Download po6-MK - LaCourART

Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
1
May 07, 2017
Chapter 3:
The Art of Egypt
Middle Kingdom
( 11th - 14th Dynasties,
or 11th - 13th dynasties)
1
Background
2
General
3
Chronology
4
c. 2200 - 1680 BC)
begin with 11th dyn
reinvigorated
lasted for about 300 years,
through the 12-13 dynasties
from about 2050-1750 BC.
4
c. 2040 --> 11th dyn
11th dyn reasserted
royal power
Although the two kingdoms were finally reunited 11th -12 = most
in 2130 BC (c. 2040 BCE)
important
by Thebian ruler Mentuhotep II
c 2050-1750 BC
the pharaoh did not regain the god-like
power he had enjoyed during the OK.
spell of divine kingship
once broken
never regains old effectiveness
MK Capitol = Thebes in Upper Egypt
12th dynasty
political authority less centralized
provincial governors claim increasing powers
limiting king's power to national concerns
 defense of Egyptian frontiers
kings began maintaining standing armies in
lower Nubia (south of modern Aswan)
Janson
2134-1785 BC
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
2
May 07, 2017
From MK




Specific terms having to do with irrigation "canal, levee..
1st appear in MK documents & inscriptions
1st mention of ingenious methods of raising
water to higher grounds
Regional administration / farmers supervise
irrigation locally
Farmers enjoy relatively liberal rights &
freedoms but required to turn over
production to nobles or priests who owned
the land but if fail to produce prescribed
yields then harsh penalties
Middle Kingdom
Italics in religion
lecture
During the Middle Kingdom
the god Amon (Amen)
which had been relatively unknown
became a powerful force due to the
political successes of princes of Thebes.
Question of how things came to be
could have caused the emergence of Ptah
Ptah =
brought to prominence by priests of Memphis
as the
original creator of an ordered universe
and all gods in it
Italics in religion
lecture
Memphis =
close to boundary
between upper
& lower Egypt
Emergence of Osirisbelieved to possess the power of granting men
a happy life after death
Italics in religion
lecture
Everything--Nile floods
household incidents
Italics in religion
lecture
was the result of the will of a god
Egyptian religion focused on the need for men
to do things to please the gods
Pharaoh was responsible for the care of the
great deities
But it was the responsibility of ALL men to
please the gods
Italics in religion
lecture
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
3
May 07, 2017
Gods needed living quarters
so they built temples and shrines
Great temples were built by the pharaoh
and tiny chapels were built in the homes
Old kingdom?
Wasn't it later
that they built
temples
Artistic efforts decorated the temples
Daily rituals had to be performed to meet
the needs of the gods at the great temples
and at the simple shrines.
Italics in religion
lecture
A great number of priests were maintained to
address,
care for, and
please the gods
Proper provisions to allow for continued
life of the ka was prob only affordable for
the pharaohs
Italics in religion
lecture
By the end of the Old Kingdom many nobles
constructed their own tombs
During the Old Kingdom
the fate of the common man was unknown
although some form of after life was
available
Some form of immortality
By end of Middle Kingdom
there was some order to religious thought
and practice
A few gods were recognized
as most powerful especially:
Major gods:

Re- sun god
Architecturally the obelisk was sacred to the
sun god Re
Amon- ram headed
Amon - Re joined as king of the gods
Osiris
Most other gods subordinated to them
Italics in religion
lecture
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
4
May 07, 2017
Every king proclaimed self as the son of Re
When alive-- he identified with Horus
When died - identified w/ Osiris god of
underworld
Italics in religion
lecture
Middle Kingdom - c. 1800 BC
Increasing interest in Osiris, god of the
underworld
Italics in religion
lecture
as a result there was
more emphasis on living a righteous life
Later believed that
after death Osiris
judged and evaluated truthfulness of their
soul.
If passed = everlasting life in garden
paradise.
