from the Red Sea, a swampy delta prevented access to the Mediterranean, and impassable rapids separated it from the South. This isolation, to some extent, contributed to the original and unique development of Egyptian culture.

The only source of moisture for local residents was the Nile. The agricultural cycle was completely dependent on the river's flood. This situation became the impetus for the creation and development of the irrigation system, and the alluvial silt served as excellent fertilizer and did not allow the soil to deplete.

The Nile Valley had a rich natural and plant world. On lands irrigated by irrigation, barley and spelt, flax and sesame were grown. Lotus and papyrus grew in the pools. The valley produced dates and coconuts in abundance, and acacia trees became the main building material. Residents cultivated vineyards and extensive orchards.

In the Nile, fish was found in large quantities, which became the basis of the diet, and the coastal thickets abounded in a variety of birds. The grassy valley made it possible for cattle breeding to develop. The desert was inhabited by lions, cheetahs, ostriches, snakes, jackals, many of which were revered as deities.

The surrounding areas had rich deposits of all the necessary minerals: granite, basalt, alabaster, limestone, slate, copper ore deposits.

The ancient Egyptians were short, had a strong build, and kept their hair short and their beards shaved. The face is slightly elongated, with high cheekbones and full lips. The hot climate made it possible to get by with a minimum of clothing. Ordinary workers made do with one apron. The nobility wore a knee-length skirt and a short-sleeved shirt; women preferred long dresses with one or two straps.

The inhabitants of this unique country considered earthly life to be only a stage on the path to eternal life in the afterlife. Colossal pyramids reaching into the sky, a pompous and detailed burial ritual, a huge amount of funeral equipment - all this speaks of a quick resurrection and a further happy life.

The artist’s task was not to capture a moment of life, but, on the contrary, to create and revive an image, to introduce magical meaning into it. The sacred image served as a bridge between worlds, helping to go through the difficult path of rebirth.

It was here and nowhere else that such a unique and original culture could arise. It was here that unique canons of fine art were formed, preserving their distinctive features throughout the history of Egypt.

Canon in the image of a person

Ancient papyrus texts and inscriptions on walls contain references to special treatises that contained rules for the construction of temples and the creation of works of art. According to legend, the greatest masters received these treatises from the gods themselves and passed them on from generation to generation. Thus, the canons were not just rules, but a kind of set of laws given by the gods. Violating them is like sacrilege. However, none of these vaults have yet been found.

Predynastic period and early kingdom

The first images of people in paintings on ceramics and primitive figurines convey only general human features, highlighting only essential features. However, already at the initial stage it is possible to trace the foundations of the origin of the canons. So, even in the most ancient paintings, the artist rotates different parts of the body, but the feet are invariably depicted in profile.

Such images were painted not from life, but from memory; the main task was not realism, but the conveyance of the plot: the movement of the arms in a swing, the legs in running or dancing.

Over time, art in Egypt is increasingly of a cult-official nature, which leads to the emergence of more rigid canons.

The slab of Pharaoh Narmer is the first monument in which the established rules are already clearly visible. As before, the image of body parts is shown from different points of view, the social status of the drawn figures is shown through the difference in size, so the pharaoh is twice as tall as the nobles and three times as tall as ordinary warriors. A new trend here is a more correct outline of proportions, drawing of details muscles are visible, social status is additionally highlighted with the help of clothing and attributes of power, such as a crown.

However, departing from the canon, two people are drawn holding mystical beasts on a leash. It is characteristic that common people are depicted, deviating from the rules; here and further in the history of Egyptian art, this is only possible when depicting people of the lower class, while kings and nobles were depicted strictly observing the canon.

Ancient Kingdoms (3200 - 2400 BC)

Sculpture.

A special layer of sculptural art is represented by funeral statues of kings and nobility.

Despite the clear portrait resemblance, they are all made in a single stylistic solution. Basic poses:

• standing,
• Sitting on a cube-shaped throne
• Blue on the ground with her legs tucked and crossed.

The head is always positioned straight, the gaze is directed to the horizon. The standing figures seem to take a step forward with their left foot, their arms are tense and positioned strictly along the body. The seated statues have their hands on their knees.

