Notes on Art History

The Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut is from the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, located in Deir el-Bahri, and is dated around 1473-1478 BCE. This statue is 8’ 6’’ tall and is completely made of red granite. The statue shows Hatshepsut kneeling on both knees with each hand holding a sphere. However, Hatshepsut is known as a female ruler, but this statue and including other statues, she is represented as a male ruler. Upon closer inspection, her shoulders are broad, she is wearing a linen headdress, and a fake beard which is typical for a male ruler to wear. Also, the inscription, or hieroglyph, use a feminine form to identify her as a female ruler because there’s was no word for king. Adapting to the visual forms of kingship, the Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut can demonstrate the cultural, religious, and political environment of Ancient Egypt.

The legs were mostly the only parts that had color, in addition to small specks of black on the hair. They both stood on a surface that was painted black but had started to fade. The male figure stood firm, almost at attention with both hands clinched, placed by his side. He body type appeared athletic with broad shoulders. His right leg was planted back as his left leg was placed to the forefront. His head was slightly tilted to the side. He wore the typical Egyptian official’s attire, kilt with an apron and bare chest.

Clothing was also an important part in men's lives. The Sumptuary laws implied to not only the women, but to the men too. Men also wore many layers, some similar to the women. According to Linda Alchin, "The fashions were designed to give the impression of a small waist-especially desired by the women but also emulated by men" (Elizabethan Upper Class Fashion). They wore most of the following under layers: a shirt, stockings, a codpiece, and a corset. Then, most of the following over layers: a doublet, separate sleeves, breeches, a belt, a ruff, a cloak, and boots or flat shoes. Men's clothing fashions were related to those of women's due to the similar, and many layers.

"Egypt: An Introduction to Egyptian Art 2." Egypt Travel Guide - Tour Egypt. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.

The Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut is a magnificent piece of art located in the Egyptian section next to many other statues of the great pharaoh Hatshepsut. Out of all the statues of Hatshepsut, the Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut was kept in the best shape and caught a lot of attention from the people in the room. Its great size is something truly remarkable, considering it was built in the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. More importantly, this statue is the first structure in art that depicts a woman leader. Not only is it a truly unique piece of work, but also it is a piece that is revolutionary for its time. The massive size of this statue leaves one wondering if women have always been just as powerful as men, if not more.

This was not covered in the textbook or in the video lecture, and was not commonly seen in Ancient Rome. I also noticed that when Maximus was captured as a prisoner of war many men around him were wearing turbans on their heads, which was also not seen in Ancient Rome. However, hair and makeup in the film were accurate for the most part. Most of the men in the film had the Caesar cut that was mentioned in the video lecture, and the women had elaborate

Egyptians paid great respect to women at least in the upper classes, in part because marriage alliances were vital to the preservation and stability of the monarchy. The Egyptians believe that the royal family was immortal. The word family brings every member of the family to the same circle of respect and power. The man like in the Mesopotamian civilization was the head of the family. That is also seemed in today’s daily life in most cases. A statue of Pharaoh Mycerinus and his queen represents the wife presenting her husband and not the husband presenting his wife as the powerful one.

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).

Depending on their job, wealth, and other factors, clothing people wore may have varied. But it was not uncommon for women to wear dresses(Some more high end than others ) or cotton print shirts and skirts. It was common to see a man in a bit more casual clothes rather than suits almost all around like previous decades.

During the ancient Roman time period, clothing was crucial in citizens’ status of either emperor, wealthy, middle class, poor, or slave. The emperor would have worn the toga trabea, which was, “formal differences in togas which denoted social rank” (Roman Dress). The emperor himself would wear a toga with a purple stripe to show his status. As emperor, he would also wear the latus clavus, tunica palmata, and the toga palmata. For wealthy citizens, “It was simply deemed improper for such a Roman citizen of

Paris- Paris was a man of extremely high class. Clothing that was almost of the level of royalty was worn by him. Being a kinsman of the Prince, he was often seen wearing purple and gold. He commonly wore doublets or jerkins, but he would also often wear gowns or cloaks. The high ranking given to him allowed him to wear clothing mainly made of silk. Large hats with feathers secured on them were commonly worn by Paris. Flat and low slip-on shoes were the ideal choice of footwear at the

There was a very clear line in between the wealthy and the poor. Peasants during the era wore layers of belted tunics, cloaks, hats, and boots or clogs for warmth. These types of clothing would never be seen on the wealthier class of people. Many fashion trends from the renaissance time period carried on from time period to time period and are very prevalent still today.

Men and women shaved their heads or had very short hair.They wore wigs to dress up.Rich people had wigs made from human hair,but the poor people wore wigs made from wool or vegetable fiber.

Just from looking at a few pieces of the art of the ancient Egyptians, you begin to notice many defining characteristics about it that make it unique and different from other styles of art. There are an ample amount of recurring features in the art, so this must mean that these traits and aspects are noteworthy. This next section of the essay will go into detail about a few of the many types of art and the stylistic elements that define ancient Egyptian art and make it special and distinguishable from other types of art, and why some particular aspects of the art are important.

When referring to Egypt, it is said that the word Egypt evokes the name of three women as if by magic: Hatshepsut, Nefertiti and Cleopatra. Although these women are from different generations and times, the three of them all represent the history and traditions of Egyptian fashion. Mila Contini, author of Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day notes that women in ancient Egypt was always honored and treated with respect, and because of that Hatshepsut, Nefertiti and Cleopatra were seen as the definition of Egyptian culture. Hatshepsut was the daughter of Pharaoh Thutmosis I and during her lifetime was said to have shared the throne with her father during his lifetime. After her fathers death, Hatshepsut had married her half-brother Thutmosis II, and after his death, she had resigned over the land. Hatshepsut was also noted as having changed her sex, Contini mentions that Hatshepsut “wore on her chin the false beard of the Pharaohs, and on monuments and bas-reliefs had herself represented without breasts, like a warrior”. Hatshepsut was a leader in mens clothes, something that was very different at the time. Image 1 is an example of the popular