According to historians, the ancient Egyptian art is approximately five thousand years old. They were developed from 300 BC and had been used until the 3rd century. However, the arts are usually in the form of canonical 2D and 3D. The art was expressed in paintings and sculptures, and it involved around the past with the intention of keeping the history of Egypt a life. Besides, the ancient Egyptian art was highly symbolic and interesting. The art forms portrayed human beings and nature, and the intention of making such arts was to provide support to the deceased in the other world. The various artists involved in the artwork, had the mission to preserve every aspect of the present time. Moreover, the art forms showed complete prettiness and vivid representation of the Egyptian life thousands of years ago. Ultimately, all the ancient Egyptian artworks had to obey one rule. The artists had to maintain the mode by which they represented man, nature and environment for thousands of years. Similarly, it was also essential if the artists would replicate the past styles.

The Egyptian art primarily designed for magical and religious purposes. The Egyptians used the symbols and functions of their art to show their belief and understanding of the world. The images that were mainly of the form of statues or relief were created to benefit the deceased or a divine recipient (Ancient Egyptian Art, n.d). For example, the statuary was very significant since it provided a place for the recipient to demonstrate and receive the benefits of the rituals carried out. The artist designed the statues in a formal frontality so that they face the ritual performed before them (James, 2014). Additionally, most statues were placed in defined architectural settings or recessed niches to portray frontality and make it their anticipated and natural mode.

The divine, royal or elite statuary provided a link for the spirit interact with the terrestrial realm. People used divine cult statues on day to day rituals of anointing, clothing and perfuming with incense. The divine cult statues were carried during the special festivals and shown to the people. Second, royal and elite statuary had the role to act as an intermediary between the gods and the people (James, 2014). Family chapels placed statuary of their deceased forefather to serve as a family temple, and they carried out festivals to honor the dead. The festivals entailed eating in the chapel and offering food to the spirit believed to be alive. On a further note, the Egyptians practiced the ritual of opening the mouth, and the statues were made actual living beings so that they could receive prayers and offerings. Flowers were also offered as a sign of rebirth and the incense symbolized divine.

The straight forward physicality of the Egyptian artwork was something difficult for the modern viewers to realize. The Egyptian temple walls had reliefs that show the king making offerings to the gods and hitting the enemies communicated an idea that the king was maintaining order in the universe (James, 2014). The Egyptians believed that such images were instrumental in making the order a reality. Similarly, the Pharaoh’s regalia symbolized the power the king had to maintain order and the colors had extended meanings. For example, the blue and green colors symbolized the Nile and life.

In conclusion, the Egyptian art of work was designed to live eternally and that is what differentiates an ordinary living being from the statue. They made the statues mainly from stones and other durable materials and the features created from such materials represented the general standards they held for beauty, dignity and ethical attitude. The ancient Egyptian civilizations were highly religious; hence, many of their great artworks portrayed gods, goddesses, and the Pharaohs. The idea of order characterized the art. The simple shapes and colors combined with clear lines created a sense of order and balance in their work.

References

Ancient Egyptian Art. (n.d). Egyptian art (3100 BCE – 395 CE). Retrieved from http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/ancient-art/egyptian.htm

James, T. G.H. (2014, March 11). Egyptian art and architecture. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/art/Egyptian-art
 

Do you need an Original High Quality Academic Custom Essay?