Pharaohs and Popes

U1075219
Originally uploaded by kjk76_88

Four items of evidence have been offered to establish a connection between the Pharaonic era and the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope’s miter, or ceremonial hat, looks like it was modeled on the crown that marked the Pharaohs of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. Artistically, it is the biggest and most attention-getting crown in history.

The crook of the Pharaonic statue (crossed with the flail, a ceremonial whip) is echoed in the shepherd’s crook held aloft by Bishops and the Pope as a symbol of spiritual guidance.

The word chosen to punctuate Christian prayers, “Amen,” is a reminder of the Egyptian sun god, Amun, or Amun-Ra.

Finally, the heroic circular plaza of St Peter’s, at the heart of the Roman Catholic Church, features an Egyptian obelisk in the center of the magnificent space. It was installed by Pope Sixtus V in 1586.

There’s one more connection which I saw presented in the Coptic Museum, Cairo (the Coptic Church is an ancient branch of the Christian faith that became Egyptian rather than Roman): it is that the ankh, symbol of life, is a predecessor to the cross.

Much of what we discuss relates to fine art. Let us follow the thread and find the many additional ways in which the art and life of the pre-Christian Egyptians and the Roman Catholics are similar.


photo: Bishop Montini holding mitre and crosier, is shown in the presence of Cardinal Tisserant (left) after being consecrated by Pope Pius XII in ceremonies at the Vatican, 1954.

The life and mummy of Ramses II

Mummy of Ramses II
Originally uploaded by jwinfred

Ramesses II - also known as Ramesses The Great and alternatively transcribed as Ramses and Rameses *Riʕmīsisu; also known as Ozymandias in the Greek sources, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty.

He is often regarded as Egypt's greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh.[5] His successors and later Egyptians called him the "Great Ancestor." He is traditionally believed to have been the Pharaoh of the Exodus.

Ramesses constructed many large monuments, including the archeological complex of Abu Simbel, and the mortuary temple known as the Ramesseum. He built on a monumental scale to ensure that his legacy would survive the ravages of time. Ramesses used art as a means of propaganda for his victories over foreigners and are depicted on numerous temple reliefs. Ramesses II also erected more colossal statues of himself than any other pharaoh. He also usurped many existing statues by inscribing his own cartouche on them.

See more at Wikipeida.org.

The other great mummy: Otzi the Iceman c. 3300 B.C.

Otzi the Iceman c. 3300 B.C.
Originally uploaded by stephu143

Ötzi the Iceman (pronounced [ˈœtsi] is a well-preserved natural mummy of a man from about 3300 BC (53 centuries ago),[1] found in 1991 in the Schnalstal glacier in the Ötztal Alps, near Hauslabjoch on the border between Austria and Italy.

The nickname comes from Ötztal, the region in which he was discovered. He is Europe's oldest natural human mummy, and has offered an unprecedented view of Chalcolithic (Copper Age) Europeans.

See more at wikipedia.

Ancient Egyptian model of workers brewing beer, New York Metropolitan Museum

Ancient Egyptian model of workers brewing beer, New York Metropolitan Museum
Originally uploaded by miguel c

Pharaonic basics: bread & beer

The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with beer.
Inscription dating to 2200 BCE

Beer, henqet (Hnq.t) [8], was the preferred drink of humans and gods, of rich and poor, of grown-ups and children. In the Instructions of Ani: the mother sent you to school when you were ready to be taught writing, and she waited for you daily at home with bread and beer.
Papyrus Chester Beatty IV

Bread and beer were the basic foodstuffs, and while most people had some difficulty making ends meet, there was—among the better-off at least—the danger of overindulging, and educators were aware of it. In the Instructions of Kheti the student is warned:

When you have eaten three loaves of bread and swallowed two jugs of beer, and the body has not yet had enough, fight against it.
the Instructions of Kheti


Beer, together with bread, oil and vegetables, was an important part of the wages workers received from their employers. The standard daily ration during pharaonic times was two jars containing somewhat more than two litres each. It was a healthier drink than water drawn from the river or some canal, which was often polluted.
The Egyptians liked their beer cool as can be learned from a complaint against some robbers who had stolen some food and drink:

They drew a bottle of beer which was [cooling] in water, while I was staying in my father's room.

The ancient and controversial art of the tattoo

Eye of Horus Tattoo
Originally uploaded by deborah|silverbees

Commit to your reading and test-taking material the excellent "Brief history of Tattoos," at DesignBoom.com. A similar article published by National Geographic might be useful for comparison.

