Art of Ancient Egypt Sculptural portrait of the scribe Kai. As if alive, the scribe Kai sits with his legs tucked in

"Seated Scribe Kai". 2620 - 2350 BC e. painted limestone, height 53cm Louvre.

In 1850, an employee of the Louvre, Francois Auguste Ferdinand Mariet, on behalf of the director of the museum, was sent to Egypt for Coptic manuscripts, which, as a result of deceit, never got to him. Once, at the Great Step Pyramid in Saqqara, Mariet noticed the head of the Sphinx sticking out of the sand. Possessing remarkable organizational skills and irrepressible energy, the young man, in love with the culture of Ancient Egypt, decided to conduct independent excavations. Mariet bought some mules, hired workers, and set about searching. Soon an alley of sphinxes was discovered, in which there were about 100 statues. And on November 19, 1850, during the excavation of the Kai mastaba (a tomb of the Early and Ancient Kingdoms, which has the shape of a truncated pyramid) to the north of the Alley of the Sphinxes, a small sculpture made of limestone and painted with ocher, a sitting scribe with crossed legs, was discovered.

In ancient Egypt, the profession of a scribe was highly respected. Being in the service of the pharaoh, they monitored the amount of harvested crops for calculating taxes, food stocks in warehouses, drafted legal documents, and rewrote texts at temples.

The sculpture found in the mastaba is not just a portrait, probably, some features were similar. The value of the sculpture is not in this. The Great Master, who made it, managed to create a symbol of human wisdom, accumulating and preserving the experience and knowledge of our common civilization. The scribe's wide-open eyes peer upward. From the upper vault where they dwell higher power he draws his knowledge. His large ears, like locators, are ready to catch the commandments that have been sent down. Narrow lips are like a sharpened reed used for writing. In the right hand, between the large and index fingers, there is a hole where a reed was probably once inserted, with the help of which the acquired knowledge was transferred to the papyrus. This knowledge fills his sitting figure with vital juices, from which, like a ripe fruit, the body swells, and the crossed legs resemble hands clasping the accumulated, protecting and protecting from the effects of hostile forces.

Mariet, having received from the Egyptian authorities the post of curator of antiquities, was the first in history to carry out excavations in Karnak, Abydos, Deir el-Bahri, Tanis and Gebel Barkal. He founded Egyptian Museum in Cairo and achieved restrictions on the sale and export of ancient artifacts from the country. For his services, Mariet received membership in European academies, was promoted to the ranks of pasha and bey .. In January 1881, according to his will, he was buried in a sarcophagus in the courtyard of the museum he founded.

Materials used.

Painted limestone statues of Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret (2600 BC) were made for Rahotep's tomb. Now they are in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo.

Strict rules for the depiction of people reigned in the sculpture of Ancient Egypt. Seated statues have a straight back and a static posture. Hands lie on the knees or one is pressed to the chest. Eyes wide open looking into the distance. These are the stone sculptures of Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret. They are painted: Rahotep has a swarthy-golden body, a white bandage on his hips, black short hair, Nofret has lighter skin, a white tight-fitting dress, a beautiful hairstyle of lush hair, a patterned diadem adorns her head, and a colored necklace around her neck.

Archaeologists found the famous statue of the royal scribe Kai in one of the tombs. When the first ray of the sun penetrated its age-old darkness, two living eyes sparkled from there. Scientists have established that eyes made of rock crystal, shiny ebony and snow-white alabaster were inserted into the statue only during the rite of its "revival". The Egyptians considered the eyes to be the seat of the soul. Therefore, inserting an eye into a statue is the same as returning its soul.

Statue of Scribe Kai, painted limestone, 2490 BC e. In ancient Egypt, scribes were highly respected, because the study of Egyptian writing was a very difficult matter.