Failure = cast into the jaws of a monster
The expectation of immortality
idea of rewards and punishments after
death
Italics in religion
lecture
were original contributions to the
religious beliefs of the world
Italics in religion
lecture
Pictograms came to be known as
hieroglyphics = sacred carvings because
Egyptian writing was mainly religious in nature
The widespread acceptance of a few great
gods who watch over the fate of all
Egyptians provided a unifying force.
Egypt never achieved religious unity,
local cults persisted
Italics in religion
lecture
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
5
May 07, 2017
Middle Kingdom Sculpture
During 1st Intermediate
 Began to move away from portrayal of kings
as vigorous but placid young men
Many MK sculptors
 continued to express special awareness of
hardship fragility of human existence
General :MK sculp
 royal portraits of MK do not always reflect
idealized rigidity of earlier
 emulate non-official portrait sculp
Senwosret III (Sesostris) Dyn 12,







S3-24
Sesostris III
(ruled 1878-1843
BC)
Black Granite
21 1/2" high
Brooklyn Mus
Middle Kingdom
Dynamic king
Successful general
Led 4 military expeditions into Nubia
Overhauled central administration of Egypt
Did allot to regain control ver country's
increasingly independent nobles
Portrait reflects achievements, personality,
inner thoughts.
Wise man in ways of world but lonely,
saddened, burdened... by responsibility
Senwosret III (Sesostris) Dyn 12,
conventional block like pose
seated, frontal, erect
Less than 2' tall
Suggest monumentality of earlier OK (Khafre)
Middle Kingdomc 2200-1680 BC
janson=
2134-1785 BC
11-13 or 14
dynasties
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
6
May 07, 2017
3-24
Sesostris III
(ruled 1878-1843
BC)
from the Temple
of Medamud,
Granite
11" high
EMus, Cairo
Middle Kingdom
J91
Sesostris III
c 1850 BCE
6 1/8" tall
G3-15A
Khafre
(side)
from Gizeh,
c. 2500 BC,
Diorite
66" high
EMus, Cairo
Portrait of Sesostris,(Senwosret III)
The portrait of Sesostris,
when compared to that of Khafre,
seems to be that of a man rather than a god
Sculpture of MK shows a
greater sensitivity of expression
but maintains essential characteristics
estab in Old Kingdom
New level of self awareness
preoccupied
Emotionally drained
Deep creases, line, sagging cheeks
Eyes sunken
Eyelids droop, jaw sternly set
Physical/ Psychological realism
Head = detail of a sphinx
has a pessimistic expression
that also reflects the dominant mood
of the literature of the Middle kingdom
determined ruler in brooding meditation
MK repres that is personal, almost intimate,
revelation of the mark of anxiety that a
troubled age might leave on the soul of a
king.
Beginning of tradition of portraiture
of Rome and Renaissance
Khafre gazes into
future confident,
secure, serene
All images of
Senwosret (Sesostris)
II betray a pessimistic
view of life
degree of distrust
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
7
May 07, 2017
Small Objects Found in Tombs
Hippo
S03-25
Hippo
S03-26
Pectoral
Senwosret III
7 7/8"
Egyptian faience - distinct lustrous glaze
Eternal hippo hunt
Moral triumph
Scarab beetle
= symbol of RA = suggestive of rebirth
Cartouche
= oval formed by loop of rope
Faience = glass paste
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
8
May 07, 2017
Middle Kingdom Architecture
Early Middle Kingdom Pyramids
Continued to build pyramids
but at a much smaller scalebut to thwart thieves they began
to make ingenious and intricate interior
layouts
Entrances no longer in center of the north side
as was traditional
but were hidden and screened
from the secret tomb chamber
by various types of sliding portcullises
and by a series of passages
that turned and doubled back on
themselves
at various levels in labyrinthine fashion.
Less massive that OK versions
MK were built of brick or as stone
frameworks filled w/ brick or rubble.
