Similarities between Mycenae and Egyptian art work

The two art pieces that I would like to compare are the Greek Warrior Krater of the Mycenae culture and the relief done of Ramose’s brother May and his wife Werener. There are many similarities that I noticed which caught my eye when I saw the ceramic art of the Mycenaean culture.

One of the similarities can be seen when you look at the way they drew the eyes of the individuals in each of these art pieces. The way that the eyes are drawn on the Mycenaean Warrior Krater is the same as the ones drawn on the relief of Ramose’s brother and his brother’s wife. They both appear to be drawn as if you were looking at them from the front. Also, the eyes are all similar to one another. Even when you compare the eyes of Ramose’s brother and his wife they are quite similar to one another with very little differences aside from Werener’s husband having a longer eye length. However, the shape of these two individual’s eyes are nearly the same. The same pattern can be seen in the ceramic vase done by the Mycenaean artist. Each of the individuals have the same exact shape. However, unlike with the relief of the Werener and her husband Ramose’s brother there really isn’t any subtle differences between them.

Moreover, as mentioned in the text there isn’t any real emotion being displayed in the art pieces. This can be seen with both the Warrior Krater and the relief. This could be related to the way that the eyes are drawn or it could be the way that the artists during that time agreed the way art was supposed to be accepted among their fellow artists and other viewers. What I mean by that is that maybe they didn’t have the desire to show emotion on their art work. However, as explained in the text it appears that emotion was displayed through the body rather than the face. The woman in Warrior Krater doesn’t have any emotion on her face. Also, to note is that she has nearly the same exact face as the warriors with a slight difference in her nose. Her nose lacks the swoop that is seen with the warriors. Nevertheless she is showing emotion by waving them off. Whether you perceive it as sadness or a woman being strong and holding her head high and not letting the thought of sadness overwhelm her that some of these brave men may not return home it is clear to see that she does care about the soldiers. The same lack of facial emotion is apparent in the relief. Both Ramose’s brother and his wife Werener are not showing facial emotions, but you can tell by their body language that the love one another and are together. Werener is seen having her hand positioned on her husband’s shoulder and it is as if her husband continuing the embrace with his own arm the way that it is tucked in against his chest. 

Furthermore, the bodies in both of the art pieces are drawn showing much of the front of the individuals. This frontal view can be seen in a lot of the art pieces of Eygpt and it appears as if the same can be seen among the Mycenaean culture.

In conclusion there are similarities with the style used to produce each art piece despite them being drawn by two different cultures in two different locations.

Formal Anaylsis of Akhenaten and his family's sunken relief art piece

Formal Analysis of Akhenaten and his Family Sunken Relief Sculpture

The choice of color used in this art piece goes very well with what is being expressed here. There is a sun that seems to shine down on all of the individuals in the art piece. The sculptor included Akhenaten and his entire family, which consisted of his wife Queen Nefertiti and their two children. One of the reasons that the color choice of the background was such as great choice is that it compliments the sun that is seen being positioned above them at the top of the art piece. Another way is that the sculptor used lines to emphasize that the sun was shining down on Akhenaten and his family. This gives a sense that the entire art piece is being directly illuminated by both the sun and indirectly by his family which appears to express that their family is full of love and happiness among each individual. This feeling of happiness and love in the art piece goes well with the hue choice here. Because often times happiness and love are associated with bright colors and the golden-yellow limestone definitely expresses this on the art piece.  

Furthermore, the artist used the sunken relief technique. As explained in the text this was a technique used often with the Egyptian art sculptures. However, with this art piece I believe that it gives further emphasis to illuminated object above them shining down. This is because it creates shadows throughout the art piece. There is less emphasis on the background and more on the individuals and symbols that are seen positioned around Akhenaten and his family. There are also uses of line and curved lines that can be seen within this art piece. By using the sunken relief technique the artist doesn’t have to focus much on creating shadows with these lines individually, because there are naturally and initially created with every carved technique that the artist uses to create the images on the art piece.

Moreover, the curved lines used on Nefertiti and her husband Akhenaten’s neck pieces gives a strong sense that they are being influenced by the wind. Also, this use of curvy lines on the neck pieces could give the viewer a sense that Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti are both very fortunate and admired individuals. The artist also gives the neck texture by drawing lines (that appear to have slight curves in them as well) vertically through each neck piece. There also looks as if the artist purposely used deeper incisions within the sun, Akhenaten and on Akhenaten’s wife Nefertiti. By using these heavy incisions it gives the impression that these three objects and individuals are focal points in the art piece. In addition to the deep incisions the placement of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and the sun from a triangle around the children as well. This can be viewed as expressing protection for the children by having the sun, Nefertiti, and Akhenaten placed around them in this manner.

In conclusion this is a very well put together art piece and the choice of color and positioning of the individuals in the art piece helps show that their family was filled with happiness during that time.

Formal Analysis of Stele of Naram-Sin

This stone slab depicts a man who appears to be traversing a mound of people. This appears to show him as a victorious ruler. Not only is he literally standing above everyone else, but he is also standing on some of the individuals. This definitely portrays him as a victorious ruler. Moreover, he appears to have weapons in his hand, which further demonstrates that he conquered areas during his reign not simply by peaceful words, but rather it suggests that he conquered and acquired his position by force. Also, to note is that it is possible that he was skilled with these weapons as well. The battle axe, spear, bow and arrow all required a different approach when actually wielding them. The bow and arrow can show that he was very skilled with agility, dexterity, and hand-eye- coordination. The battle axe is definitely a weapon that requires strength to wield and could express that he wasn’t just an individual who appeared to be powerful, but actually possessed incredible strength as well. The spear could describe that he had wisdom and intelligence and that he wasn’t just someone who was capable of ruling by brute force.

Furthermore, the other individuals are not as well dressed as Naram-Sin. Though they have some detail they are not given nearly the amount of detail that Naram-Sin has. Also, some of the individuals below have a similar head dress as Naram-Sin, however, Naram-Sin has horns on his head piece. To me it appears that they are followers of him, but the ones he is standing on seem to have different head pieces. They appear to be long cone shaped head pieces. Also, the individual that is shown as being submissive also has a long head piece. It is possible that the artist was showing that he was a ruler that was known throughout the land and not to be challenged.   

In addition, he is made to be larger than anyone in the picture. He is nearly the same size as the mountain that has what appears to be the sun above it! Now whether this was true or not I do not know unfortunately. Nevertheless, it gives a sense of hieratic scale on the slab. The artist actually does this in a few ways. One way they show hierarchy scales on the slab is by his position, which is above everyone else. Another way they show this is by making him stand out as an individual by being larger than everyone else. Whether you look away from the slab and look at it again or look at the slab for the first time your eyes are immediately drawn to him. I think the artist did a great job of making him stand out when there is so much more filled space on the slab. Even in comparison to his followers and challengers his body composition is by far greater than anyone’s on the slab! He has broad shoulders and a lot more muscular detail than the other individuals. In addition to his physique he is the only person in the entire art piece with a beard. As seen on the head of a man known as Akkadian Ruler there appears to be some importance with the beard. There isn’t as much detail placed on it as with the Akkadian ruler however, the fact that he is the only one with one says much.

I think that the artist really did a great job during that time to give an understandable representation of how mighty Naram-Sin was believed to be during his reign.