Visual analysis
Work IdentificationTwo Princesses
Reign: reign of Akhenaten
Medium: Limestone, paint
Geography: From Egypt (Two Princesses 2016).Introduction Pharaoh Akhenaten (1349-1332 BCE) ruled under the name Amenhotep IV and his entire reign is referred to as “the Amarna Period” as stated by Williamson (1). Amarna Tablets are significantly preserved documents that display the diplomatic relations between New Kingdom Egypt and the ancient Near East. The work selected for analysis in the essay, the relief of Two Princesses belongs to the Amarna Period.
Thesis The aim of the essay is to depict the relief of “Two Princesses, New Kingdom. Amarna Period “, the artistic style and what was the purpose of showing figures in nude in the ancient Egyptian art.
Description
The relief of Two Princesses, from the Amarna Period, shows the young daughters of the king in a sisterly embrace. The relief is dammed on the sides but shows the two sisters clearly. One of the sisters is standing, and the other is seated. Done with Limestone and paint, the artist shows skills for depicting the beautiful lines of the figures and their facial features. The skin tome is reddish, and the hair carries tints of black that have been dulled to gray. The hair is done in an intricate style and held by a clip on the side. The slightly slanting eyes and heavy eyelids and full lips are characteristic of representations of Amarna Period. The seated sister looks longingly at her elder sister, with her fingers holding on to her left arm. However, the features of the younger sister are not too clear. The contrast is captured excellently by the artist. He makes deeper lines to show the intricate hair, the outline of the body and features but is gender to show the collar bone of the prices and her frontal torso. There are small gentle mounds to show her breasts. The roundness of the upper arms is done perfectly and show the suppleness of youth. The reddish tint of the skin and the back braided hair make the nice contrast with the pale color of the Limestone. The relief is damaged at some point, but the clear and simple lines, the flat areas of color and the use of simple shapes and create a sense of order in this ancient relief from Egypt. The artist has exaggerated the hairdo of the processes, and his prime focus has been on the features of the elder sister and her frontal torso. Both the sisters seem relaxed and absorbed in the moment of intimacy with each other.
Analysis
Amarna paintings and reliefs show the daughters of the Pharaoh in groupings of two, three or six as stated by Arnold (111).The craftsmanship of the Two Princesses, Amarna Period is particularly remarkable. While the figures may not be perfectly proportionate, the artist is certainly successful in conveying his thoughts. Studying the small relief on Two Princesses, Amarna Period, one can sense the strong intimacy between the two sisters as they hold each other gently. Such demonstration of affection was typical in the depictions of the royal family during the Amarna period (Two Princesses 2016). It is not uncommon to see affectionate gestures in the royal art, but it is the fully frontal portrayal of the older sister that is uncommon among royal figures as well as rarely seen in Egyptian art.
There is a focus on naturalistic movements on the painted limestone and is from a period of ancient Egyptian art that was known for its distinctly unique form. The artists depictsd the figures more realistically and with fluid movements and in a more personal and intimate situations. Pharaoh Akhenaten has often been depicted lovingly with his family and the above relief carries a purpose to show the closeness and intimacy between the two sisters. In order to show the essential features the human body, the heads were turned right or left, as is apparent to the relief of the Two Princesses. The position of the arms and legs were awkward at times, and so were the proportions. It is an extremely rare phenomenon in Egyptian art to show the frontal view of a process in nude. The princesses turning to each other show that they are now in a world of their own. The 17-year reign of the pharaoh Akhenaten shows the remarkable architecture, art, and ideas that are different from the Egypt’s long tradition (Art, Architecture, and the City 2016). The overall shape of the face, the features, almond shaped eyes and full-lipped mouth are typical of the Amarna art, especially the side profile with the drooping chin and full mouth. The head is covered with an elaborate hairstyle, and the face and body are done with soft modeling. It is only from those few representations that one is able to know of and understand the daughters of the Pharaoh Akhenaten. Most of the representations of Akhenaten’s daughters on reliefs show them in nude or wearing thin linen garments and side locks (Arnold 60). The sisters are often shown closely united, holding on to each other, and thus representing a close knit family (Arnold 113). The elder may put her arm around the younger as is shown where in the relief of “Two Princesses”.
Works Cited
Arnold, Dorothea. "The Royal Women Of Amarna." The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1.1 (1997): 1-165. Print
"Art, Architecture, and the City in the Reign of Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten (ca. 1353–1336 B.C.)." Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. 2016. Web. 17 April. 2016.
"Two Princesses." metmuseum. 2016. Web. 17 April. 2016.
Williamson, Jacquelyn. "Amarna Period." UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology 1.1 (2015,): 1-17. Print
