Ancient Egyptian Pictorial Conventions: Just the Basics
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into the fundamentals of Egyptian pictorial art, highlighting the unique approach of ancient Egyptian artists in representing three-dimensional human figures on a two-dimensional surface. It explores how they used a combination of perceptual and conceptual methods, such as the composite view and hieratic scaling, to create a sense of order and rationality in their art. The script also touches on the symbolic nature of Egyptian art, its association with spiritual rituals, and the use of color and hieroglyphics to convey meaning, providing a foundational understanding of the enduring pictorial conventions of Egyptian art.
Takeaways
- π¨ Egyptian pictorial art includes two-dimensional art forms like painting, drawing, and low relief sculpture, and it emerged around 3000 BC.
- ποΈ Ancient Egyptian artists were among the pioneers in representing three-dimensional human figures on a flat surface.
- π Egyptian art did not utilize techniques like light and shadow or perspective to create a sense of volume or space, unlike later artistic developments.
- π§ The art was conceptual, meaning it was more about ideas and mental constructs rather than direct observation, which is perceptual.
- π£ The use of a single ground line to depict figures was a stabilizing element, despite not being a naturalistic representation of how ground appears under a person's feet.
- π€ΈββοΈ Egyptian figures were often depicted in a composite view, showing different sides of the body simultaneously, which was not how they would be seen in reality.
- ποΈ The eye, even when the head is in profile, is often shown frontally, as this was considered the most characteristic view.
- π In depictions of women, one breast is often shown as if facing forward, even though the other is not depicted, reflecting a conceptual approach to anatomy.
- ποΈ Egyptian pictorial order was rational and orderly, enduring for almost 3000 years, reflecting the conservative nature of Egyptian culture and art.
- π± The use of hieratic scaling in Egyptian art indicated importance, with figures like the pharaoh depicted larger than others to signify their status.
- π Egyptian art is filled with symbols and often includes hieroglyphics, which are an integral part of the art's mystical and religious significance.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video script?
-The video script focuses on the basics of Egyptian pictorial art, including painting, drawing, and low relief sculpture, without delving into a detailed analysis of any single work.
How did ancient Egyptian artists represent human figures on a flat surface?
-Ancient Egyptian artists represented human figures on a flat surface by using a composite view, which combined different perspectives to capture the most characteristic aspects of the human figure, rather than naturalistic perspective or foreshortening.
What is the significance of the ground line in Egyptian pictorial art?
-The ground line in Egyptian pictorial art is a stabilizing element that anchors the figure on a flat surface, suggesting a notion of place and space, despite not being a naturalistic representation of how the ground appears in real life.
Why did Egyptian artists use a composite view for representing figures?
-Egyptian artists used a composite view to represent figures because it allowed them to capture the most characteristic aspects of the human figure from different perspectives, which could not be perceived all at once from a single viewpoint.
How did Egyptian artists handle the representation of feet in their art?
-In Egyptian art, artists often depicted one foot directly in front of the other, which is a conceptual rather than a perceptual approach, as it does not accurately represent the natural stance of a human figure.
What is the difference between a perceptual and a conceptual approach in Egyptian art?
-A perceptual approach in Egyptian art would be based on direct observation of the subject, while a conceptual approach is based on the artist's mental ideas and knowledge of the subject, often leading to a more stylized and idealized representation.
How did Egyptian artists use hieratic scaling in their art?
-Egyptian artists used hieratic scaling to represent the importance of figures by size, with more important figures, such as the pharaoh, depicted larger than those of lesser importance, regardless of their actual spatial relationship.
What role did color play in Egyptian pictorial art?
-Color in Egyptian pictorial art was used conventionally to differentiate between male and female figures, with men typically portrayed with red-brown skin and women with yellowish-ochre skin. It also indicated ethnic distinctions and was used symbolically.
How are symbols and hieroglyphics integrated into Egyptian pictorial art?