In general, all the statues are of the same type and repeat the same poses. The coloring also does not differ much. The men are colored red-brown, the women yellow, all have white robes and black hair. The material for making sculptures was limestone or wood.

An important feature of Egyptian art is geometricity. In this aspect, it is interesting to consider the statues of scribes. The composition of these sculptures makes it possible to fit them into a triangle similar to the triangle of the pyramids.

The figurines of servants and slaves, who were supposed to serve the master in the afterlife, were executed in a completely different way. Here we can observe a great diversity: these are agricultural workers, cooks, porters, rowers. Their images were made without the use of strict canons and gave Egyptian masters room for creativity. Stone and wood were also used to make these figurines, but they were much more colorful than the pompous nobles.

Reliefs and paintings

Already in the era of the ancient kingdom, the basic rules for painting paintings and reliefs were formed. The foundations for compositional solutions for walls as a whole, episodes and groups were formed. In ancient Egypt, both relief techniques were already known, the usual bas-relief, when the figure protrudes above the background, and the special high-relief, unique only to this region, in which the figures are cut inward, while the background surface remains untouched.

Two types of painting were also developed:

1. Tempera on a dry surface,
2. With a specially made paste, in this case, pre-made indentations were filled with paste.

Egyptian craftsmen used natural paints made from minerals. The main content of reliefs and paintings in the mortuary temples of kings and tombs of nobles was the glorification of his deeds and images for bliss.

The artist measured the proportions of the drawing using a grid. An example of such a pattern was found on a piece of limestone pita. It depicts hieroglyphs and profile images of men.

The central place in reliefs and paintings everywhere is occupied by the figure of a king or nobleman; their images are distinguished by the following features:

• The main figure is much larger than all the others;
• Absolutely calm and motionless, unlike other characters in the plot;
• There is certainly an attribute of power in the hands - a rod.

Otherwise, the canons that were characteristic of the Narmer slab, created in the era of the early kingdom, are preserved.

In a more free form, like the sculptural images, ordinary residents are shown. Here artists already have room to expand. Many plot images of agricultural work, fishing, songs and dances of musicians have been preserved.

Along with some freedom, certain principles of work were still preserved. This way, the schematic structure of the composition is preserved, and we can guess the type of activity of the person depicted only by certain attributes in the hands and turns of the head and hands.

The convention and constancy of the techniques was supported by the belief in the magical power of images; it was believed that they could influence the real world, and therefore, enemies were certainly depicted defeated, and animals were pierced with spears and arrows.

Middle Kingdom (21st century - early 19th century BC)

Sculpture.

The funeral statues of the pharaohs of the beginning of the middle kingdom were made in imitation of the canons that had developed in the previous era. The same frozen pose and monumentality of the figure try to continue the created image of the god and king. But the image is already less personified and is only a pathetic shadow of its former greatness. In these images, the correct proportions of the body are violated, the figures become either too squat or elongated. During the period of collapse, images of pharaohs completely disappear from paintings and reliefs.

By the time of the reign XII dynasty, the interpretation of the pharaoh's sculptures changes. The human principle comes to the fore, pushing aside the divinity of its origin. New style techniques appear:

• Volumetric surface modeling,
• Enhanced facial detail
• Use of chiaroscuro space.

The kings of this era no longer had such powerful despotic power as in the ancient kingdom. Hence the shift in the image towards the human. The harmonious peace of the divine in expression and face disappears and more and more individual features appear.

With the weakening of tsarist power, local new art schools emerged. The nomarchs sought to imitate the royal tombs, and at the same time modified the canons. It was on the outskirts that a new type of funeral statues appeared - figures enclosed in a stone block - the so-called cube-shaped composition.

Relief and painting

The painting technique has been preserved from previous eras. The master made a preliminary sketch, which he then transferred to the wall, maintaining the scale using a grid of squares. However, drawing techniques become more complicated

• The background is tonally associated with the composition,
• The outline becomes thinner or completely absent,
• The drawing becomes more detailed and thinner.

With the help of an admixture of white and mixing paints, the color palette is significantly expanded. Appears soft blue, light green, yellow.

When painting human figures, artists adhere to the traditional manner. The intersection of figures creates the impression of a multifaceted image.

