A Formal Analysis of Ushabti During the third intermediate period, the symbolic images of servants were painted inside the tombs to aid the deceased in the afterworld. This practice developed into the usage of mummy-like statuettes known as Ushabti, which is a small statue, found to be in 22nd Dynasty, 800BCE; it was believed to turn into a servant after attaining the afterlife, therefore it was buried with the body (Stevens). As these materials have magical means, often seen in Egyptian religious beliefs, a magical mean of the ushabti followed after-life of its deceased. The figurine appears to be inscribed with a special spell that contains summons; the intent of figure is placed in the tomb to act as substitute for its deceased body. This magical figurine was detailed to respond in the …show more content…
place of the deceased soul, and was alarmed to perform the work (Stevens and Mark). Attentively, its open eyes indicate that the figurine is very eager for his anticipated duties. In ancient Egypt a person's name was closely linked with that person's 'being' and thus, directed into the inner nature of the individual, therefore it follows the essence of carrying an individual’s name. The ushabti also possesses the individual's essence known as Ka. Subsequently, it becomes more than just a simple substitute for that person. This figurine evokes the magical means that becomes “de facto”, which is identified as an extension of that individual. This may be reflected in the name of figurines called ushabti, which is a derived Egyptian verb “wsb” meaning “to answer for” (Mark). Unsurprisingly, wealthy nobles and royalty did not plan on doing any work themselves; for this reason, they would take their symbolic servants with them (Stevens). Ancient Egyptians held a belief that after-death, the body and soul travels onto the afterlife. This caused a high importance of any materials, beliefs, or artwork that aid an easier life after death; it was important to take all the things they would need with them for their new life. For this purpose, the figure is forever in the fields to serve the god, the main purpose of the design of ushabti is to act as an acceptable alternative to deal tasks involved in after-life (Mark). Since the ushabti’s job was to perform work, it was desirable and common to have several hundred placed in the tombs (Dr.Stevens). The Egyptian sculptor has shaped and organized the parts of his work so that they produce a particular sense of order, a unique and expressive total form. In this process our sense of the third-dimensional aspect of the work is enforced and we become conscious of the work as a whole. The movement within the figure is very insignificant; it demonstrations solidity, compactness, and immobility. The statue is symmetrical, composed along a vertical axis, which runs from the top of the head into the base of the sculpture. Symmetrical balance conveys a sense of stability. The structure is arranged in a bilaterally symmetrical because we could draw cut the design in half and the left and right sides are nearly a mirror image of each other. Nevertheless, for all its symmetry, this artwork on the surface appears flat. The sculpture has relied on basic geometric forms in shaping the statue on either side of the axis. Thus, the piece could be described as a circle on top known as the head and a rectangle on the bottom known as the body. Moreover, this object implies a straight pose of that is vertically balanced on the bottom portion of the body. The figure is one closed form that is a solid volume and isolated from ambient space. According to the Dr.Stevens, there is not gender associated with ushabti figurine; it can either act as a she or a he depending on the deceased person’s gender. It is observant that the rigidity of geometric and symmetric organization is relieved by the artist’s beliefs of after-life and the sensitivity to detail, and also by the ability to design hierarchic symbols and shapes (Stevens). Although it seems like civilians made this sculpture because it did not require strong sculpting skills and artistic ability to draw faultlessly. None of the shapes of the work is a true geometric form; the full rounded face more of an elongated half-circle and lacks depth. The silhouette of the upper part of the body lacks any illusion of muscles, veins, or human-life skin features. This object does not have a neck, the illusion of space shows no neck, shapeless arms, and shapeless legs, which is like a mummy-like body.