In the burial chamber next to the sarcophagus - a large case in the shape of a human figure - the Egyptians put everything that the deceased would need in the afterlife: household utensils, furniture, clothes and ... servants. But, of course, not real ones, but small wooden figurines. An excellent collection of such figurines is kept in the St. Petersburg Hermitage. Here are weavers sitting at the loom, and cooks roasting a goose on a spit, and loaders carrying a sack of grain...

In the tombs, there are also figurines with arms crossed on their chests, with a basket or a vessel for water behind their backs. They have a clear portrait resemblance to the deceased. They were called ushebti(respondents). Perhaps these "copies" of the dead were supposed to do the hardest work in the next world.

A figurine of a maid found in one of the tombs.

What is the mystery of the portrait of Nefertiti?

The most famous ancient Egyptian portrait is the colored bust of Queen Nefertiti, the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled Egypt in the 14th century. BC e., discovered in 1912 by the German archaeologist Borkhard during excavations in Akhetaten. This city was built by order of Akhenaten as the new capital of Egypt. The pharaoh-reformer, against the will of the priests, introduced in Egypt a new cult of the single sun god Aton. After his death, the cult of the former gods was restored, and the beautiful city was wiped off the face of the earth.

Excavations of dwellings, palaces, workshops of sculptors in Akhetaten brought wonderful finds. The portrait of Nefertiti ended up in the workshop of the "chief sculptor" Thutmes among many other works, including portraits of Akhenaten and his daughters.

Nefertiti's name means "The beautiful one has come." Contemporaries, amazed at the perfection of Nefertiti, called her "beautiful face", "pacifying the sun with a sweet voice." ancient sculptor captured Nefertiti in the prime of her beauty. The head of the queen on a graceful neck is crowned with a high blue crown. Half-drooped eyelids, slightly covering large almond-shaped eyes, give the look softness, slight sadness.

Nefertiti has only one eye inserted. Why? For a long time it remained a mystery. Now it is believed that the second eye was not lost, it never existed. As we already know, the ancient Egyptians believed that the eyes gave life to the statue.

If both eyes had been inserted into the statue during the life of Nefertiti, the statue would have "come to life" and take part of the soul from the queen.

Nefertiti, painted limestone, 14th century BC e. On the tomb of Akhenaten, scholars read his message to Nefertiti:

"I love the sweet breath of your mouth. I admire your beauty every day. My desire is to hear your beautiful voice, which sounds like the rustle of the north wind.
Youth returns to me from the love of you. Give me your hands that hold your spirit so that I can receive it and live it..."

What was stored in the tomb of Tutankhamen?

In November 1922, news of an amazing discovery spread around the world. The English archaeologist G. Carter discovered the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings on the banks of the Nile. Apparently, they forgot about where it is located in ancient times - a new tomb was cut down in the rock above it. It was only by this lucky chance that the thieves did not plunder the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Having cleared a narrow passage littered with rubble, opening one after another sealed doors, archaeologists discovered several rooms with treasures: precious caskets, statues, a massive golden throne, household utensils, disassembled chariots, alabaster vases and necklaces ...

One of the doors with the seal of Tutankhamen led to a small room. Almost all of it was occupied by a wooden box upholstered with sheets of gold. It contained several richly decorated sarcophagi. In one lay the mummy of Tutankhamen with a cast gold mask covering his head and chest. Pharaoh's eyes stare into eternity. Their pupils are made of precious stone. Thanks to them, the face seems alive. Attached to the almost boyish face is a false beard worn by the pharaohs. The royal headdress alternates stripes of gold and blue lapis lazuli.

Golden mask and sarcophagus of Tutankhamun, circa 1340 BC. e.

Immediately upon leaving the Department of the Ancient East, you can start viewing the monuments of Egyptian art, which are exhibited separately. Then you need to go through the lower passage or the crypt of Saint-Germain d "Auxerrois, named after the church opposite. Suddenly, a statue of the Egyptian god Osiris appears out of the darkness, illuminated by a ghostly light. Its exposition must be considered exceptionally successful. It is known that Osiris in Ancient Egypt worshiped as god underworld. Therefore, in the gloomy crypt of the Louvre, the masked light creates the illusion of a mysterious glow. You involuntarily recall an ancient legend.