-Symbols and hieroglyphics are integrated into Egyptian pictorial art to convey deeper meanings and religious beliefs. They often appear as part of the visual field and are intrinsically linked to the representational images, enhancing the mystical and symbolic content of the artwork.
What changes can be observed in Egyptian art over the different historical periods mentioned in the script?
-While Egyptian art maintained a conservative and stylistically cohesive approach over three thousand years, experts can distinguish between Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom art, as well as special periods like the Amarna period, which introduced some stylistic variations and vivacity.
How does the video script describe the portrayal of gods and pharaohs in Egyptian art?
-The video script describes the portrayal of gods and pharaohs in Egyptian art as being imbued with symbolism and often depicted with specific attributes and items that represent their divine and political roles, such as the false beard of the pharaoh or the various crowns symbolizing unification.
Outlines
π¨ Introduction to Egyptian Pictorial Art
This paragraph introduces the basics of Egyptian pictorial art, which includes two-dimensional representations such as painting, drawing, and low relief sculpture. It emphasizes that Egyptian art is one of the earliest forms of representational art, dating back to around 3000 BC. The challenge of depicting three-dimensional figures on a flat surface is discussed, along with the techniques used by artists to achieve a sense of mass and space. Unlike later developments in art, ancient Egyptians did not use light and shadow or perspective but relied on a simpler, more conceptual system of representation. The paragraph also touches on the idea that representational art does not necessarily have to be highly naturalistic, and that the goal of early Egyptian art was to create identifiable figures and narratives rather than realistic depictions.
π Composite View and Conceptual Approach in Egyptian Art
The second paragraph delves into the concept of the composite view in Egyptian art, where figures are depicted from different angles simultaneously to capture their most characteristic aspects. This approach is contrasted with a perceptual approach, which relies on direct observation. The paragraph explains how Egyptian artists combined perceptual and conceptual methods to create a unique and enduring style. It also discusses the use of ground lines to establish a sense of order and space, and how figures were often standardized to facilitate reproduction. The paragraph highlights the rationality and order in Egyptian art, which was closely tied to spiritual rituals and the mystical properties of the images.
ποΈ Hierarchical Scaling and Symbolism in Egyptian Art
This paragraph explores the use of hieratic scaling in Egyptian art, where the importance of a figure is indicated by its size, with the pharaoh often depicted much larger than others. It also examines the interplay between independent ground lines and space in representing groups of figures, such as workers in a wall painting from the Middle Kingdom. The paragraph discusses the use of color to denote skin tones and ethnic distinctions, as well as the conventions around clothing and the portrayal of the human body. Symbolism is a key aspect of Egyptian art, with certain items and figures holding specific meanings related to Egyptian religious beliefs and the roles of the pharaoh and gods.
π The Enduring Conventions and Evolution of Egyptian Art
The final paragraph summarizes the enduring pictorial conventions of Egyptian art, such as the composite view, hieratic scaling, and conceptual representation of space. It acknowledges the conservatism of Egyptian art over its 3000-year history, while also noting periods of stylistic evolution and exceptions to the rules, such as the Amarna period. The paragraph encourages further exploration of Egyptian pictorial arts, emphasizing that understanding these foundational conventions provides a solid basis for deeper study.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Pictorial Art
π‘Low Relief Sculpture
π‘Representational Art
π‘Composite View
π‘Ground Line
π‘Hieratic Scaling
π‘Conceptual Art
π‘Perspective
π‘Foreshortening
π‘Hieroglyphics
π‘Symbolism
Highlights
Egyptian pictorial art includes painting, drawing, and low relief sculpture.
Egyptian sculpture was typically painted, even though it was three-dimensional.
Ancient Egyptian artists were among the first to represent figures in space on a flat surface.
Egyptians did not use techniques like light and shadow or perspective to give volume to figures.
Art in ancient Egypt was representational but not necessarily highly naturalistic.
Egyptian art used overlapping and ground lines to suggest space.