Decreased size of pyramids was partly
replaced by increased size of sarcophagilarge, heavy, designed like small tomb
chambers.
Pyramids were abandoned
and the tombs were cut into rock
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
9
May 07, 2017
Kahun
S3-19
Plan of North
section of Kahun
Middle Kingdom
Town built by Senwosret II (dyn 12)
near his tomb complex at el-LAHUN
Unique view of MK social structure
Built to provide housing for king, officials, court
workers
Egypt used mudbrick for own dwellings.
Bricks have disintegrated or removed by
farmers for fertilizer
Only foundations remain
Map of site shows:
Straight streets & avenues mainly E-W direction
Rectangular blocks divided into lots for homes,
bldgs
Town design shows 3 distinct economic / social
levels
Senwosret II house = highest ground
semi-fortified
fronted by large open square
East Palaces - district
connected to square by wide ave
occ by priests, court officials, and families
houses large/comfortable
private living quarters
public rooms grouped around courtyards
some had as many as 70 rooms
spread over 1/2 acre
West district:
sep from rest of town by solid wall
workers & families
small 5 room row houses
built back to back along straight narrow
streets
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
10
May 07, 2017
Rock -cut tombs at Beni Hasan
G3-21
Plan an section of
a rock-cut tomb
G3-20
Rock cut tombs,
Beni Hasan,
c. 2000 BC
Most char remains of Middle Kingdom =
Tombs of local princes
Rock cut tombs at Beni Hasan, south of
Memphis
Beni Hasan = east
side of Nile
Nobility & high level
officials
Best preserved is that of Khunumhotep
Khnum-hotep
Middle Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
The rock cut tombs largely replaced the
Old Kingdom mastabas
Hollowed out of living rock,
fronted by a shallow, columned portico
The portals and chambers contained
reserved columns, (engaged)
shaped as if they were planed wooden logs
with rectangular boardlike capitals
They "support" great timber-shaped stone
beams. Though all are continuous parts of
the rock,
the sculptured shapes
represent simple wooden chambers,
built on a post and lintel system.
Rock cut tombs at
other spots along
Nile exhibit
variations on this
simple plan
W/ diff types of
entrances diff
interior layouts
Contained fundamental units of Egyptian
architecture:
1) a portico or vestibule (open colonnaded
court)
2) a columned hall
3) and a sacred chamber (small burial
chamber)
Hall interior of the rock cut tomb of
Amenemhet
G3-22
Hall interior of the
tomb of
Amenemhet
Beni- Hasan,
c. 1930 BC
Middle Kingdom
the reserve columns serve no supporting
function
as they are continuous parts of living rock
just as are the columns of the portico
Tomb walls were
decorated with paintings and painted reliefs,
sim subj to Old Kingdom
Is Amenemhet
the same as
Khunumhotep ?
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
11
May 07, 2017
xxxxxxxxxxx
Pre dynastic
stele from
Abydos,
Louvre, Paris
XXXXXXXXX
X
Pre-dynastic architectural ideas were still vital
for architects of the New Kingdom
pre - dynastic stele from Abydos
A pre - dynastic stele from Abydos, now in
the Louvre, depicts an ancient temple, its
columns made of bundled papyrus stem.
The same shapes are used in columns of New
kingdom temples but the ancient reed
bundles have been reproduced in stone.
Since stone was much more prevalent in Egypt
than in Mesopotamia, Egyptian builders
utilized it instead of the sun dried brick
We know a good deal more about Egyptian
architecture than we know about that of
Mesopotamia because of this
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
12
May 07, 2017
Middle Kingdom Tomb Painting
at Rock Cut Temple at Beni Hasan
Feeding of Oryxes
62753
G3-23
J92
Feeding of
Oryxes, fresco
from the tomb of
Khnumhotep,
Beni Hasan,
c 1900 BC.
Tempera
facsimile.