Egypt test on web site notes Fri, Aug 29

King Tut's Face
Originally uploaded by Mike99PA

Print out your notes on Egyptian art and history so that you can answer the questions on the test Fri.

Tutankhamun (1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom, says Wikipedia.

The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter of Tutankhamun's intact tomb received worldwide press coverage and sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun's burial mask remains the popular face.

Tutankhamun was only eight or nine years old when he became pharaoh, and reigned for approximately ten years. In historical terms, Tutankhamun's significance stems from his rejection of the radical religious innovations introduced by his predecessor Akenhaten[4] and that his tomb, uniquely, in the Valley of the Kings was discovered almost completely intact -- the most complete ancient Egyptian tomb ever found.

Tut's throne: artful furniture that portrays affection and possesses soul

NK_tut_throne.d18
Originally uploaded by mindlessjc-Researcher of The Wachoo Wachoo Tribe

It is a gleaming golden throne, but it is not massive. On the seat back is a depiction of the Pharaoh and his wife. She reaches towards him in a gesture of affection. This throne, one of the famous items from the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun, is in a glass case in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

I tended to find the throne and examine it each of the several times I visited the museum in 1991. For me it was a symbol of the nature of art. The thrones I knew from European history were pompous compared to this one. Like a short story, this chair carried a narrative.

It was hand made; not every detail was perfectly formed. But it touched me.

The Nile's floods poured alluvial soil onto the land and enriched the crop land

hidden on the Nile 2
Originally uploaded by ahmed the egyptian

Alluvial soil, aka silt, is extremely fertile. Once the Mississippi flooded, too, and created a fertile delta in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Today both the Mississippi and the Nile have been tamed by levees and dams. There's no more regular flooding.

But problems with the dam at Aswan and the loss of land around the mouth of the Mississippi have resulted from the changes.

Upper and Lower Egypt in the Pharaonic era: which was easier to defend?

Egypt Map
Originally uploaded by Sébastien Michel

The delta rendered the mouth of the Nile - the Lower Nile - vulnerable to attack. The Sahara's thick sand gave protection from attackers to the part of Egypt south of the delta - Upper Egypt.

Boat on Nile

Boat on Nile
Originally uploaded by The Poss

The Nile is a major north-flowing river in Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world, says Wikipedia.[1]

The Nile has two major tributaries, the White Nile and Blue Nile, the latter being the source of most of the Nile's water and fertile soil, but the former being the longer of the two. The White Nile rises in the Great Lakes region of central Africa, with the most distant source in southern Rwanda and flows north from there through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and southern Sudan, while the Blue Nile starts at Lake Tana in Ethiopia, flowing into Sudan from the southeast. The two rivers meet near the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

The word "Nile"(Arabic: 'nīl) comes from Greek Neilos (Νειλος), meaning river valley, and likely borrowed from Phoenician.

The Nile was, and still is, used to transport goods to different places along its long path; especially since winter winds in this area blow up river, the ships could travel up with no work by using the sail, and down using the flow of the river. While most Egyptians still live in the Nile valley, the construction of the Aswan High Dam (finished in 1970) to provide hydroelectricity ended the summer floods and their renewal of the fertile soil.

Cities on the Nile include Khartoum, Aswan, Luxor (Thebes), and the Giza – Cairo conurbation. The first cataract, the closest to the mouth of the river, is at Aswan to the north of the Aswan Dams. The Nile north of Aswan is a regular tourist route, with cruise ships and traditional wooden sailing boats known as feluccas. In addition, many "floating hotel" cruise boats ply the route between Luxor and Aswan.

Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel
Originally uploaded by AleAnna

Abu Simbel is an archaeological site comprising two massive rock temples in southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 290 km southwest of Aswan. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments" [1], which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae (near Aswan), says Wikipedia.

The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian neighbors. However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan dam reservoir.

The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan dam on the Nile River. Abu Simbel remains one of Egypt's top tourist attractions.

With the passage of time, the temples fell into disuse and eventually became covered by sand. Already in the 6th century BC, the sand covered the statues of the main temple up to their knees. The temple was forgotten until 1813, when Swiss orientalist JL Burckhardt found the top frieze of the main temple. Burckhardt talked about his discovery with Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni, who travelled to the site, but was unable to dig out an entry to the temple. Belzoni returned in 1817, this time succeeding in his attempt to enter the complex. He took everything valuable and portable with him.

The statue to the left of the entrance was damaged in an earthquake, leaving only the lower part of the statue still intact. The head and torso can still be seen at the statue's feet.

