Artists of the Day, October 10, 2020: Ancient Egyptian art (#1116)

Ancient Egyptian art refers to art produced in ancient Egypt between the 31st century BC and the 4th century AD. It includes paintings, sculptures, drawings on papyrus, faience, jewelry, ivories, architecture, and other art media. It is also very conservative: the art style changed very little over time. Much of the surviving art comes from tombs and monuments, giving more insight into the ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs.

The ancient Egyptian language had no word for "art". Artworks served an essentially functional purpose that was bound with religion and ideology. To render a subject in art was to give it permanence. Hence, ancient Egyptian art portrayed an idealized, unrealistic view of the world. There was no significant tradition of individual artistic expression since art served a wider and cosmic purpose of maintaining order.

Art of Pre-Dynastic Egypt (6000–3000 BC)
    • Merimde culture (5000–4200 BC)
    • Badarian culture (4400–4000 BC)
    •Naqada culture (4000–3000 BC)

Early Dynastic Period (3100–2685 BC)

Old Kingdom Period (2686–2181 BC)

Middle Kingdom Period (c. 2055–1650 BC)

Second intermediate period (c. 1650-1550 BC)

New Kingdom Period (c. 1550–1069 BC)

Amarna art (c. 1350 BC)

Third Intermediate Period (c.1069–664 BC)

Ptolemaic period (305–30 BC)

Roman period (30 BC–619 AD)

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 Ovoid Naqada I (Amratian) black-topped terracotta vase. 3800–3500 BC

Jar with lug handles. 3500–3050 BC

Egypt female, figure Naqada IIa.  3500-3400 BC

Both sides of the Narmer Palette. 3100 BC

 Furniture leg in shape of bull's leg. 2960-2770 BC

Head of the Sphinx carved in about 2500 BC, the face is that of the Pharaoh Khafre

 Seated portrait group of Dersenedj and his wife Nofretka. 2400 BC

Scarab. 1980 BC

Pectoral and necklace of Princess Sithathoriunet. 1887–1813 BC

 Broad collar of Senebtisi. 1850–1775 BC

Mirror with a papyrus shaped handle. 1810–1700 BC

Eye. 1550–1069 BC

 Headrest. 1539–1190 BC

Heart scarab of Hatnefer; 1492–1473 BC

Portrait head of pharaoh Hatshepsut or Thutmose III. 1480-1425 BC

Pair of sandals; 1390–1352 BC

Head of Amenhotep III,  British Museum, London. 1390–1352 BC

 Gaming board inscribed for Amenhotep III with separate sliding drawer. 1390–1353 BC

Ceiling painting from the palace of Amenhotep III. 1390–1353 BC

Arched Harp (shoulder harp). 1390–1295 BC

Baboon figurine. 1390–1352 BC

Vizier Ramose and wife. 1370 BC

Detail of the middle coffin of Tutankhamun. 1355–1346 BC

Fragment of a queen's face. 1353–1336 BC

The Bust of Nefertiti. 1352–1336 BC

Mourning women in the tomb of Vizier Ramose, Amarna period. 1350 bc

The Anubis Shrine; 1336–1327 BC

The Mask of Tutankhamun. 1327 BC

 Hieroglyphs on the Stele Minnakht. 1321 BC

Four ushabtis of Khabekhnet and their box. 1279–1213 BC

The Great Temple of Ramesses II from Abu Simbel, founded in 1264 BC

Amulet in the form of Heryshaf seated on a lotus. 1069–332 BC

A Large Egyptian Wood Mummy Mask. 750-600

 Taharqa offering wine jars to Falcon-god Hemen. 690-664 BC

Open miniature coffin with contents,around 664- 525BC, The Fitzwilliam Museum

Figurine of Horus as falcon god with an Egyptian crown. 500 BC

Composite papyrus capital. 380–343 BC

Bowl. 200–150 BC