OR-x
c 1920 BC
Tomb of Khnum-hotep (Beni Hasan
Oryxes antelope = emblem of prince's domain
honored pet of the household
OK tradition = all figures share groundline
Here secondary ground line is only slightly
higher than first
so 2 grps relate similar to normal
appearance
experimenting w/ spatial effects
Foreshortening of shoulders of 2 attendants
Shows some development of overlapping
space and foreshortening, yet most of
conventions are maintained.
Hieroglyphics compromise the
foreshortening by emphasizing the flat wall
Harvest Scene
S03-23
J92
Harvest Scene
fresco from the
tomb of
Khnumhotep,
Beni Hasan,
c 1900 BC.
Tempera
facsimile.
Tomb of Khnum-hotep (Beni Hasan
Page 111
OR-x
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
13
May 07, 2017
Egyptian Architecture
Egyptian architects very seldom used arches,
preferring the post and lintel system 3-14
G3-14A-c2
Middle aisle of
the hall of
pillars, valley
temple of the
Pyramid of
Khafre, Gizeh,
c 2500 BC
Column shapes
Egyptians used columns of many shapes:
Various types of reed bundles
G3-32
Model of
hypostyle hall,
Temple of
Amen-Re,
Karnak, c 1280
BC, MetMus,
NYC
15006
Karnak Temple
of Amon
Hypostyle Hall,
NK
XIX dyn
1314 - 1197 BC
G3-22
Hall interior of the
tomb of
Amenemhet, Beni
Hasan,
c 1930 BC
simple many- sided geometric columns 3-22
?1111
Temple of Horus,
interior detail,
Edfu
columns in the shapes of lily buds, open
papyrus flowers (3-32), and palms,
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
14
May 07, 2017
U173
View of Court in
Temple of
Rameses III,
East Bank of
River at
Karnak,
c 1198 - 1167
BC
G3-28
Plan of typical
pylon temple
G3-27
Interior of the
Temple of
Rameses II, Abu
Simbel.
and even columns in the shapes of human
beings, which were known as
caryatids = female
Atlantids = male (3-27)
G3-33A
Left: Court and
pylon of Ramses
II,
c 1280 BC;
right: court and
colonnade of
Amenhotep III,
c 1370 BC
The bud shape and the open flower or bellshaped were the most popular (3-33)
Although differing in details,
most Egyptian temples were constructed
like the one illustrated in the plan in 3-28
Egyptian plans, like Egyptian sculpture,
are generally bilaterally symmetrical,
being constructed along a corridor axis.
Chap. 3- Egypt-General -
15
May 07, 2017
Gardner Map
Second Intermediate Period
c 2150- 2050 BC
The Middle Kingdom disintegrated
Turbulent interruption in
succession of
dynasties ruling a
unified country
Middle Kingdom Egypt was overthrown in the 13th dynasty
by the Hyskos, a displaced Asiatic tribe
brought to a close by the invasion of the
Hyksos (or Shepherd Kings),
a migrant Semitic Asiatics from the
Syrian and Mesopotamian uplands
Somewhat mysterious origin
Eastern Mediterranean
people
Somewhat mysterious
origin
Ruled for 150 yrs until expulsion by princes of Thebes
c 1570
the Hyksos brought with them
a new and influential culture
and the horse
the dominance of the Hyksos
was once thought to be disastrous
but later it was clear that their infl
kept Egypt in the mainstream of
Bronze Age culture in
the eastern Mediterranean
and it was almost 150-200 years before they were
driven out in the 16th c BC
and the New Kingdom was established.
This period corresponds to
the rise of Babylon
under Hammurabi and
its conquest around 1600 BC by the Hittites
Their innovations in weaponry and techniques of war
contributed to their own overthrow by native Egyptian
kings of the 17th dyn
Thutmose III - 51 year reign
was the greatest pharaoh of the New Kingdom perhaps
of all E history
successors followed his grand traditions
optimistic mood of new era
Expulsion by princes of
Thebes c. 1570