The absence of any open spaces contributes to the figure’s composure and self-containment. The slight upward tilt of the head and the suggestion of an upward gaze of the eye give the impression of eagerness and alertness. The small figurine is roughly about 10.5 inches long and it could vary considerably in size and in the types of material used is directly related to the wealth of the deceased (Stevens). It is molded with faience, which is a paste made of grounded quartz or sand with a high percentage of quartz (Stevens). Egyptian faience is a sintered-quartz ceramic displaying surface nitrification, which creates a bright luster of various colors, with blue-green being the most common. My greatest attention grabber from this figure is the color; vibrant bluish tones remind me of the ocean. The use of cool colors on the whole figure creates unity. The surface color is mostly in the cool hues of blue, but not in its normal value; it may have some green mixed in with it. Furthermore, the bluish shade symbolizes the color of Nile
(Stevens) Additionally, It appears that this figurine is coated with wax because it appears very glossy; moreover, it seems to have a transparent blue-greenish touch on the surface. The color surprisingly does not direct my eyes elsewhere. Texture is very smooth, but tiny pore-like; I felt like I was touching a hard strawberry’s skin. Moreover, the light shining at different angles creates a unique visual effect; it maximizes the contrast shadowy perception, and creates dark shadows and contrast on the figure reflecting the coolness of rich color. Additionally, It appears to be an object with designs, not form of clothing because there is no form of drapery on the object. Surface is smooth. The texture of the body, skin and hair is smoothly drawn using black ink; therefore none of its feature is protruding. Correspondingly, discoloration patches appear in certain area creating different shades of blue and mint-green fading in onto the top surface. This ushabti also bears a small hieroglyphic inscription in the middle from the upper-stomach to the ends of figure. In this case, the inscription is too vague to be legible. Some of the small hieroglyphic inscription is recognizable, such as: goddess, loaf of bread, throne, Ba, etc. ("Egyptian Hieroglyphics."). Notably, the appearance of the implements for agricultural purposes is seen as the purpose of the figurine (Stevens). The most commonly seen devices are the hoe, a thick line is drawn near the arm area, subsequently, the line becomes thinner as it is drawn down the object resembling the shape of the hoe as broad and narrow bladed. Additionally, the figurate is carrying a backpack that is known as a “seed bag” for the purpose of carrying jars of water (Stevens). The five horizontal and four vertical unpainted chaotic lines forms a grid that resembles an image of a book-bag, which is depicted on the ushabti over the shoulder and draped upon the back. A grid of these implied lines is created to resemble an image of a book-bag (Stevens). Observantly, the lines are not any expressive or implied because the designs are described in as much detail that the structures appears to be drawn free form. The line quality is precise but randomly. Notably, letter A is drawn on each side of shoulder that resembles the digging hoes held by the figure’s arms crossed. Outstandingly, the lines on the back are an attached book bag, and a digging hoe on the each side shows his purpose and preparation for his job (Stevens). The lack of any difference in the carving between the head and the body shows shades of blue has faded unevenly throughout the figure, but the only traces of paint remaining darkly on the figure bits of black on outlines of the facial features and hair. On a closer inspection, the facial features are extremely unclear. Although the figure is lacking a mouth, the shades of the blue color establish a tiny half-circle smile. A painted headband appears on its head seemingly to hold the wig in place, and it is usually seen only in the front, the back does not have any marks of wig or hair. To add style onto this figurine, roughly 8 thru 9 lines are drawn on top, which resembles a type of hair hairstyle that is a fake wig (Stevens). There are subtle, unstable lines that imply very less motion of the wig. On the closer inspection of the facial features, the ears are barely noticeable, there is no shape forming an ear lobe. It appears that there is a small half a circle besides the head that indicates ears. The statue is in an excellent condition although the colors appear to be fading. The lack of any difference in the carving between the head, and the body shows shades of blue has faded unevenly throughout the figure, but the only traces of paint remaining darkly on the figure is bits of black-ink outlining the facial features and hair. Moreover, the inscription details were illustrated with black ink made of ceramic glaze (Stevens). Ushabtis are among the most common objects found in Egyptian collections. They come in a wide variety of materials and sizes yet all served a common purpose (Stevens). Today we viewed these intriguing figurines both as an art form, and as a physical manifestation of their culture, and its belief in a life eternal, free from the cares and wants of this realm of existence. Works-Cited "Egyptian Hieroglyphics." Land of Pyramids. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 July 2015. Mark, Joshua. "Shabti Dolls: The Workforce in the Afterlife." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 12 Jan. 2012. Web. 03 July 2015. Dr.Stevens, Kathryn, "Museum Visit." Personal interview.