The canons in the depiction of the nobility are changing. If earlier the nomarchs imitated the monumentality of the pharaohs, now their figures become more dynamic, they do not stand in a fixed pose, but take an active part in the development of the plot.

New Kingdom (16th - 15th centuries BC)

Sculpture

During this era, the construction of monumental temples began, which entailed the development of sculptural skill. The sculpture goes beyond the mortuary cult; now the statues are installed in open courtyards and, by their structure, are designed to be perceived from afar. During the period of the new kingdom, the formation of two main directions ended: official art at the court of the king and private art in the regions.

Development continues in the official direction

canonical image. The portraiture of the image is enhanced, but the conventionality of the image is still preserved. Private portraits of nobles are more realistic, facial expressions are more detailed.

Changes in monumental sculpture occur during the reign of Amenhotep IV . These changes are connected with the fact that the image of the king ceases to be deified. Following the previous canons is maintained in the pose. Along with the portrait image of the face, the body of the pharaoh begins to be depicted in more detail and realistically.

Starting with the sculpture of Amenhotep IV , a new canon in the depiction of pharaohs is approved. Characteristic facial features stand out:

• Elongated skull;
• Heavy lower jaw;
• Narrow eyes, set obliquely to the bridge of the nose;

Half-closed heavy eyelids give a melancholic expression to the face.

The main features when depicting the body are:

• Excessively long neck
• rounded hips,
• Protruding round belly
• Thin arms and legs.

Sculpture of small forms is actively developing. Unlike previous periods, they are becoming more sophisticated. The shoulders and hips become narrower, the shape is more rounded, the torso is elongated, and the figure becomes slender and graceful.

Relief and painting

The reliefs of the tombs in Thebes are more picturesque, the figures become softer and more plastic. New compositional solutions are emerging. If earlier a clear rhythm was more common, now the figures intersect freely in the dance, and a wide variety of poses appears.

During the period of Amenhotep IV The image of the king changes. In general, it corresponds to the new sculptural canons. If previously the pharaoh was depicted only as a frozen central figure in a strict pose, now the pharaoh is often in motion. In addition, he is often depicted in family circles, with his wife and children.

Canon in the depiction of gods

The heyday of the religious and priestly cult occurred in the eras of the Middle and New Kingdoms; it was then that grandiose temples were built, decorated with numerous statues, paintings and reliefs with images of gods. Initially, the cult capital was in Memphis, but was later moved to Thebes (modern Luxor), where tombs and temples began to be carved directly into rock formations. Grandiose temples and temple complexes were built to worship the gods of the Egyptian pantheon.

Conventionally, images of deities can be divided into anthropomorphic and zoomorphic. There are some deities that stand apart, having only a symbol, but not having a direct incarnation.

Zoomorphic deities.

Aker.

Patron of the dead, guardian of the gates to the other world, protector of people and assistant to Ra in the fight against Apep. Two lions or sphinxes looking in different directions to the east and west, between them are the signs of the sun and the horizon.

Anubis

Son of Osiris and Nephthys, brother of the god Bata, father of Kebkhut. God is the patron of death, the protector of the dead and their necropolises. One of the judges of the kingdom of the dead, creator of poisons and medicines. Depicted as a man with the head of a black jackal. His attributes are a rod, an ankh and a palm leaf.

Apep

The personification of evil and everything negative, the eternal enemy of the god Ra, who fights with him in the underworld every night. Depicted as a huge snake. Many images of scenes of the fight between Apophis and Ra have been preserved.

Ash

Local deity, patron of the Arabian desert. He was depicted as a man with the head of a falcon and symbols of power in his hands.

Basted

The female deity of love, beauty and home, as well as joy. Daughter of Ra and Hathor, wife of Bes, mother of Maahes. Depicted with the head of a cat or lioness.

Demon

In ancient Egypt, he was worshiped by commoners. God of dances and feasts. They depicted him as a freak - a dwarf with crooked legs, a wide bearded face, dressed in a lion's skin. He was considered the patron and protector of the family, so his statues were in almost every home.

Montu

God of War. Depicted with the head of a falcon, crowned with a crown with a solar disk and two feathers.

Nun

God-demiurge, identified with the water element, member of the Hermopolis nine. Depicted as a man with the head of a frog or a blue man.

