Essay
1
Essay
#2B
Title:
Completeness and Truth
Question:
How
is it possible that what the Egyptians considered “completeness”
could be misinterpreted as crude, naive or unrealistic and how does
it affect the “truth” contained in their art.
Part
I
Summary:
Overall after doing research in my view I see no possible way that
what the Egyptians considered “completeness” could be
misinterpreted as crude, naive or unrealistic. I think their artwork
represented “completeness” because they kept their art so real
basing it on their beliefs, conventions, principles, and everyday
life and this never changed. Figuring this out I experienced relief
because I couldn't understand how their art and ideas could be
misinterpreted in a negative way.
Reason:
The reason for this question I think is to get us to see how art can
be misinterpreted the wrong way and how it affects the real truth
behind it.
Purpose:
The purpose for this question I think is to see the truth contained
in art and how ones view can change based on the truth and not to
misinterpret a specific style or structure.
Direction:
Before researching this question the direction I took was to figure
out what the Egyptians idea of completeness was and to find out the
truth contained in their art and why they made it this specific way.
Impressions:
What impressed me the most is how they followed these conventions in
their art however early and consistently following them over almost
three millennia of its history.
Part
II
After
researching art of ancient Egypt I find it hard to consider Egyptian
art work crude, naive or unrealistic in any way possible. I think the
Egyptians idea of completeness depends on their belief and in the
permanence of the natural, divinely ordained order. You see this
consistently in their art work. Both architecture and
representational art was pointed to the way they represented things
such as the correct relationship between mankind, the king, and the
pantheon of the gods. One example is “The Narmer Palette.” “This
historically and artistically significant work of art was found in
the temple of Hours. It is commonly interpreted as representing the
unification of Egypt and the beginning of the country's growth as a
powerful nation state. It employs many of the representational
conventions that would dominate in royal Egyptian art from this point
on.” (Art History, pg. 52-53, Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W.
Cothren) These Egyptian artists based their work to this strict order
of principles. This is no where near crude, naive, or unrealistic
because I respect that they were to follow these conventions and to
me they kept their art so real because they based it on their
observation of nature, religion and beliefs, influences, and
everyday activities. “In their world view, the movements of
heavenly bodies, the workings of gods, and the humblest of human
activities were all believed to be part of a balanced and harmonious
grand design.”(Art History, pg. 50, Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W.
Cothren) Not only did the art reflect every aspect of their lives but
they put so much detail and hard work into their art. “A system of
mathematical formulas was developed to determine design and
proportions.” (Art History, pg. 51, Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W.
Cothren) The results of their work being so detailed shows that they
gave it all and were determined when it came to their work. “Artists
endlessly repeated the same themes and subjects, changing them only
when beliefs changed.”
(http://booksofart.com/ancient-art/Egyptian)
Egyptian artists following the same format consistently shows that
their idea of completeness was no where near naive. These artists
avoided perspectives to achieve their edition of reality. I think
they took the most characteristic aspect of each element and created
an image. The Egyptians idea of “completeness” in my opinion
pertains to the “truth” in their art because it represents it in
many ways.
