Egyptian Art: Glory in Death Thesis

On viewing extensive amounts of Egyptian art, the similarities between the subjects and styles is somewhat astounding to a Western eye, which is more trained to notice the different signs of individual artists. It easily becomes clear that though the Egyptians saw aesthetic value in art and material things, most of the artwork they left behind -- especially in tombs and funerary chapels -- serve a much higher purpose through representation.

Mummification is only the most prominent sign of the Egyptians' beliefs regarding the after life and the preparations necessary for it. Their art was consumed with the same ideals, and in many ways their culture could be said to be a sort of death cult -- this life was primarily used to celebrate and represent the next.

Bibliography

Applegate, Melissa Littlefield. The Egyptian Book of Life. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications Inc., 2000.David, Ann Rosalie. The Experience of Ancient Egypt. New York: Routledge, 2000.

Forman, Werner and Malek, Jaromir. In the Shadow of the Pyramids. London: Little Brown & Co., 1986.

Powell, Linda Maynard. "Egyptian Tomb Art: Expressions of Religious Beliefs." Yale-New Haven Teacher's Institute. Accessed 29 March 2009. http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1985/6/85.06.07.x.html

Linda Maynard Powell. "Egyptian Tomb Art: Expressions of Religious Beliefs." Yale-New Haven Teacher's Institute. par. 4.

Ann Rosalie David. The Experience of Nacinet Egypt. New York: Routledge, 2000. pp. 117.

Ibid, pp. 18.

Jaromir Malek, Werner Forman. In the Shadow of the Pyramids. London: Little Brown & Co., pp. 111.

Melissa Littlefield Applegate. The Egyptian Book of pp. 54-6.

Ibid, pp. 61-4.

Ibid, pp. 59.

Malek and Forman, pp. 112.

David, pp. 23.

Malek and Forman, pp. 113.

Ibid, 113.….....