Egyptian Art 2700 BC-200 AD

Egyptians were mainly interested in architecture and sculpture, and in many of their paintings they gave drawing precedence over color. Architecture was invented in Egypt around 2650BC by Imhotep. Imhotep came up with the revolutionary idea to translate the fragile building materials of bundled reeds and mud bricks into carved stone. Many of the architectural elements we see today have some kind of ancestral link to Imhotep's genius. Egyptian Art is divided into four main historical categories. T

Ankh seated with hands clasped
Third Dynasty, reign of Djoser
Gray porphyroid granite
Height: 62.5 cm (24 5/8 in)
Width: 20.5 cm (8 1/8 in)
Depth: 32.5 cm (12 7/8 in)
Musee du Louvre, Paris

 

Male Deity
Third Dynasty
Gneiss
Height: 21.4 cm (8 1/2 in)
Width: 9.7 cm (3 7/8 in)
Depth: 8.9 cm (3 1/2 in)
Brooklyn Museum of Art

 

 

Relief of Hesi-re
Third Dynasty, reign of Djoser
Acacia wood
Height: 86 cm (33 7/8 in)
Width: 41 cm (16 1/8 in)
Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Stela of King Qahedjet
Third Dynasty
Fine-grained limestone
Height: 50.5 cm (19 7/8 in)
Width: 31 cm (12 1/4 in)
Depth: 2.8 cm (1 1/8 in)
Musee du Louvre, Paris

Vase with rope decoration
Third Dynasty
Egyptian alabaster
Height: 63.5 cm (25 in)
Diameter: 19.1 cm (7 1/2 in)
Egyptian Museum, Cairo

 

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