However, if you want to see the Egyptian monuments in chronological order, you need to enter the department from the side of the hall of Aphrodite de Milo. Climbing up a small staircase, you find yourself in front of the tomb of a noble person, the so-called "mastaba" (3rd millennium BC). It consisted of an underground part, where a sarcophagus with a mummy was placed, and an above-ground structure. The ancient Egyptians believed that after death a person continues to lead a life similar to the earth. The tomb was considered his home. They brought food to the deceased, surrounded him with household items, and scenes of everyday life were depicted on the walls of the tomb. And the Louvre mastaba is covered with paintings: here is fishing, and hunting, and navigation, etc. Statues of the dead were usually placed in special niches of the tombs. In interpreting the images, the sculptors followed certain canons consecrated by centuries of tradition. The figures, painted with various ochers, were turned to the front; legs and arms were almost symmetrical.

"But life was stronger than the requirements of religion... - writes the famous Soviet researcher of Egyptian art M. E. Mathieu. - The best sculptors, having managed to partially overcome the traditions, created a number of wonderful works." Among them is the statue of the royal scribe Kai (mid-25th century BC). With his legs crossed, his shoulders squared, and the scroll resting on his knees, Kai sits, ready at any moment to obey the orders of his master. He is not old, but the muscles of his chest and stomach have already weakened. Tenacious long fingers are accustomed to holding a reed pen and papyrus. The wide-cheeked face is slightly raised, thin lips are pursed, and slightly squinting eyes (they are inlaid with pieces of alabaster and rock crystal) are respectfully fixed on the visitor. This is no longer the image of a scribe in general, but a realistic portrait of a person with his own character and features. The statue of Kai was found in 1850 by the French archaeologist Mariette.

Kai is surrounded in the Louvre by magnificent stone sculptures. Here is one of them. This married couple. The woman stands next to her husband and hugs him by the shoulder. Resisting time and decay, the spouses carry their love through the millennia. Such groups were also performed in the tree. In the second floor of the Louvre, for example, you can see a sculpture made of dark wood. The husband walks in front, and behind him, holding his hand, follows the wife, whose figure is much smaller in size. The famous head from the collection of Salt, who was the consul general in Egypt, is exhibited in the same room. In terms of sharpness of individual characteristics, she is not inferior to the scribe Kai. Before us is the image of a strong, slightly ascetic man, with sunken cheeks, a large nose and a somewhat elongated head.

All the sculptures we have considered belong to the era ancient kingdom(XXXII-XXIV centuries BC), when a powerful slave state arose in the Nile Valley. Along with Mesopotamia, Egypt was the most advanced country in the world of that time. By the end of the III millennium, however, Egypt broke up into separate regions, which led to a crisis in the economy and culture. A new rise of the country was then observed twice: during the period of the Middle Kingdom (XXI-XVII centuries BC) and the New Kingdom (XVI-XII centuries BC).

The masters of the Middle Kingdom initially followed the patterns of antiquity. But the repetition of old forms in new conditions led to their schematization. The revival of art began not in the capital, but in local centers. The collection of works from the Middle Kingdom in the Louvre is inferior to the collection of the Old Kingdom. Of the sculptures of this time, the statuette of a girl (XXI century BC) carrying a vessel with sacrificial libations and a box with gifts is especially memorable. The figurine is made of wood and painted. A thin fabric fits the figure, a necklace flaunts around the neck. Vitality and simplicity are combined with the search for elegance.