Ra

Sun god, creator of all gods and people. In the era of the Middle Kingdom, it was believed that the royal family descended directly from him. He was depicted with the head of a falcon crowned with a solar disk, which is wrapped around a snake.

Renenet

The goddess is the patroness of children. She gave children names, protected them from misfortunes and predetermined their destinies. She was depicted as a snake with a woman's face.

Sebek

God of fresh waters: rivers and lakes, and the fertility associated with them in Egypt. depicted in the guise of a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile, on his head are goat horns with a sun disk and two feathers. A large number of crocodiles in the river was a symbol of a fertile harvest. However, Sebek was considered a cruel god in order to be appeased by the necessary abundant sacrifices.

Selket (Serket)

The goddess, patroness of the dead, is depicted up to the torso in the form of a man, below the body of a scorpion, or in the form of a woman with a scorpion on her head. She helped her father, the god Ra, destroy his enemies. She was supportive of people and helped warriors heal their wounds.

Set

Lord of the storms and lord of the desert. He wanted to seize power, but the other gods did not allow this. Set is depicted with the head of an aardvark, with long ears, red eyes and a mane.

Maat

The daughter of Ra, the goddess of truth and justice, sets the standards of ethics. Ma'at ensures that people behave correctly in their relationships with each other and with the gods. She was depicted winged or with an ostrich feather on her head.

Meritseger

Local goddess of Thebes. She helped the righteous, and punished sinners with her poisonous bite. Depicted as a snake with the head of a woman or a woman with the head of a snake.

Sekhmet

Goddess of the burning sun and war. Patron of medicine and magic. wife of Ptah, mother of Nefertum. Protector of the pharaohs. She was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness. The head was crowned with a crown of a solar disk entwined with a snake.

Tefnut

Goddess of moisture, dew, rain and fertility. She is the first creation of the god Ra. She was depicted as a woman with the head of a cat, on her head a solar disk with a snake. Initial images with green skin.

That

Lunar deity, lord of wisdom and magic, patron of eloquence, according to legend, it was he who invented writing. Depicted with the head of an ibis and a scribe's palette. Helps Osiris administer justice in the afterlife, records the readings of the scales on which the soul of the deceased was weighed.

Khnum

He created people on the potter's wheel, the patron of pottery. Khnum's wife, Heget, breathed life into people's bodies. According to some myths, he also created the gods. He is depicted with the head of a ram.

Chorus (Horus)

Son of Osiris and Isis. The god of the sky and sun in the early period of the history of Ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was considered the earthly incarnation of the god Horus. He was depicted with the head of a falcon with a high crown on his head.

Anthropomorphic deities

Amon - Ra

In Thebes (Upper Egypt), Amon was the local god of the wind. After the unification of Egypt, the cult of Amun gradually gained strength and merged with the cult of Ra. After which Amun-Ra became the supreme god of Egypt. Depicted as a man. The head is crowned with a crown with two golden feathers or a solar disk.

Anuket

Patroness of the first cataract of the Nile and its floods. Depicted as a woman with a papyrus tiara on her head.

Atum

The god of the setting sun is considered the progenitor of the Hermopolis eight. Depicted as an elderly man in the clothes of a pharaoh and a double crown, as a symbol of upper and lower Egypt.

Geb

One of the nine gods of Hermopolis, patron of the earth. He was depicted as an old man with a beard in the crown of a united Egypt or with a duck on his head. There are images where he is stretched out to his full length, with Nut leaning on him and Shu lifting him up.

Isis

Goddess of fate and love, protects babies and the dead, helps women during childbirth. From Osiris she gave birth to a son, Horus. Often depicted with little Horus in his arms. On the head is a dress in the form of a throne.

Meskhent

She meets the person coming into the world, the patroness of childbirth, and helps the woman endure the pangs of birth. Depicted as a young woman wearing a headdress of multi-colored feathers.

Min

The god of male strength. During the holiday, a sacred pillar was erected in his honor, and participants in the ritual had to climb onto it. Depicted with a phallus during an erection, a whip in one hand, the other raised up, a crown with two feathers on his head.

