As a result of the unification of the Lower and Upper Kingdoms by 3000 BC. e. formed an ancient state. According to the calculation of the priest Manetho, there were thirty dynasties. The state developed in all directions. Especially actively improved the art of Ancient Egypt. Briefly consider its main features.
General information
How did the art of Ancient Egypt express their ideas? In short, his goal was to serve the needs of the then existing religion. First of all, this applied to the state and funeral cult of the pharaoh. His image was deified. This is confirmed by the extant drawings of Ancient Egypt. In general, ideas were expressed in strict canonical form. However, art survived an evolution that reflected changes in both the spiritual and political life of the state.
Key Development Results
In ancient Egypt, a lot of classical architectural types and forms were formed. These, in particular, include elements such as a column, an obelisk, a pyramid. New types of fine art have appeared. Relief became quite popular. The monumental painting of Ancient Egypt is also quite interesting. Local art institutions were formed.
At this time, many creative individuals appeared. Ancient Egyptian artists comprehended and put into the system the basic means of plastic arts. In particular, supports and ceilings, mass and volume appeared in architecture.
Wall paintings of Ancient Egypt included a silhouette, a line, a plane, color spots. There was a certain rhythm in the images. The sculpture began to use the texture of wood and stone. It is also important that in the course of time a canonized form was formed, in accordance with which the figure of a person was depicted on a plane. She was shown in profile (legs, arms and face) and in the face (shoulders and eyes) at the same time.
Main principles
The main canons in the art of Ancient Egypt began to take shape in the period 3000-2800 BC. e. The architecture of that time acquired a leading role. She was quite closely connected with the afterlife. The architecture was dominated by the principles of static and monumentality. They embodied the idea of the superhuman greatness of the Egyptian Pharaoh and the inviolability of the social system. These canons had a great influence on other spheres of culture. In particular, the painting and sculpture of Ancient Egypt differed in statics and symmetry, geometric generalization, strict frontality.
Next stage of development
From 2800 to 2250 BC e. previously formed artistic techniques began to gain stylistic completeness. A new architectural form of the tomb of the Pharaoh was developed. The geometric simplicity of the pyramid was used. Its forms, combined with its enormous size, created an architectural image full of superhuman, estranged greatness. The ceremonial order and hierarchy of Egyptian society is reflected in the strict rows of mastabaiform tombs, memorial temples connected to the entrance pavilions covered by long corridors, in the majestic figure of the sphinx. The drawings of Ancient Egypt in the tombs illustrated a prosperous life in the kingdom of the dead. The paintings show a sense of rhythm, keen observation, characteristic of artists, the beauty of the silhouette, contour lines and color spots.
Bright heyday
It falls on the era of the New Kingdom. Thanks to successful trips to Asia, the life of the nobility has acquired exceptional luxury. And if in the period of the Middle Kingdom dramatic images prevailed, now refined aristocratic forms began to be used. Architectural trends of the past era have also been developed. So, the temple in Deir al-Bahri (Queen Hatshepsut) is a whole complex, deployed in space. It is partially cut down in the rocks. Protodoric columns and cornices, with their strict lines and reasonable orderliness, contrast with the chaotic crevices in the rocks. The painting and sculpture of Ancient Egypt are becoming more elegant. This can be seen in softly modeled statues, reliefs, paintings. Stone processing has become thinner. Particularly popular was the in-depth relief using the game of chiaroscuro. The drawings of Ancient Egypt gained freedom of angles and movements, the elegance of colorful combinations. The images began to be present landscape. In ground-based temples, the main courtyard was an open courtyard surrounded by a colonnade, a hypostyle with papyrus-like or lotus-shaped columns.
Drawings of Ancient Egypt
Images reflect the multifaceted talents of people of that era. At all times of the kingdom, drawings of the gods of ancient Egypt were distributed. Religious themes can be traced in all areas of culture. Drawings of the gods of Ancient Egypt were decorated with sarcophagi, tombs, temples. Kingdom dwellers believed that earthly existence was only a stage before death, followed by eternal life. The drawings of Ancient Egypt were to glorify the deceased. In the images there were motives of the deceased moving to the dead kingdom (court of Osiris). They illustrated the earthly life of man. So he could in the kingdom of the dead do the same as on earth.
Statues
The sculptural portrait was distinguished by its special development. In accordance with the idea of people of that era, the statues were doubles of the dead. The sculptures served as containers for the souls of the departed. The statues were quite clearly divided into types. For example, a walking person was depicted, with his foot forward or sitting with his legs crossed. The portrait statues, solemnly static, are distinguished by the accuracy and clarity of the transmission of the most significant characteristic features, as well as the social status of the portrait. At the same time, jewelry, folds on clothes, hats and wigs were carefully worked out.
Features of technical performance
For almost four centuries, Egyptian painting was subject to strict canons. They were caused not only by imperfection of technology, but also by the requirements of existing customs. Artists made mistakes in perspective. In this regard, ancient images are more like a map of the area. In this case, the figures in the background were greatly enlarged.
The Egyptians used carbon black, charcoal black, white limestone, and iron ore (yellow or red) to apply to the surface of the pattern. They also had blue and green colors. They were obtained using copper ore. The Egyptians mixed paints with a viscous liquid, then divided into pieces. Wetting them with water, they painted. To save the image, it was coated on top with varnish or resin. Egyptian painting was bright and colorful. However, there were not so many paintings in palaces, temples, tombs.
Finally
It should be said that, despite the rather large variety of colors for that era, the transmission of shadow, shades and light was very arbitrary. When considering, it can be noted that the drawings of the ancient Egyptians lacked realism. Nevertheless, despite certain inaccuracies and errors, the images have a rather deep meaning. Their significance is affirmed by the position that a person occupied in art.