The time of the New Kingdom was a period of further rise in Egyptian culture. Grandiose temples are built in Luxor and Karnak, the colossi of Memnon and Ramses are created, amazing paintings of Theban tombs appear. In the city of Tel Amarna, refined and refined art is developing, which left captivating portraits of Nefertiti to posterity. The Louvre has first-class monuments of the era. The bas-relief depicting King Seti I in front of the goddess Hathor is full of tenderness, subtle spirituality. As if returning us to the era of the Old Kingdom, the majestic statue of the vizier Queen Hatshepsut. Several sphinxes, placed one behind the other, give an idea of the sculptural alleys that once led to the palaces. But especially interesting is the small plastic art of the New Kingdom, exhibited on the second floor: a wooden spoon 30 centimeters long, a lovely bluish-blue glass head not exceeding 8 centimeters, a wooden head that once adorned the harp. In all these things, different in purpose and material, the monumentality and laconicism of the pictorial language are striking. Here you really remember the words of the Russian proverb "the spool is small, but expensive." An elongated neck, a protruding chin, large lips, a straight nose, an almond-shaped slit in the eyes, a low sloping forehead, turning into a black, shiny mass of hair, falling to the very neck and, as it were, returning the viewer's gaze back to the starting point of his "journey" across the face of a person , - such is a small (20 cm) wooden head of the Telamarn school. Only the main thing, no details - and what an expressiveness of the image, ascetic, painful and at the same time striving forward! The blue glass head still holds the secrets of the ancient master - how did he manage to combine the bluish skin tone with the intense color of the wig? Is it not from the combination of two tones that the feeling of tenderness of a childishly rounded face, conveyed in the same generalized way as in a multi-meter statue, intensifies? The Egyptians were amazingly able to be majestic even in the smallest!

Painted limestone statues of Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret (2600 BC) were made for Rahotep's tomb. Now they are in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo.

Strict rules for the depiction of people reigned in the sculpture of Ancient Egypt. Seated statues have a straight back and a static posture. Hands lie on the knees or one is pressed to the chest. Eyes wide open looking into the distance. These are the stone sculptures of Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret. They are painted: Rahotep has a swarthy-golden body, a white bandage on her hips, black short hair, Nofret has lighter skin, a white tight-fitting dress, a beautiful hairstyle of lush hair, a patterned diadem adorns her head, and a colored necklace around her neck.

Statue of Scribe Kai, painted limestone, 2490 BC e. In ancient Egypt, scribes were highly respected, because the study of Egyptian writing was a very difficult matter.

A figurine of a maid found in one of the tombs.

What is the mystery of the portrait of Nefertiti?

Nefertiti's name means "The beautiful one has come." Contemporaries, amazed at the perfection of Nefertiti, called her "beautiful face", "pacifying the sun with a sweet voice." The ancient sculptor depicted Nefertiti in the prime of her beauty. The head of the queen on a graceful neck is crowned with a high blue crown. Half-drooped eyelids, slightly covering large almond-shaped eyes, give the look softness, slight sadness.

If both eyes had been inserted into the statue during the life of Nefertiti, the statue would have "come to life" and take part of the soul from the queen.

Nefertiti, painted limestone, 14th century BC e. On the tomb of Akhenaten, scholars read his message to Nefertiti:

"I love the sweet breath of your mouth. I admire your beauty every day. My desire is to hear your beautiful voice, which sounds like the rustle of the north wind.
Youth returns to me from the love of you. Give me your hands that hold your spirit so that I can receive it and live it..."

What was stored in the tomb of Tutankhamen?

Golden mask and sarcophagus of Tutankhamun, circa 1340 BC. e.

The pharaoh is depicted in a crown, with arms crossed on his chest, in which he holds the signs of royal power - a whip and a scepter.

The works of art found in the tomb, including the figurines of the pharaoh himself and his wife Ankhesamun, which are also depicted on the reliefs decorating the furniture, amaze with exquisite beauty.

On the lid of the casket, the sculptor depicted the spouses walking in the garden. The queen presents the pharaoh with a bouquet of lotus. The figures of the spouses are graceful and graceful, thin, translucent fabrics of clothing fall in soft folds, chest and shoulders are adorned with precious necklaces. On another relief, on the back of the throne, the pharaoh sits in an elegant chair, and his wife anoints him with incense. The sculptor very accurately conveyed the atmosphere of family happiness.