Mut

Mother goddess, patroness of motherhood and queen of heaven. She had two sons: her own son, Khonsu, and her adopted one, Montu. She was depicted as a woman with a crown and a vulture on her head.

Nephthys

The youngest of the children of Heb and Nut, was born on the last day of the year. Goddess of death, healing, arousal and sexuality. She was depicted as a woman with her hieroglyph on her head - a house on top with a construction basket.

Nate

Goddess of handicrafts, hunting and war. According to legend, it was she who wove the world. Guards the mummy until it is buried. She is depicted wearing a crown, dressed in red, and holding a bow and arrows in her hands.

Nefertum

Is the personification of the first lotus. Depicted as a baby wearing a lotus flower or a bearded man with a curved sword in his hand and a lotus flower on his head.

Osiris

god of rebirth, king of the underworld in ancient Egyptian mythology and judges the souls of dead people. He was depicted as a wrapped mummy with a green face, his hands were free, and they contained the symbols of royal power - heket and nehehu (scepter and flail).

Ptah

God of craft and art, truth and justice. Ptah was depicted as a man with a beard in a robe that fit tightly and covered him, except for his hands holding the “was” staff. Characteristic is the blue head.

Seshat

Goddess of writing. She was considered the daughter or sister of the god of wisdom Thoth. The leopard was considered Seshat's sacred animal, so she was depicted wearing the skin of this animal, draped over her shirt. There is a seven-pointed star above his head, a writing instrument in one hand, a lantern in the other.

Hathor

Goddess of love and fertility. She was depicted either in the guise of a cow or as a woman, whose head was crowned with a solar disk between the cow's horns. One of the myths tells how Ra sent Hathor to destroy humanity, and then this goddess turned into Sekhmet, the goddess of war and destruction.

Khonsou

Son of Amon-Ra and Mut, personification of the moon. Khonsu gives the pharaoh power and strength. He is depicted in the guise of a beautiful, strong young man with a beard, his hair braided, and crowned with a crescent moon.

Aten

Not an anthropomorphic deity. One sun god, an attempt to introduce monotheism in Egypt. Depicted in the form of a sun with rays, at the ends of the rays there are palms and the ankh sign.

Conclusion

Egyptian art was created by one of the oldest civilized peoples. It was the most developed among the peoples of the ancient east. Compared to primitive art, a great step forward was made. For the first time, a realistic image of a person appeared. A unique way of visual storytelling was invented.

The most characteristic feature of Egyptian art: long-term adherence to the patterns accepted in antiquity. This is due to the fact that art had a sacred character. The painted images were considered living embodiments of gods and people.

However, one should not assume that Egyptian art was completely constrained by canons and did not develop in any way. Development took place both within the canon and outside it. A certain freedom of creativity was allowed in the depiction of commoners and lower gods.

The development of the canon mostly occurred in spurts, and again was associated with changes in the cult according to the personal will of the pharaoh.

Drawings of Ancient Egypt like the eternal Egyptian pyramids, have clear and strict lines, personifying the inviolability and cosmic eternity of the universe. Even the small figurines of Egyptian maids have an elegantly strict contour line with a hint of monumentality.

Each cultural period creates its own art, which cannot be repeated unambiguously, but can be transformed in the cultural space of time

Bibliography

1. Afanasyeva V.K. “Small history of art. Art of the Ancient East" M.: 1976
2. Koltypin A.V. “Gods and demons of ancient Egypt and Sumer.” M.: 2014.
3. Krostovtsev M. “Religion of Ancient Egypt.” M.: 1976.
4. Mathieu M. E. “The Art of Ancient Egypt.” M.: 1970.
5. Osmankina G. Yu. “The canon of fine art of the ancient Egyptians as a synechology of culture” // Omsk Scientific Bulletin No. 4 2009.
6. Pomerantseva N. “Thinking about the ancient Egyptian canon” // Urania No. 1 1997.
7. Hagen R. “The Art of Ancient Egypt.” M.: 2009.

From the very beginning of Egyptian culture, painting played the role of the main decorative art. The painting of Ancient Egypt slowly developed over thousands of years. What did the Egyptians achieve during this time?