Egyptian art was conceptual, prioritizing the mind's idea over the eye's observation.
The ground line in Egyptian art was a stabilizing element but not a realistic representation.
Egyptian figures were portrayed in a composite view, combining different perspectives.
Egyptian art often depicted the eye in frontal view even when the head was in profile.
Egyptian pictorial art used a standardized approach to portray the human figure.
Egyptian art maintained a sense of rationality and order through its conventions.
The logic of Egyptian art endured for almost 3,000 years until the Roman conquest.
Egyptian art was conservative, especially with regard to spiritual rituals.
The composite view in Egyptian art was a formula for representing figures.
Egyptian art used hieratic scaling, where important figures were larger than others.
Egyptian pictorial art often included symbols and was accompanied by hieroglyphics.
Egyptian art depicted skin color to indicate ethnic distinctions.
Egyptian art used specific symbols and items to represent the pharaoh's power and divinity.
Egyptian art had stylistic changes over different kingdoms and periods.
Transcripts
this video introduces the basics of
egyptian pictorial art that's to say
egyptian two-dimensional art without
going into an in-depth analysis of any
one particular work
we'll remember that in addition to
painting drawing and so forth pictorial
art can refer to low relief sculpture
especially if it is very flat however
even high relief sculpture often has
some pictorial elements this is because
the artist is still working on some kind
of flat surface i should also note that
egyptian sculpture like all sculpture in
ancient times was typically painted
this video focuses on how ancient
egyptian artists represented human
figures which exist of course in three
dimensions on a flat surface
since ancient egyptian pictorial art
which emerged shortly before 3000 bc
represents one of the earliest
transitions from prehistoric to historic
ancient art the ancient egyptian artists
were among the first to take up the
challenge of representing figures in
space
of course the challenge in all
representational two-dimensional art is
to render a real-life three-dimensional
object on a flat surface
artists have long since discovered that
to achieve a sense of mass or the bulk
of 3d objects they might use light and
dark to suggest the highlighting and
shadows that define a surface
and to achieve a sense of space an
artist might use perspective overlapping
and foreshortening among other
techniques the ancient egyptians however
never discovered these techniques for
imbuing their figures with volume or
their scenes with naturalistic space and
instead used a simpler system for
representation
before i describe this i would note that
just because art is representational it
doesn't necessarily mean that it
requires a high level of naturalism
especially if the goal is merely to
render identifiable objects or an
identifiable narrative even a stick
figure might achieve this aim
but as we move out of the prehistoric
era the rudimentary depictions of
figures animals and so forth were
abandoned in favor of more convincing
representations with more details
in fact including more anatomical
details in a figure is the first step
towards naturalism the second is putting
these details together in a way that is
accurate with regard to scale or
proportions
early on the egyptians used overlapping
and ground lines which both suggested a
notion of place and space however
aspects of their art remained highly
conceptual
what i mean by conceptual is that it was
an idea of the mind rather than an
observation of the eye which would be
perceptual
we could start with the ground line
itself as an example of a conceptual
approach for although a ground line is
indeed a stabilizing element that
immediately anchors the figure on a flat
horizontal surface in our minds the
ground actually never appears to our
eyes as a straight line directly under a
person's feet in real life
unless maybe they're walking on a
balance beam if we zoom in on the feet
we should find another flaw with this
perfectly straight single ground line if
you stand in striding motion is one foot
exactly in front of the other of course
not and so if you were to photograph a
figure from the side you would see the
small space between the feet indicating
that one is farther from you than the
other in fact you would see this space
in the photograph of an egyptian statue
which is an inherently 3d object and
didn't require artists to figure out how
to render space
technically you might say a realistic
sense of space always generates two
ground lines for the feet of a figure
and profile although we can understand
how this space might be pictorially
elided into a single thick ground line
that both feet stand on even so it
really does require a conceptual rather
than a perceptual approach to stick one
foot directly in front of the other