The reliefs are especially elegant due to their multicoloredness: they are made of precious stones on a golden background.

Fragment of the lid of the casket from the tomb of Tutankhamen.

The figures of animals found in the tomb of Tutankhamun are also unusually expressive. The Egyptians often betrayed their gods in the form of animals and birds. The entrance to the treasury was guarded by Anubis, the god - the patron of the dead - in the guise of a black jackal. Carved from wood and covered with black resin, the beast reclined on a pedestal. His ears are gilded, his claws are made of silver - pieces of gold are inserted into his eyes.

This bronze mongoose was also found in the tomb of Tutankhamen.

Fragment of a relief on the back of the throne of Tutankhamun.

Statue of Scribe Kai Circa 2500 B.C. (4/5 dynasty)53 x 43 cmLimestone, paintParis. Louvre

Fragment of a statue of a nobleman Kai in the guise of a scribe Limestone. Paris, Louvre. Eye socket - copper. Protein - alabaster. Iris - rock crystal. Pupil - carved cone filled with soot. (c) photo - Viktor Solkin, 2004.

When working fellahs, led by the French archaeologist Auguste Mariette, entered the serdab (place for the statue of the deceased) of Kaya's tomb in Saqqara in 1850, beams of light cut through the darkness and fell on the eyes of the statue. The workers fled in horror, but after a few minutes, with pickaxes at the ready and shouting "Shaitan! Shaitan!" rushed into the gap, attacking the "unclean" who pierced them with his gaze. Mariette had to defend the statue and calm down the angry workers with a shovel and such a mother...

Now this statue is the decoration of the Egyptian hall of the Louvre.

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salman_spektor

"Seated Scribe Kai". 2620 - 2350 BC e. painted limestone, height 53cm Louvre.

The sculpture found in the mastaba is not just a portrait, probably, some features were similar. The value of the sculpture is not in this. The Great Master, who made it, managed to create a symbol of human wisdom, accumulating and preserving the experience and knowledge of our common civilization. The scribe's wide-open eyes peer upward. From the upper vault, where the higher powers dwell, he draws his knowledge. His large ears, like locators, are ready to catch the commandments that have been sent down. Narrow lips are like a sharpened reed used for writing. In the right hand, between the thumb and forefinger, there is a hole where a reed was probably once inserted, with the help of which the acquired knowledge was transferred to the papyrus. This knowledge fills his sitting figure with vital juices, from which, like a ripe fruit, the body swells, and the crossed legs resemble hands clasping the accumulated, protecting and protecting from the effects of hostile forces.

Mariet, having received from the Egyptian authorities the post of curator of antiquities, was the first in history to carry out excavations in Karnak, Abydos, Deir el-Bahri, Tanis and Gebel Barkal. He founded the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and achieved restrictions on the sale and export of ancient artifacts from the country. For his services, Mariet received membership in European academies, was promoted to the ranks of pasha and bey .. In January 1881, according to his will, he was buried in a sarcophagus in the courtyard of the museum he founded.

Materials used:

http://www.dpholding.ru/dosie/?action=photo&id=246http://frefilms.net/smotret-onlain/278393146_170874966/Seated+scribe+Kaihttp://www.kidsoft.ru/arch-2005/files /web_design/wd_21/pisec.htmhttps://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/

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Seated scribe. - S (l) radiance of pure reason

