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Image Gallery
Ancient Egyptian art was created to serve a practical purpose, not for its own sake, and so every piece had a specific function. At the same time, these works were crafted in accordance with the cultural value of ma'at (harmony) and so attention was paid to symmetry, balance, and aesthetics.
A statue of a deity was made as a home for that god or goddess just as one made of a king – or a peasant – was created as an eternal image of that person that their soul would recognize and respond to after death but still needed to be aesthetically pleasing. Intricate amulets, bangles, and charms served to protect one from evil spirits, bad luck, and ghosts but were also decorative. Even ceramics, cosmetic spoons and boxes, and perfume bottles, all created for functional purposes, ornamented with symbols of protection and reminders of the gifts of the gods, were still fashioned to be visually stunning.
The images in this gallery include some of the most famous works of ancient Egyptian art and others seldom seen. Statues range from deities to kings and queens to peasants and pets and wall paintings from simple domestic scenes like preparing a duck to the afterlife image of judgment before the god Osiris. The artists of ancient Egypt addressed all aspects of one’s journey through life and after death and, in doing so, created some of the most memorable artworks in world history.
Questions & Answers
How long was ancient Egypt art produced?
- Ancient Egyptian art was created from the Predynastic Period (c. 6000 to c. 3150 BCE) through the Ptolemaic Period (323-30 BCE) and even into the era of Roman Egypt (30 BCE-646 CE).
What was the purpose of ancient Egyptian art?
- Ancient Egyptian art was primarily functional - it served a practical purpose - but it was still crafted to be aesthetically pleasing.
What types of art did the ancient Egyptians produce?
- The ancient Egyptians produced all kinds of art from statuary to jewelry to ceramics, paintings, drawings, figurines, everyday household items, clothing, dog collars, and ornamentation for tombs, temples, and monuments.
What is the most famous artwork from ancient Egypt?
- The most famous artwork from ancient Egypt is the Great Sphinx of Giza followed by the bust of Queen Nefertiti and the golden death mask of Tutankhamun.
License & Copyright
Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished.
Original image by Brooklyn Museum. Uploaded by Mark Cartwright, published on 16 January 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Public Domain. This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