The basis for painting was most often walls with bas-reliefs. Paints were applied to plastered walls. The placement of paintings was subject to strict norms dictated by the priests. Principles such as the correctness of geometric shapes and contemplation of nature were strictly observed. The paintings of Ancient Egypt were always accompanied by hieroglyphs explaining the meaning of what was depicted.

Space and composition. In Egyptian painting, all elements of the composition look flat. When it is necessary to represent figures in depth, artists superimpose them on top of each other. The drawings are distributed in horizontal stripes, which are separated by lines. The most important scenes are always located in the center.

Image of a human figure. Egyptian drawings of people include features in front and profile equally. To maintain proportions, the artists drew a grid on the wall. Older examples consist of 18 squares (4 cubits), while newer ones have 21 squares. Women were depicted with pale yellow or pink skin. To create a masculine image, brown or dark red was used. It was customary to depict people in the prime of life.

to maintain proportions, the artists used a grid

Egyptian painting is characterized by a so-called “hierarchical” view. For example, the higher the social status of the person depicted, the larger the size of the figure. Therefore, in battle scenes, the pharaoh often looks like a giant. Images of people can be divided into archetypes: pharaoh, scribe, artisan, etc. Figures of lower social strata are always more realistic and dynamic.

Application of color. The artists followed a pre-established program, which means each color had a specific symbolism. It is believed that the origins of the meaning of colors in Egyptian painting were in the contemplation of the color tints of the Nile. Let us highlight the meaning of the main colors used by artists:

• blue - promise of new life;
• green - an expression of life's hopes, rebirth and youth;
• red is a symbol of evil and barren land;
• white is a sign of victory and joy;
• black is a symbol of death and return to life in the other world;
• yellow is an expression of eternity and incorruptible divine flesh.

The tone of the background depends on the era. The Old Kingdom has a gray background, while the New Kingdom has a pale yellow background.

Painting of the Old Kingdom

The Old Kingdom covers the period from the 27th to the 22nd centuries BC. It was then that the construction of the Great Pyramids took place. At this time, bas-relief and painting were not yet distinguished from each other. Both means of expression were used to decorate the tombs of pharaohs, members of the royal family and officials. During the Old Kingdom, a uniform style of painting was formed throughout the country.

Peculiarities

The first wall paintings are distinguished by a rather narrow range of colors, mainly black, brown, white, red and green shades. The depiction of people is subject to a strict canon, the stricter of which is the higher, the higher the status of the person depicted. Dynamism and expression are characteristic of the figures depicting minor characters.

Mostly scenes from the life of gods and pharaohs were depicted. Colorful frescoes and reliefs recreate the environment that should surround the deceased, no matter what world he is in. The painting reaches high filigree, both in the images of characters and in the silhouettes of hieroglyphs.

Example

Sculptures of Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret (27th century BC) are considered one of the most significant monuments of the Old Kingdom. The male figure is painted brick red, while the female figure is painted yellow. The figures' hair is black and their clothes are white. There are no halftones.

Painting of the Middle Kingdom

We will talk about the period that lasted from the 22nd to the 18th century BC. During this era, wall paintings exhibited structure and orderliness that was absent during the Old Kingdom. A special place is occupied by the painted multi-colored relief.

Peculiarities

In cave tombs one can see complex scenes that are more dynamic than in previous eras. Additional attention is paid to contemplation of nature. Paintings are increasingly decorated with floral patterns. Attention is paid not only to the ruling class, but also to ordinary Egyptians, for example, you can see farmers at work. At the same time, the integral features of painting are perfect order and clarity of what is depicted.

Example

Most of all, the paintings of the tomb of the nomarch Khnumhotep II stand out against the background of other monuments. Particularly noteworthy are the hunting scenes, where animal figures are rendered using halftones. The paintings of the tombs in Thebes are no less impressive.

New Kingdom Painting

Scientists call the period from the 16th to the 11th centuries BC the New Kingdom. This era is distinguished by the best examples of Egyptian art. At this time, painting reached its greatest flowering. The proliferation of tombs encourages the development of painting on walls covered with plaster. Freedom of expression is most evident in the tombs of private individuals.

Peculiarities

The era of the New Kingdom was characterized by a hitherto unknown color gradation and light transmission. Contact with the peoples of Asia brought a fascination with detail and ornamented forms. The impression of movement is enhanced. Dyes are no longer applied in an even matte layer; artists try to show soft tonal tints.