Louvre. Seated scribe. Saqqara, 2620-2500. BC, painted limestone, height 53cm

“They tell me that you abandoned the scripture and spun in pleasures and that you turned your face to work in the field, abandoning the word of God. Do you not remember the fate of the farmer, when the harvest (his) is accounted for, after the snake stole (one) half of him and devoured the other half by the hippopotamus? (After all) a lot of mice in the field. Locusts swooped in, cattle (everything) devoured. Sparrows bring grief to the farmer. The rest (of the harvest) on the current is (almost) exhausted and (goes) to thieves, and the payment for the hired cattle has disappeared, as the team died from overwork during threshing and plowing. And now a scribe has moored to the shore, who will take into account the harvest. (accompanying him) tax collectors (armed) with sticks, and (his) Nubians with rods. They say: “Give us grain”, but there is none. They beat him (the farmer) furiously. He is bound and thrown into a well, he chokes. His wife is bound in his presence, and his children are in chains. His neighbors leave him and flee (in fear, in anticipation of the same fate), and their grain disappears. But the scribe - he leads everyone, and work in writing is not taxed. There are no taxes on it. Note this to yourself"

Translation by M.A. Korostovtsev. Papyrus Anastasi V. Korostovtsev, 1962, p. 152

A modest but realistic depiction of the male figure of the "Seated Scribe" (53.5 cm high), which is kept in the Louvre. This is a small figurine from a tomb built in Saqqara by an important noble named Kay, who was a ruler during the 5th Dynasty. The facial expression of this character impresses with its enigmatic smile and gaze. Designed to ensure the immortality of the deceased, this figurine remains in a calm posture, devoid of muscle tension, a characteristic that, however, does not deprive it of some liveliness.

The Egyptian administration from the very beginning was very well organized, and the posts of officials involved in administration were very numerous. Among the most recognized professions was that of a scribe.

The person holding this position had to be able to read and draw at the same time, which assumed the highest degree of specialization and social recognition. In the sculptures, scribes are depicted seated, with crossed legs and arms holding papyrus and a drawing stick. These are statues of limestone painted in different colors, with arms separated from the torso and with an expression of composure, concentration and calmness. The transfer of restless liveliness was achieved in the look, thanks to the inlay of the eyes with glass.

In a group of statues of the Old Kingdom, depicting both pharaohs and persons of low rank, calm postures and actions, devoid of muscle tension, allow for a moderate realism in style and in expression of faces, as a rule, of delicate finish. The 5th Dynasty sculpture, known as the "Seated Scribe", which is kept in the Louvre, was discovered in 1850 by the archaeologist Mariette in one of the tombs of Saqqara. It depicts the administrator Kai, another portrait of whom was found in the same tomb. The sculpture, reaching 53.5 cm, impresses with the deep concentration that it embodies. The face expresses an enigmatic smile and reveals a gaze accentuated by hard stone inlay. It is an image of an intellectual whose hand is ready to start writing. Probably, this sculpture was a portrait copy of the deceased and was intended to guarantee his immortality.

The wooden statues of court officials are examples of another trend in sculpture in which individualization of the figure is allowed. Because the we are talking about persons who did not possess an aristocratic rank, they could be depicted without the embodiment of the classical severity that distinguished the images of pharaohs or members royal family. In addition, from a purely technical point of view, the processing of wood is very different from the processing of stone. Wood made it possible to process various parts of the sculpture separately in order to subsequently connect them. From this it follows that the sculptures of this type had a less strict character. One of the most famous is the statue of Sheikh el-Beled, commonly known as the "village headman". It depicts an adult man standing, clutching an Egyptian fig staff in his hand. Glass eyes further emphasize the realism of the figure and embody the achievements of this peculiar trend in sculptural art.

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2

2 FINE ART OF ANCIENT EGYPT.

SCULPTURE OF THE ANCIENT KINGDOM

Sculpture in Egypt appeared in connection with religious requirements and developed depending on them. Cult requirements determined the appearance of one or another type of statues, their iconography and the place of installation. Basic rules: symmetry and frontality in the construction of figures, clarity and calmness of poses the best way corresponded to the cult purpose of the statues. The bodies of the statues were made exaggeratedly powerful and developed, giving the statue a solemn elation. Faces, in some cases, on the contrary, had to convey the individual features of the deceased. Hence the early appearance in Egypt of the sculptural portrait. The most remarkable, now famous portraits were hidden in tombs, some of them in walled-up rooms where no one could see them. On the contrary, the statues themselves could, according to the beliefs of the Egyptians, observe life through small holes at eye level.

