By Margaret Hamilton ART (Presentation)...........
T h e P a l e t t e N o a f r m K i e n r g :
Probably the most decorative eye-shadow container that you will ever see is the slate Palette of King Narmer. This Pre- dynastic Egyptian palette was made around 3000- 2920 BCE in Hierakonpolis. It is a very important piece of artwork not only because it is one of the earliest historical (it documents the transition from Pre-Historical to historical in ancient Egypt) artifacts that we have but it also shows the figure representation that was used in most Egyptian art for the next 3000 years. Both sides of the palette are very elaborately decorated; on the back the king of Upper Egypt, accompanied by an official carrying his sandals, is slaying an enemy. This became a standard event that would be depicted in artwork signifying the power the Egyptian god-kings had over their enemies. Above and to the right of this scene is Horus (a god depicted as a falcon or a falcon-headed man except in this case a falcon with human arms) protector of the king. On the front, are two felines whose necks intertwine to make a circular depression that would have help eye- makeup had this palette not been made for display. King Narmer, of Lower Egypt, is seen in the front of the palette as he is seen in the back of it, towering over his subjects and enemies. This illustrates how the Egyptians thought of the pharaoh, as a divine ruler. The unification of Upper and Lower Egypt is what is being portrayed in The Palette of King Narmer. The intertwined necks, for instance, could be pictorial evidence of this, as is King Narmer ruling both Upper and Lower Egypt. Something that differentiates this from other artworks at its time is that it’s commemorative rather than something about the dead and their burial. When I look at this I think of how far downhill makeup containers have come since 3000BCE.
The Standard of Ur:
This piece was found in situ, which was The Royal cemetery of Ur, Iraq. The rectangular box with sloping sides, which are inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, has a purpose unknown to art historians. However, Leonard Woolley, the excavator who discovered this piece, conjectured that it may have been originally mounted on a pole and used as a military standard (from this its nickname was established). Another theory is that it might have formed the sound-box of a musical instrument. War side and peace side are the usual names given to represent the long sides of The Standard of Ur, but the two sides may have been designed to be combined into a signal narrative. Both sides are divided into three registers. The war side is mayhem; within the first register there are people getting trampled, by four ass–drawn chariots, above soldiers gather up captured enemies and in the uppermost register soldiers present bound, naked, captives to a king-like man (who is much taller than the rest of the figures). The peace side is, as it should be, much more tranquil. The lowest register consists of men carrying provisions, perhaps war booty, next, attendants carry animals and fish (which could be more remains of the spoils of war) to a great banquet depicted in the uppermost register where again the larger- than-life, king-like figure appears. Whether these two scenes are connected is impossible to tell for certain, as there was no inscription found. However this is definitely an early example of a historical narrative.
T he Stele of Hammurabi: As seen the back of this stele is flat.
Made at around 1792-1750BCE this tall, black-basalt stele depicts King Hammurabi. King Hammurabi was best known for the development of a comprehensive law-code, this is what is being portrayed on this stele. On the top of this stele is King Hammurabi kneeling with one raised hand in respect to the flame-shouldered sun god Shamash, who is bestowing the authority to rule and enforce the law on King Hammurabi.This stele shows how much the Babylonians( this piece comes from Babylon) respected laws and thought that they were important.
Akenhaton, Nefertiti, three daughters: Nefertiti was the wife of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaton. They were both known for their religious belief that there was only one god Aten, or the sun disc whom they worshiped. In this limestone, sunken relief, stele from Tell el-Amarna, Egypt Akhenaton, Nefertiti and their three daughters bask in the life- giving rays of Aton. It is a very informal scene, the three girls are all very playful and relaxed. This kind of informality in Egyptian art was unknown at this time. Other than the political and religious revolution which occurred with the rule of Akhenaton there was also an equally radical disruption of art.
Tutankhamen Probably only remembered because of the chance discovery of his lavish tomb furnishing Tutankhamen played a minor part in Egyptian history. The pharaoh had ruled for ten years before he died at eighteen. When is tomb was discovered in 1922 at Thebes, Egypt treasures of all sorts were uncovered including: furniture, jewelry, sculptures,and all sort of things. However, the most remarkable of the artifacts was the enshrined body of Pharaoh himself. There were actually three coffins but the mummy was situated in the innermost and most luxurious of the three. This coffin was made of beaten gold, and weighed about a quarter of a ton it also was inlaid with with semi- precious stones: lapis-lazuli, turquoise, and carnelian.
THe Last Judgement OF Hu- Nefer
Found in his tomb at Thebes, Egypt at around 1290-1280 BCE the last judgment of Hu-Nefer is a painted papyrus scroll from the book of the dead. The scroll depicts the deceased man( Hu- Nefer) trying to enter into the afterlife they show this with three scenes. In the first scene Hu- Nefer is taken into the judgment hall by the jackal-headed Anubis, next his heart is being weighed on a scale, with Ammut awaiting the result and Thorth recording it,then finally he is successful; and the triumphant Hu-Nefer is presented, by the falcon- headed Horus, to Osiris, the lord of the underworld.The artist was probably trying to portray the importance of the after-life and that not just anyone one was allowed in; though Hu-Nefer definitely made it.
L a m a s s u :
Nearly 14ft. high and made of limestone around 720-705 BCE, two, winged, man-headed bulls (called Lamassues) guarded the citadel of Sargon II in Dur Sharrukin, Iraq. These anthropomorphic figures were supposed to ward off the enemies of the king. The sculpture made these statues in a conceptual view rather than an optical so that all the important features of the animal were shown not just the ones that would actually appear from a given position. He did this by showing the front view of the animal at rest and the side view in motion. The animal, therefore, has five legs!
This Piece has no title On the Athenian Acropolis in Greece there is a little temple of Athena Nike. Around the temple a parapet was built( at about 410BCE) which was decorated with incredible reliefs. The theme of these matched the temple and were of Nike. The most exquisite is from the south side of the parapet and depicts Nike adjusting her sandal. The position of the Beautiful, marble, relief sculpture is rather awkward looking; as Nike leans forward to tie her lifted right sandal with her right hand she balances her full weight on her bent left leg. However, the unknown sculptor, of this piece makes this uncomfortable looking position appear extremely elegant and graceful. The drapes of the young woman hug her body tightly and look almost transparent, as if soaked in water. But the artist wasn’t just trying to portray the feminine form the drapes fold in a completely unrelated way to her body and are completely beautiful in their own abstract design.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace
Her himation flowing back, hugging and gathered against her legs and chest (which is leaning forward) while her wings look almost like they are beating and she stands on the prow of a Greek warship, this sculpture is truly moving. Carved, from a creamy coloured marble called Parian, ( as opposed to the ship which is made of a dark blue Rhodian marble) in around 190BCE the freestanding Nike of Samothrace is a masterpiece. The Nike of Samothrace gets her name from the island of samothrace where she was set up in sanctuary of the Great Gods. She commemorates a great victory, her right arm, for instance, was once( now Nike's head and arms are missing) raised high to crown a naval victor. The original setting of this piece made it even more extraordinary; she was displayed in the upper basin of a two-tiered fountain. The water flowing against the head of the ship gave the feeling of movement like there were actual waves hitting it. The idea that a statue should be one with its surrounding it should look like a living , breathing thing and interact with its environment was a common Hellenistic style, they rejected the Polykleitan belief that a statue should be ideally portional, and contained on a bare pedestal.
The Seated Boxer Th
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