Through painting, the pharaohs demonstrated their strength to the border peoples. Therefore, depictions of scenes reproducing military episodes were common. Separately, it is worth mentioning the theme of the pharaoh in a drawn war chariot, the latter was introduced by the Hyksos. Images of a historical nature appear. Art increasingly resonates with national pride. Rulers transform temple walls into "canvases" that focus on the pharaoh's role as protector.

Example

Tomb of Nefertari. This is a perfect ensemble of painting and architecture. Currently this is the most beautiful tomb in the Valley of the Queens. The paintings cover an area of ​​520 m². On the walls you can see some chapters from the Book of the Dead, as well as the queen’s path to the afterlife.

• The first surviving ancient Egyptian monumental painting was discovered in a 4000 BC funerary crypt located at Hierakonpolis. She depicts people and animals.
• The ancient Egyptians painted with mineral paints. Black paint was extracted from soot, white from limestone, green from malachite, red from ocher, blue from cobalt.
• In ancient Egyptian culture, the image played the role of a double of reality. The painting of the tombs guaranteed the deceased that the same benefits awaited them in the afterlife as in the human world.
• In Ancient Egypt, images were believed to have magical properties. Moreover, their strength directly depended on the quality of the painting, which explains the special care with which the Egyptians treated painting.

Despite numerous studies devoted to the painting of Ancient Egypt, not all the secrets of this art have yet been solved. To understand the true meaning of each drawing and each sculpture, scientists will have to work for centuries.

Test for 10th grade

on the topic “Artistic culture of Ancient Egypt”

List the main periods in the history of artistic culture of Ancient Egypt.

(V-IV centuries BC - predynastic period;

XXX – XXVIII centuries. BC. – early kingdom;

XXVIII-XXIII centuries. BC. – ancient kingdom;

XXI – XVIII centuries. BC. – middle kingdom;

XVI – XI centuries. BC. - new kingdom;

XI - 332 BC – late time)

Tell us about the beliefs of the Egyptians.

(they felt a sense of kinship with the living creatures inhabiting the earth. In mythology, beliefs about the origin of man from animals have been preserved. The many faces of gods. There were a number of animals, birds, insects, snakes that were deified. The basis of religion is the idea of ​​​​the eternal life of man).

Sun God -

a) Osiris;

b) Zeus;

c) Hercules;

d) Ra (G)

Mummification of the human body was carried out in order to

a) so that after death the soul of a deceased person can find its body;

c) donate to the wax museum(A)

He was the first to rebel against polytheism and the magic of the priests, established the cult of the one Sun God and proclaimed the equality of all tribes and peoples before him -

a) Pharaoh Narmer;

b) Pharaoh Amenhotep IV - Akhenaten;

c) Pharaoh Tutankhamun(b)

Tell us about the features of the construction of the Djoser pyramid, name the architect of the project.

(architect Imhotep, priest, doctor. Built in 3 stages: the first 0 built a large mastaba; the second - a four-stage pyramid;

2 -

third - the eastern facade of the mastaba was raised to six steps; height – more than 60 meters)

Mastaba is

a) a small pyramid for nobles;

b) a rectangular tomb, shaped like

bench;

c) the southern outskirts of Memphis(b)

The largest structure ever built of stone:

a) the pyramid of Cheops;

b) the pyramid of Osiris;

c) Khafre's pyramid(A)

Tell us what you know about The Book of the Dead?

(the afterlife journey to the afterlife court is described in detail. Chapter 125 contains the text of the acquittal speech. There is a special appeal to the heart).

Tell us what you know about the Pyramid Texts?

(they were written with green paint - the color of life on the walls of the tombs. The happy life of the ruler, who entered the circle of the gods and went to heaven, was described in detail).

The Sphinx is

a) the sacred image of Khafre in the form of a lion with the head of a pharaoh;

b) the image of a goddess with a human head and the body of a snake;

c) a monument to Helops in the form of a marble sculpture(A)

What canonical attitudes developed in Egyptian sculpture. Give examples.