The canopic jars of Pharaoh Tutankhamun

The canopic jars of Pharaoh Tutankhamun
Originally uploaded by Ian M Butterfield

- Kohl, the eye makeup used by all Egyptians.
- Linen, the cloth of the sleek clothing of the nobles.
- Headbands, wigs, earrings, toe rings, anklets: the Egyptians were progenitors of all manner of body art.
- Canopic jars were funerary vessels for the great organs such as the brain and heart.

One of the most pervasive of all the world's motifs: Wadjet, the Eye of Horus

Wadjet, Eye of Horus
Originally uploaded by tessimal1

The Eye of Horus (Wedjat)[1] (previously Wadjet and the Eye of the Moon; and afterwards as The Eye of Ra)[2] or ("Udjat")[3] is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection and royal power from deities, in this case from Horus or Ra. The symbol is seen on images of Horus' mother, Hathor, and on other deities associated with her.

In the Egyptian language, the word for this symbol was "Wedjat".[4][5] It was the eye of one of the earliest of Egyptian deities, Wadjet, who later became associated with Bast, Mut, and Hathor as well. Wedjat was a solar deity and this symbol began as her eye, an all seeing eye. In early artwork, Hathor is also depicted with this eye.[1] funerary amulets were often made in the shape of the Eye of Horus. The Wedjat or Eye of Horus is "the central element" of seven "gold, faience, carnelian and lapis lazuli" bracelets found on the mummy of Shoshenq II.[6] The Wedjat "was intended to protect the king [here] in the afterlife"[7] and to ward off evil. Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern sailors would frequently paint the symbol on the bow of their vessel to ensure safe sea travel. [8]

Horus was an ancient Egyptian sky god in the form of a falcon. The right eye represents a Peregrine Falcon's eye and the markings around it, that includes the "teardrop" marking sometimes found below the eye. As the wadjet (also udjat or utchat), it also represented the sun, and was associated with Horus' mother, Isis, and with Wadjet another goddess, as well as the sun deity Ra (Re). The mirror image, or left eye, sometimes represented the moon and the god Tehuti (Thoth).[9]

The Nile: source of art and commerce in 3000 BC

FISHING ON THE NILE RIVER IN EGYPT
Originally uploaded by Butch O.

When you look at the history of the Nile and the history of the Red River you begin to realize how much difference there can be between the world's regions.

A more apt comparison is the Nile vs. the Mississippi. But, of course, the glories of Minneapolis, St Louis, Memphis and New Orleans are not going to be able to compete with the magnificence of the Nilotic culture.

Egypt lies at one of the world's great crossroads. The Egyptians are a mixture of Africans, Semites (Jews and Arabs), Persians and Arabians.

Lotus Blossom: an art motif of Pharaonic Egypt

Lotus Blossom
Originally uploaded by liamr

The lotus closes at night and sinks underwater. In the morning it re-emerges and blooms again, says Egyptianmyths.net. Thus the flower became a natural symbol of the sun and creation.

In Hermopolis, it was believed that it was a giant lotus blossom that first emerged from the primordial waters of Nun and from which the sun-god came forth.

As a symbol of re-birth, the lotus was closely related to the imagery of the funerary and Osirian cult. The Four Sons of Horus were frequently shown standing on a lotus in front of Osiris. The Book of the Dead contains spells for "transforming oneself into a lotus" and thus fulfilling the promise of resurrection.

The lotus was commonly used in art as a symbol of Upper Egypt. It was often shown with its long stems intertwined with papyrus reeds (a symbol of Lower Egypt) as a representation of the unification of the two lands.

Observations on the role of art in Egypt and in American societies

Pharaoh receiving life
Originally uploaded by LouiseAL

Review of the Obelisk unit

Robert Trudeau asserts that “The Egyptians of the Pharaonic era were demonstrably obsessed with art. I came to understand their relationship to fine art during sessions at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. There I saw all manner of items - from sandals to chariots - that were rendered with persuasive style and care.

Across Egypt, in ancient illustrations and in modern life, I observed an abiding need for art.

An example of the daily art of Egypt? The cab driver is not content to sit in an unadorned vehicle. He adds numerous decorative touches: stickers, special shifter handle, dangling charms, fringe, a painted Eye of Horus. Also, the farm implments of Egyptians are not plain. A wagon has painted accents on the wheels and drawbars. A bicycle may feature extra reflectors and stickers.

Compare these lives to those of the Americans. Perhaps compare the Pharaonic to the Colonials. Modern to modern.