Statues played an important role in the architectural design of temples: they bordered the roads leading to the temple, stood at the pylons, in courtyards and interiors. The statues, which had a large architectural and decorative load, differed from purely cult ones. They were made in large sizes, interpreted in a generalized way, without great detail.

Pharaoh Jet's stele

King Serpent Limestone. OK. 3000 BC e.

Later, the decoration of tombs with reliefs becomes mandatory. A large number of murals and reliefs from tombs came from the Old Kingdom. At this time, themes, layouts, and main compositions are formed. The plots are related to the needs of the cult; all images on reliefs and murals are built strictly according to the canon.

Throne statue of Khafre

The statue of Pharaoh Khafre dates back to the 4th dynasty (Old Kingdom), was found in the temple of Pharaoh Khafre in Giza. Since its inception, Egyptian sculpture has been subject to a certain canon - a series of rules and laws, the most important of which were frontality and symmetry. Portrait images of the pharaohs are the embodiment of solemnity, monumentality and grandeur. This sculpture is a seated model of the pharaoh. The parts of the body of the pharaoh are connected at right angles. The arms rest on the hips, and there are no gaps between the arms and the torso. The legs are slightly apart and are parallel to the bare feet. The torso of the pharaoh is naked; he is wearing only a pleated skirt. The head of the pharaoh is decorated with a claft - a striped scarf with the ends descending to the shoulders. Particular attention is paid to the expressive look. It was inlaid with crystals or embossed around the contour of the eyelids.

Great Sphinx

In a valley south of the Pyramid of Khafre at Giza, not far from Cairo, sits a huge creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man. This monumental statue - the first true colossal royal sculpture in Egyptian history - is known as the Great Sphinx, and is the national symbol of Egypt, both ancient and modern. The face of the Sphinx is turned to the rising sun. The lion was a symbol of the Sun not only in ancient Egypt, but also in many Middle Eastern cultures. The human head of the king on the body of a lion symbolized the strength and power that was controlled by the mind of the pharaoh - the guardian of the world order, or maat. Such symbolism existed for two and a half millennia, and was present in the fine arts of the Egyptian civilization.

Statue of dignitary Kaaper (Village headman)

One of the finest examples of wooden sculpture. Dated to the 4th or 5th Dynasty (Old Kingdom), found in Kaaper's mastaba at Saqqara. The sculpture depicts a portly and sedate elderly Egyptian holding a staff of Egyptian figs in his hand. Expressive face with lively inlaid eyes. The statue struck the workers who found it with an amazing resemblance to their village headman so much that this name - "Village headman" - was forever preserved behind it.

STATUE OF SCRIST KAI (or Louvre scribe). The monument dates back to the IV or V dynasty (Old Kingdom), found in the mastaba of Kai in Saqqara. The sculpture depicts a scribe sitting cross-legged and holding an unfolded papyrus scroll on his knees. This is an image of an intellectual whose hand is ready to start writing. With an outwardly restrained pose, the scribe's face expresses deep concentration, a closer look reveals internal tension. His figure is inscribed in a triangle. The figures of the scribes were canonical, but despite this, the artists achieved great diversity in the transfer of portrait characteristics.