(standing or sitting people in stately poses with their left leg extended forward with their arms pressed to their torso or folded on their chest. Similarity with the original. Pieces of alabaster were inserted into the eye sockets and a precious stone was placed instead of the pupil. For example, Prince Rahotep and his wife; scribe Kaya) .

According to the canon of Egyptian fine art, artists depicted the human figure on a plane:

a) only in profile;

b) only in front;

c) turned simultaneously in front and profile(A)

3 -

Tell us about the theater and music of Ancient Egypt.

(mysteries were played out in cities. Activities dedicated to the God Osiris, his life, death, and resurrection were very popular. Good defeated evil - the main idea of ​​the mystery. The priests were the actors).

Name the musical instruments used by the Egyptians.

(lute, drum, noise instruments)

The capital is

a) stucco decoration on the wall of a building;

b) depiction of the actions of the pharaoh during his life on the walls of the tombs;

c) the crowning part of a column or pillar(V)

According to the ancient Egyptians, man had three souls:

the first soul is...(has the appearance of a person from whose body it was separated);

second soul -...(represented as a bird with a human face);

third soul -...(in the form of a sunbeam)

4 –

ANNOTATION

This test can be carried out in the 10th grade in order to check the mastery of the material after studying the section “Artistic Culture of Ancient Egypt” according to the program of L. Rapatskaya.

If necessary, tasks can be divided into two options.

The test is completed throughout the lesson (45 minutes).

Ancient Egyptian canon of human image. - The face and legs are shown in profile; - upper part of the body – full face; - hips - three-quarters full face; - eyes are enlarged and emphasized; - upper body - front; legs below - to the side; - the man as the head of the family is depicted above everyone else; wife - below her husband's shoulder; children are depicted in height even smaller than adults, although in the paintings they look like small adults; if the children were very small, they were drawn naked. The lower a person stood on the social ladder, the more freedom there was in his portrayal.

MHC 7th grade

“Baroque style in architecture” - Schönbrunn (Austria). Ultra-Baroque. What is Baroque? Peterhof (Russia). Baroque in Russia. The largest Baroque ensembles in the world. Carlo Maderna. Zwinger (Germany). Rococo. Characteristic features of Baroque. Versailles (France). Sarmantian and Vilna baroque. Baroque style. Aranjuez (Spain).

"Museums of London" - London Transport Museum. Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Harry and William at Madame Tussauds. London's museums are cultural treasures. List of some museums in London. Wimbledon Tennis Museum. British museum. Sherlock Holmes House-Museum. Collections of paintings, historical values. National Gallery London. Exploring London's museums. Museums of London. House-Museum of George Frideric Handel.

“Sculpture of Ancient Egypt” - Sphinx of Amenhotep II on the territory of the Temple of Ptah in Memphis. Painted animals, fish and birds. Pharaoh statues. Ostracons. Bust of Nefertiti. Figures of workers and animals. Cat figurines. Reliefs in Ancient Egypt. Relief samples. Presentation plan. Anubis. Sculpture of Ancient Egypt. Samples of painting. Reliefs, statues and paintings of Ancient Egypt. Reliefs, like paintings, decorated the walls and columns of Egyptian temples.

“Famous sculptures of Ancient Greece” - Sculpture of Ancient Greece in the modern world. Venus de Milo. Triumph of Venus. Venus de Milo with drawn out drawers. Fragment of the painting “The Birth of Venus”. We want to prove that the proportions that are considered ideal throughout the world were formed before our era in Ancient Greece. Pink Venus. Salvador Dali. The standard of beauty has constantly changed over time, but the modern version was formed in ancient times.

"Ancient Greek vessels" - Used for drinking. The neck is quite widened towards the edge. Pelica is a form of amphora common in Attica. They have a hole in the lower narrow end. Amphora. Kanfar. Psykter. An amphora is an antique egg-shaped vessel with two vertical handles. The psycter was placed in the liquid located in the crater. In Rome, amphoras with a volume of 26.03 liters were used to measure liquids. From the history of decorative art.

“Fountains of the World” - Light and musical fountain. Glass pyramid. 10 most beautiful fountains in the world. Kyiv. The most beautiful fountains. The fountains amaze with their grandeur and luxury. Dancing fountain. The most beautiful fountains in the world. Fountains. A huge fountain. Water release rate. Peterhof.