Finally, consider how your judgment of young Americans and their artmindedness is affected by the issue of piercings and tattoos (with thanks for the idea to Jordan Shockley).

In-class essay / 5 pts.

Arts and academics essay: 10 pts. completion

CMHS: Lauren Tarver, Kyra Armstrong
Originally uploaded by trudeau

As an index of your writing skill and an intro of yourself to your teacher, students will compose an essay on your arts and academics background.

Please include -
- the arts classes and activities you've pursued.
- the arts in which you are most interested - with examples, please.
- arts performances that you've attended.
- your parents' arts backgrounds and level of interest in the arts.
- what you'd like to gain from this class.

10 pts for completion. I eagerly await them to be emailed to
trudeau@earthlink.net.

Egyptian Obelisk project

Egyptian Obelisk
Originally uploaded by iwonao

Fine Arts students will demonstrate knowledge of Egypt by creating a ceremony to surround the construction and display of 2 obelisk models.

- to be made from cardboard, tape and paint .
- the assembly to be shown on campus and to be videotaped.
- costumes symbolic of the arts of Pharaonic Egypt.
- hieroglyphics appropriate to the decoration of the obelisks.
- ceremony reflective of Egyptian rituals, such as the Book of the Dead.

Deadline in 2 weeks.
Th and Fri in library for research.

Needs:
- cardboard.
- paint and brushes.
- duct tape.

Egyptian cosmetic chest in the British Museum, London

Cosmetic chest
Originally uploaded by Lenka P

A selected list of art topics . . .

kohl
incense
head bands
pectorals
bracelets
ear rings
chokers
wigs
skirts
gowns
staffs
belts
sandals
mirrors
stringed instruments
percussion
horns
dance
games
chairs
beds
sofas
tables
relief sculpture
eye of Horus
chariots

Obelisk in Central Park, a Gift from Egypt

Obelisk
Originally uploaded by StarrGazr

.

An obelisk (from Greek ὀβελίσκος - obeliskos,[1] diminutive of ὀβελός - obelos, "spit, nail, pointed pillar"[2]) (المسلة Al-Masalla in Arabic) is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramidal top. Ancient obelisks were made of a single piece of stone (a monolith); however, most modern obelisks are made of individual stones, and can even have interior spaces. The original form is Egyptian and all subsequent versions are derived from the original Egyptian pattern," says Wikipedia.

The term stele (plural: stelae) is generally used for other monumental standing inscribed sculpted stones.

Obelisks were prominent in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians, who placed them in pairs at the entrance of temples. The word "obelisk" is of Greek rather than Egyptian origin because Herodotus, the Greek traveler, was the first to describe the objects. Twenty-nine ancient Egyptian obelisks are known to have survived, plus the "Unfinished Obelisk" found partly hewn from its quarry at Aswan. These obelisks are now dispersed around the world, and only nine remain in Egypt.

The earliest temple obelisk still in its original position is the 20.7 m / 68 ft high red granite Obelisk of Senusret I of the XIIth Dynasty at Al-Matariyyah part of Heliopolis.[3]

The obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra, or Re, and during the brief religious reformation of Akhenaten was said to be a petrified ray of the Aten, the sundisk. It was also thought that the god existed within the structure.

It is hypothesized by New York University Egyptologist Patricia Blackwell Gary and Astronomy senior editor Richard Talcott that the shapes of the ancient Egyptian pyramid and obelisk were derived from natural phenomena associated with the sun (the sun-god Ra being the Egyptians' greatest deity).[4] The pyramid and obelisk would have been inspired by previously overlooked astronomical phenomena connected with sunrise and sunset: the zodiacal light and sun pillars respectively.

The Ancient Romans were strongly influenced by the obelisk form, to the extent that there are now more than twice as many obelisks standing in Rome as remain in Egypt.

Obelisk, St Peter's Plaza, Rome

Obelisk, St Peter's Rome
Originally uploaded by Solid Gone

What's so odd about this beautiful monument in St Peter's plaza? The obelisk represents the Egyptian pre-Christian, or pagan, worship of numerous deities. Here the monument has been installed in the heart of the Christian center of centers. Why did Pope Sixtus include the Egyptian obelisk adjacent to St Peter's?

It is an anomaly that has to do with power, history and art.

Female Pharaoh Hatshepsut at the Met

Female Pharaoh Hatshepsut at the Met
Originally uploaded by trudeau

It is quite unusual for a pharaoh to presented minus the ritual chin beard. We can conclude that Hatshepsut has consolidated her power.

