Analysis Of The Funerary Stele Of Amenemhat I

The work I chose to analyze was from a wall fragment from the tomb of Ameneemhet and wife Hemet called Mummy Case of Paankhenamun, found in the Art Institute of Chicago. The case of the Mummy Paankhenamun is one of the most exquisite pieces of art produced by the Egyptian people during the time before Christ. This coffin belonged to a man named Paankhenamun, which translates to “He Lives for Amun” (Hornblower & Spawforth 74). Paankhenamun was the doorkeeper of the temple of the god Amun, a position he inherited from his father.

This work of art is from the Greek, Hellenistic period, c. 270- 250 B.C.E. This fifteen inch marble bust corresponds to a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty according to the typical facial features of the ruling family at that time. The Ptolemaic dynasty occurred when there was a succession of Macedonian Greeks over Egypt from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. until the annexation of Egypt by Rome and the suicide of Cleopatra VII in 30 B.C. Therefore, this head was most likely created to symbolize a Ptolemaic Queen. Its subject matter, the themes or ideas in a work of art distinct from its form, is not evident

Then there are also many psychological lines to be seen in the work. One such line is of the woman and the floor, where she is staring down towards it. Another is from the young child and the store clerk, showing a defiance between the two. Next, light and value are not very contrasting in this painting, with only the basic highlights and the shadows seen. It isn’t completely contrasting or contradicting since the colors blend well together with close to the same value ranges, dark colors seen throughout except for the people’s pale faces. There also seems to be a variety of light sources since the woman’s face along with the shop clerk and the young boy’s is lit up by what seems to be a light bulb since they’re much brighter and highlighted and then the men and women in the back aren’t really as bright, except for the ones who close to the open door, creating a blue tinge from the outside light. The shapes shown through the painting is shown to be either very round or very geometrical. There are organic shapes in things such as the umbrella or even the back of the chair, but mostly it is either straight lines and geometrical shapes. The volume shown in the painting is very much implied, correctly showing the

The Sarcophagus of Queen Hatshepsut is considered one of the most historic pieces of ancient Egyptian art that still stands here today in our presence. It is an exquisite work of art, a piece of enlightenment and even a masterpiece that earned a place in the realm of art history. It is one of only three royal sarcophagi that is currently displayed outside of Egypt and is one of they very few from the eighteenth Dynasty that shows multiple alterations and phases of decorations. This sarcophagus was originally prepared for Queen Hatshepsut and later was recut for her father, King Thutmose I. This is an artistic masterpiece from a royal atelier, a prototype for the funeral beliefs and the traditions, and a pivotal historical piece of the complicated puzzle of early New Kingdom political history.

Ancient Greek art is something to be admired; the accuracy of the figures, compared to Egyptian art is commendable. The art works show great depths of emotion and detail. The “Grave stele of a little girl” is a beautiful relief of what appears to be a small child holding two birds. The forearm resembles a young child’s arm because it seems that the “baby fat” is still present, but it is strange that the face has less-childish features. The figure is in strict profile, which possibly suggests a Greek sculptor, in addition to the intricate detail and the contrapposto. Egyptian sculptors did not have

Texture and pattern are very easy to identify in this painting. The street’s cobblestones show texture and pattern in the way that they are arranged. Texture is also demonstrated through the paint strokes on the buildings, the tree, and even the sky. These thick, uneven strokes add a layer of depth and texture to all elements of the painting.

The effect that forms are that of biometric feel beside the people they have more of geometric feel. The colors do impact this artwork greatly because each color is harsh and sot of clash with one another. The colors are black, gold, red, brown, white and light blue. The colors are mixed. The color on the mother's dress is a harsh black versus that of her children which are every light and airy. The hue of the piece of art is very light in some spaces but in other places it can be very dark. The saturation is very different in many places if you look at the woman's dress and in the dog, you can see that it is very saturated but if you look at the two girl's dresses you can tell that its less saturated. When

Secondly, the light and colors help to enhance the piece. Due to the oil painting,

Similar to most Egyptian art, the figures in the stele are drawn with a twisted perspective – the frontal view of their faces and the profile view of their bodies. This is also seen in the relief of “King Assurnasirpal II Killing Lions.” This twisted perspective was common in most Ancient Egyptian art.

