Egyptian Art and its Symbolism
Author: John Published Under: History
One of the amazing things about art is that even though people are scattered all over the world, art still developed in someways independently in all of these areas. However, much of the art as most people know it today, like what you see in a museum, can be traced back to the Egyptians. Even the Greeks, who are well known for their art, used to send students to study in Egypt.
The Egyptians are known for many things, but one of the first things people think of are the Egyptian Pyramids. In many ways, these pyramids are testaments to the wealth and power of the ancient pharaohs, who were able to force millions of slaves to do their work for years at a time, while creating something in their image. Whether or not we agree with their motives and acts is almost immaterial at this point, as their artwork speaks for itself.
The Egyptians were very religious and believed that in order for the soul to continue living after death, it was necessary to preserve the body. This not only meant the actual body, but also creating sculptures and images that resembled the person. For this reason, much of the artwork of Egyptians is not made as only art, but also as a deeply religious icon.
Even the geometric beauty of the pyramids served a religious purpose, which many believe was intended to bring the king closer to the “heavens,” making his journey easier.
In the beginning, these statues, busts, and sculptures were only reserved for nobility, but over time, anyone who could afford it, had some sort of image made of them, to help preserve their soul. For this reason, there is a great deal of Egyptian art.
One of the key components of Egyptian Art is geometry, symmetry, and regularity. These components were very important, as they can be seen in almost all pieces of artwork. To add another layer of mystery to this artwork, most of the art pieces we have from ancient Egypt was never intended to be seen by anyone, well anyone except for the person buried in the tomb. These pieces of art were instead intended to aid the soul on its next journey, but this does not mean the artwork was not created with care.
Many of the wall paintings found in these tombs provide an interesting and accurate look into the lives of those living in ancient Egypt. One of the interesting things about this artwork is that the need for precision and correctness can be seen, almost as if it were made by a mapmaker rather than an artist. In many ways, the artist wasn't really painting what he saw, but rather what he knew should be there.
With the understanding of the means and intentions of Egyptian Artists, it is much easier to interpret their art and understand the intentions of the artist. Their images become more than just a nice picture or landscape, but instead chronicles the life of an Egyptian.