The heretical pharaoh: Akhenaton

la salle d'Akhenaton (1356-1340 av J.C.) (Musée du Caire)
Originally uploaded by dalbera

Artistically and philosophically the pharaoh Akhenaton was a radical.

Akhenaten, first known as Amenhotep IV (meaning Amun is Satisfied), was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt. He is especially noted for attempting to compel the Egyptian population in the monotheistic worship of Aten, says Wikipedia.org.

Akhenaten's chief wife was Nefertiti, made world-famous by the discovery of her exquisitely moulded and painted bust, now displayed in the Altes Museum of Berlin, and among the most recognised works of art surviving from the ancient world.

Styles of art that flourished during this short period are markedly different from other Egyptian art, bearing a variety of affectations, from elongated heads to protruding stomachs, exaggerated ugliness and the beauty of Nefertiti.

Significantly, and for the only time in the history of Egyptian royal art, Akhenaten's family was depicted in a decidedly naturalistic manner, and they are clearly shown displaying affection for each other. Nefertiti also appears beside the king in actions usually reserved for a Pharaoh, suggesting that she attained unusual power for a queen.

Artistic representations of Akhenaten give him a strikingly bizarre appearance, with an elongated face, slender limbs, a protruding belly, wide hips, and an overall pear-shaped body. It has been suggested that the pharaoh had himself depicted in this way for religious reasons, or that it exaggerates his distinctive physical traits.

Following Akhenaten's death, a comprehensive political, religious and artistic reformation returned Egyptian life to the norms it had followed previously during his father's reign. Much of the art and building infrastructure that was created during Akhenaten's reign was defaced or destroyed in the period immediately following his death. Stone building blocks from his construction projects were later used as foundation stones for subsequent rulers' temples and tombs.

The singular pharaoh named Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut's Temple
Originally uploaded by Just A Slice

In Pharaonic history there are a handful of kings to note. Hatshepsut gets attention because she was female and quite successful as a ruler.

Notice the modern tone to her funerary temple at Deir al Bahri, across the Nile from Luxor. We are lucky to be able to visit her tomb. Pharaohs who succeeded Hatshepsut tried to wipe out her name and accomplishments.

What is this ancient creature?

Time
Originally uploaded by Kiel Bryant

Let us begin our inquiry into Pharaonic art with this rounded, rectangular creature. What are its names? What role does it play in mythology?

Don't forget the map of Egypt . . .

Map of Egypt
Originally uploaded by ActAlan

Additionally, students must demonstrate knowledge of a brief map of Egypt comprising, artfully, the following:

1. Alexandria & Cairo
2. Lower and Upper Nile
3. Sinai peninsula
4. Giza
5 Heliopolis
6. Valley of the Kings
7. Karnak / Luxor
8. Abu Simbel
9. Mediterranean and Red Seas

Pharaoh: the arts of Pharaonic Egypt the first unit

Pharaoh
Originally uploaded by E11y

While most of my students know a bit about Egypt, there is always more to learn.

In 1992 I studied in Egypt on a Fulbright Group Seminar grant. After six weeks in Egypt I had visited the nation from coast to coast but I had only begun a decades-long study.

The ancient Egyptians were obsessed with art of every kind - not in the way of the modern world, but in a very productive, ancient way. We will study much more than their architecture. The class will also explore their
- jewelry
- dance
- music
- sculpture
- painting
- drama

Fine Arts Survey teacher is Robert Trudeau, artist & journalist & media maven

Clyde Connell
Originally uploaded by trudeau

As a sketcher, videographer, photographer, musician, arts writer and long-time teacher, I am delighted to lead a fine arts survey class. I hereby dedicate the class to participation, to light-hearted enjoyment of the arts and to academic excellence in writing and arts-minded projects.

My life is one immersed in the arts, from daily reading of sources like the NY Times art section, Artsjournal.com and NPR.org to writing about local drama, concerts and dance.

The reason I opened with a reference to sculptor Clyde Connell is because I am partnering with my wife, Talbot, in curating a major exhibit of Connell's work. The show will open Fri, Sept 19, at Artspace Shreveport.

This blog will be my principal link to students and parents in regards assignments and class notes. It will be updated daily. And I expect you to read my posts. Once a week there will be a simple quiz based on the notes herein.

Welcome to Fine Arts Survey class, Caddo Magnet High, Shreveport

Clyde Connell, 1901 - 1998
Originally uploaded by trudeau