the ancient egyptian combination of a
perceptual and conceptual approach runs
throughout the portrayal of figures not
just the feet egyptians rendered their
figures in a composite view that's to
say well obviously the representation is
derived in part from observation the
artists did not render the figure
exactly as seen
instead they assembled what they knew
about the human figure in a way that it
could never be perceived at one moment
in time
the view is called composite or mixed
because we are seeing the figure from
different sides at the same time
in fact these artists not unlike their
prehistoric forebears had done in a more
primitive way
captured the most characteristic aspects
of a figure the broad shoulders and
chest are thus seen in frontal view
but then the body twists unnaturally at
the neck so that the head is seen in
profile and even more unnaturally at the
waist so that the legs and those feet
are seen in profile
think of how difficult it would be to
capture the essence of a foot from a
frontal position
if you look carefully you'll notice that
although the head is in profile view the
eye is frontal
again because that is the most
characteristic view of the eye
conceptually it makes perfect sense
without training few would figure out
how to draw an eye from the side and in
part this is because as children we
rarely start drawing after close
observation of an object but instead
based on what we know from what we've
seen all along
fingers may certainly bend to hold
things or for other expressive purposes
but neutral hands adhere so strongly to
a prototype almost like a stamp that
there are those awkward moments when one
of the thumbs is facing the wrong
direction making the hand look like it
was attached backwards
our female figure here reveals another
strange assemblage of forms
what we observe in most egyptian
pictorial art where women are clothed is
that one breast projects out from the
body in the direction the woman is
facing
from that although the breast on the
other side is not depicted we strongly
infer its presence on the forward-facing
part of the chest
and yet it is never actually drawn in
that position
in fact when the woman is topless the
breast generally appears to be in
profile analogous to the composite view
of the frontal eye on the profile head
a similar convention exists for male
figures whose nipples are portrayed on
only one side of the body
egyptian pictorial art is conceptual in
other ways that i'll discuss but the
very word conceptual being of the mind
might also suggest a sense of
rationality and order and certainly the
egyptian pictorial order is easy to
grasp despite operating on a logic
counter to a photorealistic one
this is probably because our human minds
continually process and organize what we
observe
abstract thinking is one of the defining
traits of our species
the logic of egyptian art endured for
almost 3 000 years until the roman
conquest in 31 bc
egyptian culture was extremely
conservative especially with regard to
art
this is probably because art was most
prominently associated with spiritual
rituals
most of what has survived was found in
tombs or temples and the images had
mystical properties almost like a
painting springing to life or the words
from the page of a book doing the same
yet for all this mystical life egyptian
art though legible often looks rigid
stilted and formulaic throughout its
long history
in fact the composite view was a formula
or pictorial convention
even the proportions of the figures were
predetermined for ease of reproducing a
figure in any context or at any scale
an expert artist was one who had
mastered the pictorial conventions that
the powerful wealthy patrons namely the
royal family and the priests came to
expect
besides the composite view i mentioned
the ground line which though not
strictly naturalistic gives the work a
sense of order
sometimes the ground line is used to
divide a surface into registers with
each scene unfolding in a distinctly
delineated space
this is a formula used in much ancient
art and we continue to do something
similar today in comic books and graphic
novels
other times figures occupying the same
space may have their own independent
ground line on the one hand our
intuition may suggest that the smaller
figure represents a kind of diminution
as he moves back further in space
on the other hand we know from multiple
examples including those where figures
of different sizes occupy the same
ground line that egyptians used hieratic
scaling that's to say the most important
figures like the pharaoh most notably
were rendered at a much larger scale
than the common people who might be at
his service
a dramatic but illuminating example on
the interplay between independent ground
lines and space occurs in this
reproduction of a now destroyed wall
painting dating to the middle kingdom
it depicts workers transporting a large
statue at the very first glance the
figures seem to be disposed in
