Egyptian Art Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom

Middle Kingdom Old Kingdom rulers fell apart and the dynasties collapsed, followed by 150 years of anarchy. In 2040 King Mentuhotep was able to reunite the kingdom. During this time standing armies at the borders are employed as well as major irrigation projects.

Rock Cut Tombs of Beni Hasan Tomb raiders were invading and defiling the bodies in the pyramids. A new form of a tomb was to cut temples and tombs into cliffs. All doors, columns, statues, and ornamentation had to be cut out of the one solid rock. Usually smaller with an entrance portico, a main hall, and a small burial chamber.

New Kingdom After the Middle Kingdom, there was another intermediate period where Egypt was ruled by an Eastern Mediterranean people called the Hyksos. Under Dynasty 18, the Egyptians were able to take back the throne. Some of the great, famous New Kingdom kings and queens were Thutmose I, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Seti I, and Ramses II. Later Egypt was sacked by Persia and Alexander the Great, who placed his generals in power.

Thutmose(s) and Hatshepsut Thutmose I was a powerful king who also built a massive obelisk. He had many children. His son, Thutmose II married his half-sister (also Thutmose I’s daughter, Hatshepsut. Thutmose II was to be pharoah, but he died prematurely. The crown was supposed to pass to his son (but not through Hatshepsut), Thutmose III, but he was under-age to rule, so Hatshepsut ruled as regent. Then within two or three years she took the crown, claiming she was the heir through her father.

Hatshepsut One of only three woman pharoahs (one of the other three being Cleopatra.) She was extremely smart and capable. Ruled 17 years. Built numerous monuments and other architecture.

Funerary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri

Hatshepsut’s Funerary Temple She built this temple to herself, her father, and the gods Amun and Ra. This symbolizes her closeness to the Gods and her father, emphasizing her right to rule. She is usually depicted in sculpture looking like a man. Designed by her advisor and architect Senenmut. Had imposing architecture with double ramps and colonnades. Also was painted and had imported plants. It’s beautiful now; must have been spectacular then.

Great Temple Complexes Rather than tombs created for the ka of one person, temples were built to continually worship the multiple gods of Egypt. These complexes were like small cities run by a small army of priests. Sacred rites were performed daily as well as education. Luxor and Karnak were both added on to by multiple kings. Adding to the temple or building a temple was a great achievement for pharoah.

Karnak and Luxor Temples were symbolic of life on heaven and on earth, so some rooms would be filled with scenes of the mortal world while others would have scenes of immortality. Entrance to the temple was through the great pylon gates. First, there was usually a series of courtyards followed by a hypostyle hall, which then led deeper to the sanctuary where the “holy of holies” was. Only the priests and the pharoah could go past the hypostyle hall. Built to the God, Amun. Every day priests would ceremonially wash the statue and clothe it in a new garment. They would also make two delicious meals per day (which they then ate.)

Pylon entrances Carved with reliefs.

Karnak Plans

Karnak Three major pylons. After first pylon is courtyard, second is hypostyle hall, and third leads to sanctuary. Sacred lakes where priests could wash themselves and prepare for the sacred rites.

Hypostyle Hall clerestory bud capitals Flower capitals Picture a person’s waist goes about to the base.

They’re HUGE! The clerestory and different heights, as well as the partitioned roof made it highly symbolic of life and death, dark and light.

Luxor Showed a more celestial side. Ceilings of some sanctuaries were painted blue with stars (celestial.) Had massive statues (these are of Ramses), as well as a walkway with repeating sphinx sculptures, reinforcing pharaoh’s power.

Ramses II Militarily very successful. Most prolific builder in Egyptian history. Reigned 67 years. Had eight official wives and numerous concubines, and over 100 children. He is also believed to be the pharaoh of Moses.

Abu Simbel This was another rock-cut temple. The facade is massive and imposing with four massive sculptures of Ramses. Interior stretches back further and further. On the most important day in their calendar the first rays of the rising sun hit the statues in the back.

Statues of Nefertari and other family members look like dolls at his feet.

Deepest chamber Ramses, Amun, Ptah, and Ra

Temple of Nefertari 33 feet tall. 4 of Ramses. 2 of Nefertari as Hathor.

Amarna Revolution Compare and Contrast these Two

Akhenaten The greatest heretic in Egyptian history. His name used to be Amenhotep IV, named after the God, Amun. When he became pharaoh, he decided to change the state religion to worship Aten, the sun disk, rather than Amun, the sun god. Obviously, this did not go over so well, especially with the priests at Karnak and Luxor. He moved the capital from Thebes to Amarna, thus angering all the government officials. He also completely changed the Egyptian canon of art. He didn’t obey the rules. His artwork is much more naturalistic, elongated, and emotional. Shows family relationships.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti

King Tut Boy king. Inheritor to all the chaos caused by Akhenaten. He was born Tutankhaten, but into his reign he decided to restore Egypt back to its prior religion. He changed his name to Tutankhamen. In the 1920s, his tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings. One of the only (if not the only) Egyptian pharoah to have their tomb completely untouched by robbers.