The reliefs of Ankh-neb-ef are limestone panels with paint that originated from the Old Kingdom of Egypt in 2150 BC during the reign of Pharaoh Pepy II. The delicate carving of the panels in the sunken relief presents a magnificent image. They portray Ankh-neb-ef, an ancient Egyptian priest whose name translates to “may his lord live.” In the reliefs, Ankh-neb-ef holds a Kherep-sceptor and a walking stick, which were symbols of authority in ancient Egypt. Egyptian civilization was extremely religious and most ancient Egyptian artworks involved the portrayal of gods, goddesses, and Pharaoh, as well. Moreover, the Egyptian reverence for order and conservative ideals led to the institution of intricate rules that governed how artists represented both humans and gods (Saylor.org 4). For instance, the apparel worn by Ankh-neb-ef in the painting is not a simple fashion statement. The priest is wearing a prestigious sarong and ornamentation, bracelets, and a wide collar. The jewelry kept their owner safe in a dangerous passage to the afterlife. This formula for representing the human figure in a painting remained popular over several centuries (Robins 24).

I selected a sculpture from the museum to analyze. The sculpture’s name is: Totem Pole. There was not one specific artist, instead there were several artists who helped create this piece of art. The Coosa Valley Woodcarving Club members worked together to carve this Totem Pole in 1985. The media used was wood and oil paints. The Totem Pole represents the many tribes of Native American tribes in this area. Meaning that the animals shown would represent different groups or tribes who are all a part of a close community. There are many elements of art that are visible with this sculpture. One element of art displayed is Line. There is a contrast of both regular and irregular lines where some regular lines are incorporated closely to irregular lines. This is shown on the wings of the bird towards the middle of the totem pole where the top of the wing is straight and the lines that are carved in a more vertical direction seem to look irregular due to the lines not being completely straight down. Irregular lines are used mainly here since the lines used look to be reflecting the wilderness of nature and

Color is the most prominent art element utilized in the work. A series of bright warm colors such as whites, greens, reds, blues, gold, and purple have been used throughout the art. Gold is seen on the robes of the priest and Justinian, but is most noticeable in the background. White is used for the priest’s robes and distinguishes them from the group. A lighter green fills the lower background by their feet while darker greens are used for the shield and bordering designs. A deep purple is seen on Justinian’s robe to show his royalty and power. Blue and red are the least prominent as they are mainly used in the boarder and small details. Lines are used to create a sense of depth and sharply outline the figures. Overlapping is seen with the figures to show their importance in the art. The composition of the art shows the status and roles of the men with the most important near the middle (Justinian) and the least important off to the

Some of the colors seem out of place. The variation in color may be a result of the author emphasizing certain areas of the sculpture. Most notably, the artist selects to present the sculpture in three-dimensions, using this technique to accentuate and magnify the combatants and their physical attributes. Certain parts of these dimensions seem to stick right out at you, giving the viewer a good impression of the violence and hatred of war.

Concerning color, there is a stark contrast between the figure on the painting and the background. More specifically, the figure of the woman is predominantly delineated in white color, especially pale, ashen white, as far her apparel and facial complexion are concerned, while there are also various hues of grey, with respect to her hair and accessory feather. These white and grey shades are vividly contrasted with the prevailing red and crimson hues of the background (viz. the drape, armchair, and table). Moreover, one can detect colors of dark green (jewelry), some beige on the left (pillar), and darker or lighter shades of blue on the right side of the canvas (sky), which all in concert and in addition to the subtle purple hue forming the sun or moon exude a certain dramatic sentiment. Also, there is brown, which often easily segues into gold (viz. books and attire details respectively). The main contrast of colors between white and red would be interpreted as serving the purpose of rendering the figure of the woman, and especially her face, the focal point of the work, despite, paradoxically enough, the lush red shades at the background. Bearing that in mind, the significance of the woman’s face will be enlarged upon later, when discussing aspects of her identity.

The shapes of the figures are sharply defined and the objects such as the table, book, and string instruments. There are diagonal rhythms throughout the painting in which it creates movement. The light source in the upper left allows the source light to have a more natural appearance throughout the painting. The shadows at the right-hand corner and the men wearing green in the middle contrast the main object with the most sources of lighting. The objects shadows and lighting create dimension and a vivid sense of more contrast. There are areas in the making with more contrast and the sharp contrast that creates movement in the painting. The shadows and the lighting throughout the painting show gradations and the highlights create more depth. Staring from the upper-left hand corner with the first figure of a gentleman wearing a hue of blue and yellow, the left side of his face and garment shows the source light in right above him. The source light above the