completely independent registers then we
realize they are all pulling this
enormous statue
and yet the bands of figures look
stacked upon each other as if they are
each pulling the heavy statue forward at
different heights
a closer look reveals that the ropes
they pull are all tied to the same point
the base
thus we understand that these are meant
to be rows of paired workers
standing all together on a flat ground
with one pair standing to the side of
another pair as well as in front of one
since the artist has used overlapping
for the pairs that are close together
it makes the stacked view which should
be perspectival
more difficult to grasp at first glance
it only makes sense conceptually
on the other hand if a perspectival view
with more overlapping was used in this
image do you think it would convey the
same sense of numbers
the repetition of a similar motif
strongly suggests the multiplication of
men
if you look at the image in its entirety
do you spot another convention
the ever-present hierarchic scaling is
used where the overseers on the left are
depicted larger than the menial workers
in certain artwork both fully sculptural
and two-dimensional conventional use of
color appears as well
men are portrayed with red brown skin a
mahogany hue
and women's skin has a more distinctly
yellowish ochre hue
furthermore whereas men typically wear a
kilt and are bare chested women wear
long semi-transparent dresses that cling
to the body
accordingly the legs are closer together
as noted one breast projects forward
whereas the other breast is not rendered
at all
skin color also indicated ethnic
distinctions in egyptian art as a center
of civilization egypt was a melting pot
for its neighbors on all sides but this
image shows the most common egyptian
type at the far left
finally it's important to mention that
egyptian art is replete with symbols and
like graphic novels is often accompanied
by writing or rather an ever advancing
system of writing known as hieroglyphics
because the hieroglyphs themselves
include pictures they often seem to
belong to the pictorial field and at the
purely visual level it's hard to
separate representative imagery from
words
as noted the words are just as much a
mystical and symbolic part of the
content as the representational images
both being innately tied to egyptian
religious beliefs in a tomb for example
the walls might be decorated with spells
that would help the deceased exceed to
the afterlife
symbolism further figures into works
since the pharaoh
or ancient egyptian king doubled as a
god and achieved political and secular
triumphs by the intervention of the gods
who appear abundantly in these tomb and
temple settings
falcon-headed horus appears frequently
with the pharaoh as the god of sky and
the kingship
pharaoh is recognizable by his false
beard which alludes to osiris god of
fertility and the afterlife among other
things who was himself depicted with a
beard green skin and shrouded like a
mummy from the waist down due to the
fact he was killed and resurrected
jackal-headed anubis was the predominant
god of death before osiris came to the
fore
he is depicted black like the rich silt
of the nile that fertilized the earth
when the river annually flooded the
lands and allowed for agriculture in an
otherwise desert setting
in some contexts pharaoh wears a crown
that combines the white crown of upper
egypt with the red crown of lower egypt
associated with the cobra goddess of
that region the combination of these two
crowns is a symbol of unification
the pharaoh
or certain gods are often depicted
holding several other symbolic items the
flagellum evoking both an agricultural
tool and a whip represents sovereignty
the heka evoking a shepherd's staff
symbolizes pharaoh's guidance of his
flock or his people
the wascepter evoking a stick used to
catch snakes is a sign of power and
dominance
the ant cross probably the best known
symbol meaning
life symbolizes immortality and eternity
as conservative as egyptian art was we
cannot expect it to look exactly the
same for three thousand years although
there is certainly a stylistic
cohesiveness that makes egyptian art
immediately recognizable
experts will know the difference between
old kingdom middle kingdom and new
kingdom art as well as other special
periods like the famous amarna period of
the mid 1300s bc during the new kingdom
there are many examples of vivacity in
egyptian art and there are even examples
of simple landscape backgrounds or
figures in motion that break the rules
in a manner of speaking
but since this is just the basics if you
remember the egyptians enduring
pictorial conventions regarding the
composite view hieratic scaling and
conceptual ways of showing space you'll
have the foundational springboard for
exploring egyptian pictorial arts wall
painting and relief sculpture in more
depth and at more leisure happy
exploring
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