Looking at this Palette, it isn’t hard to see how the old Egyptian subjects were so entranced by their leaders and how that compares to our modern viewpoints. Where we view politicians and leaders as a wiry group, always keeping an eye on them lest today be the day they raise their daggers against us, the ancient Egyptians saw their leaders as infallible, godlike beings to be trusted, obeyed, and adored. Standing just over 2 feet tall and 1.4 feet wide, this Palette was carved out of a majestic shade of grey-green siltstone, almost shield-like in appearance. Both sides are exquisitely carved out, each one uniquely decorated but both sides containing a central serekh used to identify and in this case even confirm the subject as royalty. This serekh contains the symbols n’r and mr, which as you may have noticed, phonetically spell Narmer. These symbols are surrounded by two bovine heads, which could either represent the Goddess Hathor or Bat. The front s...
The portrait of the boy has a frontal vantage point with his body centered and balanced on at all angles. This shows the expression on the boys face and the size of the boys body, which is important to the title of the work. When looking at the photograph the eyes are immediately drawn to the boys face and grin.
Egyptian culture didn’t truly begin until the third dynasty, which is grouped into a period called the Old Kingdom. Since then, it developed into a thriving culture that changed little, even with new leaders. This conveys a sense of order and cohesion that flows throughout the time of the Egyptians. I was fascinated by the continuity. Unlike the artists of today, Egyptian artists did not rebel against the conventions of their day. If the surviving art is any indication, they were content to follow the artistic practices of their time. During the New Kingdom, a painting called "Funeral Procession, Tomb of Pairy" was created. It is a depiction of a portion of the process of laying Pairy to rest. Harold Hays wrote an article called “Funerary
The medium is Granodiorite and the technique used was sunken relief, which is a technique were the sculptor chisels deep outlines below the stone’s surface. The sculpture does not seem to be originally painted. The Egyptians created coloristic effects through contrasting shadows and highlights. They used natural pigments to color some sculptures, however this was not the case. There are deeply cut areas in the back of the statue that create deep shadows and the use of natural light helps to bring up the highlights. The granodiorite has natural colors that helped the sculptor show more of those shadows and highlights. The statue is mostly in a warm hue and it may be caused because of the lighting inside the museum. These warm colors make the details stand out more. At a closer look of the structure there are different colors that can be easily identified, such as white, yellow, brown, black, gray and small spots of orange. The statues seems to be carved in one piece. There are no signs indicating it
Term Paper: Coffin of Tentkhonsu The Egyptians during this period took ample time and detail on the mummification process to ensure a successful transition from the netherworld to rebirth. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C., it’s a depiction of how the Egyptians valued and honored their elite members of society, as well as their gods. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, itself dates back to the III intermediate period in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian believe was to join Osiris, whom was believed to have ascended to Netherworld and accomplished eternal life.
My picture contrasts the dark, sharp, menacing objects with the light, calm, serenity of the hand. Using Molly Bang’s ten principles, I was able to depict this evil and suspenseful moment from the story, "Sleeping Beauty." Molly Bang’s ten principles teach us how to illustrate moments from stories or poems with abstract shapes and basic colors. By applying these principles, any emotion can be expressed.
If you look closely, you can see the scrapings of lines made from the tool used to sculpt the stone. In addition, if you look close, you can see that at one time this sculpture was completely covered vibrant colors. At first, I was not aware of what polychrome or gilding was, but apparently, it is in reference to the color or painting of a piece and the technique used. I only realized this while looking under the soldier's clothing. This tells me that the soldiers were dressed in blue uniforms. The reason for the loss of color of the sculpture is unknown to me, but I could figure that since it was created in the thirteenth century, that time has taken its toll, or maybe at one point someone had stripped it of its color.
The coffin and mummy date back to the Ptolemaic Period, a golden age, which was from 305 to 30 B.C.E. The mummy has a painted and gilded cartonnage, whereas the coffin has painted and gessoed wood. Ta-Shery-En-Iset’s cartonnage mask and foot coverings are painted, and there are garlands on her chest. The coffin also has torus moldings, columns at the corners, and a jackal, which symbolizes the funerary god Anubis, who is painted on the lid. Ta-Shery-En-Iset was a House Mistress and daughter of another House Mistress, Ta-Imhotep. Before her own death, Ta-Imhotep created a long inscription which recorded the details of her life and how it was cut short; the inscribed memorial expressed tones of pessimism and anxiety, as opposed to other memorials at the time which were more optimistic.
