Ancient Egyptian Art

Middle Kingdom Art

Middle Kingdom 2050-1750 BCE

• End of civil wars, farming and trade return• move capital south to Upper Egypt (Thebes)• public improvements

– drain swamps, canal to Red Sea• belief in afterlife expands to include common

people• tombs instead of pyramids

– better protection for mummies.

Middle Kingdom 2050-1750 BCE

THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

• THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

The Middle Kingdom emerged in 2040 BCE, following a century of unrest after the collapse of the power of the Old Kingdom pharaohs around 2150 BCE.

Sculpture

A brooding Pharoah:

One of Mentuhotep II's successors was Senusret III. While his preserved statues have idealized bodies, the sculptures brought stunning and unprecedented realism to the rendition of Senusret III's features.

7

Rock-cut tombs

Beni Hasan, Egypt

ca. 1,950-1,900 B.C.E.

Rock cut Tombs BH 3-5

Beni Hasan, Egypt, Dynasty XII

ca. 1950-1900 B.C.E.

Image gallery Interior hall of the rock-cut tombs of AmenemhetBeni Hasan, Egypt, Dynasty XII, ca 1950-1900 bc

About 2150 B.C., the Egyptians challenged the pharaoh’s power, and for more than a century the land was in a state of civil unrest and near anarchy.

In 2040 B. C. the pharaoh of Upper Egypt, Mentuhotep I, managed to unite Egypt again under the rule of a single king and established the so-called Middle Kingdom (Dynasties XI - XIV)

Rock-cut tombs of the Middle Kingdom largely replaced the Old Kingdom mastabas and pyramids.

The columns in this tomb serve no supportive function.

Notice the fluting on the columns. It is clear that the columns are not supporting the ceiling of the tomb, as many of the columns were broken, yet still attached to the ceiling in some cases.

ANCIENT EGYPT

Tomb of Meketre, Thebes, Egypt

ca. 1,985 B.C.E.

Tomb of Meketre, Thebes, Egypt

ca. 1,985 B.C.E.

Sculpture

• Sculpture

A brooding Pharoah:

One of Mentuhotep II's successors was Senusret III. While his preserved statues have idealized bodies, the sculptures brought stunning and unprecedented realism to the rendition of Senusret III's features.

13

Riverboat

from tomb of Meketre, Thebes, Egypt

ca. 1,985 B.C.E.gessoed and painted wood50 3/8 in. long

Granary

from tomb of Meketre, Thebes, Egypt

ca. 1,985 B.C.E.gessoed and painted wood29 1/8 in. long

Statuette of an offering bearer

from tomb of Meketre, Thebes, Egypt

ca. 1,985 B.C.E.gessoed and painted wood44 1/8 in. high

Hippopotamus

from Thebes, Egypt

1991-1783 B.C.E.faience and ceramic7 7/8 in. long

3-18: Fragmentary head of Senusret III, Dynasty XII, ca. 1860 BCE. Red quartzite, approx. 6 1/2 high. Metropolitan Museum of

Art, New York.

18

Architecture

• Architecture

Mountain Tombs:

Senusret III's tomb, at Dashur is a mud-brick pyramid, but the most characteristic burials of the Middle Kingdom are rock-cut tombs.

19

3-19: Rock-cut tombs BH 3-5, Beni Hasan, Egypt, Dynasty XII, ca. 1950-1900 BCE.

20

3-20: Interior hall of the rock-cut tomb of Amenemhet (BH 2), Beni Hasan, Egypt, Dynasty XII, ca. 1950-1900 BCE.

21