The Earliest Art Objects Prehistory and the Ancient Middle East.
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Transcript of The Earliest Art Objects Prehistory and the Ancient Middle East.
Main Areas
• Prehistory– Paleolithic– Neolithic
• Ancient Egypt• Ancient Mesopotamia (Middle East)
• Styles and themes unique and recognizable
Paleolithic or “Old Stone Age”Prior to 8000 B.C.
• Early humans trying to establish control over the elements (like the Aborigines)
• Two primary kinds of artifacts:• Cave paintings
– Mystical “creative” powers– Hunting rituals
• Carved objects - like caveman snapshots– Fertility figures
• Began with the dev’t of written language• New, more civilized groups of people
– Animal husbandry– City, or at least tribal living– Spiritual ideas, primitive religions
• Similar to today’s tribal living (Amazon, bushmen, etc.)
Neolithic or “New Stone Age”Around 8000 B.C.
Ancient Egypt(3000-1162)
• Neolithic groups assemble to form organized societies
• Government based on religion
• First written Egyptian language – hieroglyphics– 604 characters– Combines phonetic
sounds and pictures
• The oldest work of art recording a historic event (3000 BC)
• Narmer conquered and united all of what is now Egypt
• Loaded with symbolic images• First recognizable style in art
history• “Law” of Frontality
Palette of King Narmer
The Step Pyramid
• “Divine Kingship”• Imhotep - the first
recorded architect in history
Funerary district and step pyramid of King
Zozer
TheGreat Pyramids
at Giza
• The world’s largest tombstonesThe world’s largest tombstones– Cheops (2530 BC) - the biggestCheops (2530 BC) - the biggest– Chefren (2500) - w/limestone topChefren (2500) - w/limestone top– Mycerinus (2470)Mycerinus (2470)
• All geometrically perfect and aligned All geometrically perfect and aligned at the same angleat the same angle
• Around 1600 BC• Relaxation of some
artistic standards– New, fluid, life-like
forms
Portrait Bust of Queen Nefrotete - 1360 BC
King Tut
• Pharoah by age 9• Married at 12• Dead at 18 (1340 BC)• Tomb discovered in
1922• All tombs filled with
gold, riches
Firsts in History• First real cities• First written language (cuneiform) around 3000 BC• Invented the wheel - around 3300 BC• Led to potter’s wheel - Pottery• Democracy... descended into military/divine kingship• Organized warfare - continued ever since• Pantheism - a “pantheon” of gods• Bill of Rights - Law Code of Hammurabi
The Ziggurat• Man-made
“mountains” for their gods
• Tower of Babel (Genesis 11)
• Glazed brick, no stone nearby
Early Sculpture• Eyes were the window to
the soul• Everything else is
simplified
Sumerian statuettes2700-2500 BC
Later on...
• More flexible than Egyptians
• Built, rather than carved
• Gold shows trade with Egypt
Gold Incense burner from Ur2600 BC
Typical Style• Attempt at
genuine likeness• Headdress• Beard• Curls• Themes
– Lion Hunt– Warfare– Animism
Head of Akkadian Ruler2300-2200 BC
Egyptian vs. Mesopotamian Styles
Egyptian - Palette of King Narmer
Mesopotamian - Victory Stele of Naram-Sin 2300 BC
Linear Perspective• Receding straight lines meet at a vanishing point
on the horizon line
One-point perspective
Horizon Line(eye level)
Vanishing Point
One-point perspective
Horizon Line(eye level)
Linear Perspective• Receding straight lines meet at a vanishing point
on the horizon line
Linear Perspective• Receding straight lines meet at a vanishing point on the horizon line
Two-point perspective
Horizon Line(eye level)