"With 274 illustrations." Includes bibliographical references (pages 312-314) and index.
Contents:
Part I: Art & creation. 'Giving stone to its lord': offerings and monuments -- 'See my perfection, my son': offerings and the king -- 'The risen earth': creation in art and architecture -- Part II: Art & the artists. 'All the craftsmanship was under my attention': the artists -- 'Rejoicing in the perfect monument': the artists at work -- 'A gateway to the far side of the sky': the principles of art -- 'For your spirit--have the perfect day': the canon of the human figure -- Part III: Art in context. 'The first instance': the earliest art of pharaonic Egypt -- 'Stride perfected on perfect paths': the noble offering cult -- 'I was the one who opened up this area': a study in change: the first intermediate period -- 'She who is facing her lord': the tombs and temples of Thebes -- 'You create the world as you will in your uniqueness': two more studies in change. The Amarna period ; An imperial legacy -- 'I drove away the killers': services to others -- 'A perfect joy to look at': the significance of the minor arts -- 'I shall bring no more offerings for you': the latest art of pharaonic Egypt.
Summary:
The art and architecture of Egypt during the age of the pharaohs continue to capture the imagination of the modern world. Vivid, graceful forms decorating monuments that emanated ambition and authority spark our wonder about this distant culture. Ever youthful and elegant men and women encounter odd, animal-headed gods and monsters amid scenes of work and leisure, in a paradise of plain, bright colours, where hieroglyphic texts hint at grand ideas. The tombs and temples of ancient Egypt seem to reveal how art and monumental building first flowered at the heart of civilization, and the many ways in which they may adorn and articulate the human condition, and our relationships with the eternal and our time on Earth.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.