...llows us to retain the full emotional appeal coming from the drawing. This contrast in turns emphasizes the focal point (denoted by the arrow).
Egyptian art is infamous across the world - classified by the monumental pyramids, and the Sphinx. Although these are both valid forms of Egyptian art, they do not make up the entire artistic history of the country. On the contrary, perhaps the most replicated example of classic Egyptian art, from the Old Kingdom, can be found in their rendering of the human form. An interest in portraiture developed early in Egypt. (Gardner, 75) Whether painted on pottery, or cut into rock, the figures all had notably Egyptian characteristics. "The seated statue is one of only a very small number of basic formulaic types employed by the sculptors of the Old Kingdom." (Gardner, 75)
This piece is acrylic, oilstick, and spray paint on wood panel that is 186.1 centimeters in height and 125.1 centimeters in width. This piece features a human-like figure in the center that is mostly half red and half black. This figure has a gray head with one yellow eye and one light gray eye and above its head is a black halo. The background consists of patches of various colors such as light blue, black, dark red, light green, beige, turquoise, pink, and yellow. On the bottle left corner there is a figure drawn that looks like a fish and has a strip of mustard yellow painted through it. Also towards the bottom right of the artwork, there is some drawn on letters that almost look like words but are messily painted over with a desert sand color. This piece is my favorite because I find it aesthetically pleasing. There is a lot going on in this piece that makes looking at it genuinely interesting. The colors that Basquiat choses for the background go very well together and overall compliment the figure in the center. I like how incredibly expressive this piece is and it makes me want to buy a canvas and start painting that I desire. I also like how the human-like figure is drawn. One could see what looks like an outlined ribcage on the figure, which makes me believe that the head is actually a skull. Upon further research I learned that Basquiat was
This sculpture seems to epitomize the ideal male human form. All of the body parts seem perfectly proportioned and the muscles are beautifully defined as if the image were of an athlete. The image is youthful with a calm demeanor. The right missing forearm looks as if it used to be resting at his side, while the left elbow was probably at a 90 degree angle, with the hand holding something. The slight bend in the left leg gives the impression of movement, as if the image was frozen while walking. The counterpoised stance adds an air of nobility to the "man".
The colours used in the artwork are earthy tones with various browns, greens, yellows, blues and some violet. These colours create a sense of harmony on the...
The ancient Egyptians are known for many of the incredible aspects of their culture and everything they have produced. Some of the well known ancient Egyptian relics are the ones like the ancient pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, mummies, and their many forms of art. Ancient Egyptian art is one of the most recognized styles of art. The most commonly known types of ancient Egyptian art are types like paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. Not only is Egyptian art beautiful, but it carries a huge deal of value and significance with it. A great portion of the time, the art has some kind of religious meaning to it. Consequently it is very difficult to discuss the art itself without delving into the various gods and goddesses presented in it. Something that particularly struck me about ancient Egyptian art was their proneness to use animals in their art. Not only do they use the animal’s full figure, but they also put individual parts on human bodies. This intrigued me because not many cultures have art that embrace animals to this extent. I will be exploring why the ancient Egyptians depict animals in their art repeatedly, and considering what they meant to them.
For this reason, there are several holes throughout each of the three pieces of the amulet that would have been used to attach it. The amulet is reflective of the significance of deities in ancient Egypt. Many deities were worshipped, though some such as Isis were more prevalent. It is also indicative of the role they served in society, whether in life or death or, in some cases, both. Belief in the afterlife was key principle in ancient Egyptian thought. The amulet likely served to protect the deceased in their journey to the afterlife and beyond. By burying the mummy with the amulet, the level of importance placed on ritualistic procedures regarding the dead is highlighted. Permanence was also an important concept, which is illustrated by the amulet. Consistency between the two wings and the sides of the headdress are indicative of this. Moreover, because of her pose and overall design, Isis is depicted in a sense that is not momentary or fleeting, but instead long-lasting, and the amulet is intended to protect the deceased throughout the passage of time. Much of ancient Egyptian art can be found with relation to mummification, burial methods, tombs, and other aspects related to death, illustrating the relevance of this element of life to the culture of the time