Rahotep And Nofret

At the beginning of Old Kingdom Egypt, a rather rapid development of characteristics that defined “classical” Egyptian art took place. Later works would strictly adhere to these guidelines. In relief and painting, the human figure is represented with the head, pelvis, legs and feet sideways, or in profile. Much the opposite, the eye and shoulders are shown in front view. In early Egyptian art there was little or no attempt made to produce a photorealistic product. The Relief’s produced around this time period are very shallow and color is applied in flat hues. Another signature of early Egyptian art is the lack of linear perspective, or depth. These "rules" also carried over into the works of statuary produced contemporaneously with these wall paintings and reliefs.

In the realm of statuary, various standing and seated positions were adopted. The exacting frontality seen in earlier works resurfaces in statues produced in and around the same period. A hallmark of Old Kingdom works is the tendency to emphasize uniformity and to minimize the suggestion of motion. Notable Old Kingdom works of sculpture are: Chephren (Fig. 1), The Sheik-el-Beled , and the Seated Scrib

If death was noble for members of royal families, then it surely had to be so for the peasants at that time, even if it was simplified. The statues of commoners were less grand than those of their rulers, but they showed the same artistic principle, and serenity. Most plebeians were shown seated, cross-legged, or in a chair, not of a royal proportion, but of a more modest scale, as in the seated scribe (Fig. 2). The common citizen in Old Kingdom Egypt was also shown to be bodily less perfect than their god-like rulers. To show that they were of less divine blood, Most had sagging pectoral muscles, fat stomachs and were made of less expensive materials.

The Princess Nofret sits serenely with her arms crossed, gazing into nothing, much like her Prince. She wears an elaborate daidem , which offsets her rather heavy wig. The statue also alludes to a thin, gauze-like cloth used in her dress through showing a trace of nipples. The necklace worn by this aristocratic Egyptian Princess is also given the utmost attention, with its elaborate painting, gilding, and prominence as placed against the plain ecru hue of the dress. Works of this sort were reserved for nobility. As such, no commoner could afford the sheer luxuriance of contracting such an opulent statue, even for his or her burial. This is due

Some topics in this essay:
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