Egyptian Art

Egyptian Art

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Eugen Weber 

Akhenaton

Akhenaten (or Echnaton, Ikhnaton and Khuenaten) changed his name from Amenhotep IV, to emphasize the most daring act of his reign, the change of the state religion from a polytheistic to ahenotheistic religion. Many sources speculate that he founded the first monotheistic religion, but that is not true. Still, the changes in the style of art were profound, clearly connected to a new life philosophy.
The artwork shows him and his wife, Nefertiti and their three children in the new 'everyday family life' style. The sun represents the new god Aten, with it's rays sending 'eternal life' to the family, represented through the 'ankh' symbol.
His drastic changes to the Egyptian culture were not embraced by the powerful priesthood, who restored the old religion after his death.

 http://portal.bentonvillek12.org/kimwilliams/Egyptian/Akhenaten%20and%20his%20family.JPG

Nebamun's Garden

Nebamun's Garden is part of a large wall painting from the tomb of Nebamun, a rich scribe living in Thebes. The entire scene shows him, his wife Hatshepsut and their daughter enjoying life near the river Nile. There are many more details to discover, though. The purpose of this artwork was the depiction of Nebamun's afterlife. Forever happy, young and involved in pleasurable activities, that was the idea of life after death. The particular rules of Egyptian painting are clearly displayed, based on the idea that everything must be depicted 'easily recognizable'. The sacrifice of 'perspective' was obviously not a problem.

Nebamun’s garden, fragment of a scene from the tomb-chapel of Nebamun. Thebes, Egypt; Late 18th Dynasty, around 1350 BC; Height: 64 centimetres (max), Width: 73 centimetres (painting only) Length: 104.2 centimetres, Width: 61 centimetres.
 http://www.egyptological.com/wp/wpcontent/uploads/2011/10/IMG_8469a.jpg


http://www.newscientist.
com/gallery/dn16421-nebamun-tomb-paintings/5

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/galleries/ancient_egypt/room_61_tomb-chapel_nebamun/nebamun_animation.aspx


http://www.britishmuseum.org/search_results.aspx?searchText=nebamun

The Sphinx

The Khufu Pyramide

The Book of the Dead