STATUES OF RAHOTEP AND NOFRET. (son of Pharaoh Sneferu and his wife)

A fairly common sculpture is family group, in particular a married couple, which can be depicted standing or sitting. Images of characters who do not have a divine dignity are much more natural and less formal than images of pharaohs. This is manifested in freer postures and gestures, often determined by the person's occupation or life circumstances; in a more lively and natural facial expression; in reflection individual features personality, such as age, build, appearance, hairstyle, clothes, jewelry. This image is decorative. The eyes are inlaid with quartz. Princess Nofret is depicted in a white tight-fitting tunic and a short black wig intercepted by a bandage; around her neck is a multicolored necklace. Nofret has a dense figure, a rounded, somewhat heavy face and expressive eyes. Rahotep's eyes are framed by a dark rim of the eyelids. The gaze is directed into the distance. The folds above the bridge of the nose give mimic expressiveness. By tradition, the statue of a man is painted reddish brown, the statue of a woman is painted light yellow.

PORTRAITS OF THE AMARNA AGE

In the fifth year of his reign, Amenhotep IV changes his name, which translates as "Amon is pleased", to Akhenaten - "pleasing to Aten." The names of the closest relatives of the pharaoh are also changed, including his main wife Nefertiti, who received the new name Neferneferuaton. The god Aten is proclaimed the father of the pharaoh, depicted in the form of a solar disk with a suremi and many rays extended to the Earth, crowned with palms holding the symbol of life “ankh”.

The pharaoh comes to the conclusion that Aten does not need a separate temple, but a whole city, leaves Thebes and begins the construction of his new capital, called Akhetaton - "the horizon of the Aten." According to the legend announced to the people, the place of the new capital, 300 km north of the old one, was allegedly indicated by Aten himself during Akhenaten's voyage up the Nile. The new capital, according to the plan of the king, was to completely overshadow Thebes and Memphis as the religious, cultural and political center of the country. The ruins of Akhetaten were discovered near the modern Egyptian town of el-Amarna.

To worship the new god, Akhenaten built a new capital - Akhetaton ("Aten Sky") near modern El-Amarna and left Thebes. In Akhenaten, Akhenaten created a favorable climate for the development of the arts of a completely original style, combining dynamics, flexibility of lines and sensuality, which did not coincide at all with the previous monumental canon. This period in the development of Egyptian art was called "Amarna". Amarna art is characterized primarily by realistic images not only of the fauna and flora of Egypt at that time, but also of the ruling persons. Images of the pharaoh and his family are still larger, but they are no longer idealized. Akhenaten has an effeminate figure and a peculiar shape of the skull, which was inherited by his daughters. The ruler appears not as a conquering warrior or a tamer of wild animals, a hunter, but as a father, a husband. He is often depicted with his daughters on his knees, tenderly hugging his wife, family scenes and scenes of worship and worship of the Aton by the whole family are not uncommon.

The sculptors and painters of the Amarna school, in contrast to their predecessors, cease to idealize the image of the king. Moreover, they strive to show him and his loved ones as they really were. Features of realism in their work, previously manifested mainly in portrait sculpture and frescoes that convey scenes Everyday life become especially noticeable. Thus, the images of the reformer tsar and members of his family that have come down to us, created by court artists, can least of all serve as a reason to accuse them of wanting to flatter their master.

Akhenaten, his wife Nefertiti and six daughters are depicted with all their inherent physical shortcomings, which, moreover, are emphasized and even exaggerated: an excessively elongated, retracted skull, a large protruding chin, a sagging stomach, disproportionately thin arms and legs.

At the same time, the masters of the Amarna school created such masterpieces of sculpture, painting and applied art that they were unconditionally ranked among the most outstanding monuments of world art. It is enough to refer to the sculptural portraits of Nefertiti and her daughters, to the quartzite torso found in Tel Amarna, possibly also depicting the queen, to the portrait canopic covers from the tomb of Tutankhamun, or, finally, to the figurines of the guardian goddesses who stood at the ark with canopic canopies. This is due primarily to their desire for simplicity, naturalness. Having overcome the canonical convention, they equally truthfully depict the pharaoh, his dignitaries, their servants and slaves.

Now artists are attracted not only by huge reliefs and frescoes, almost invariably conveying the same plots - the king trampling enemies or appearing before God, but also images of intimate scenes, nature. The poses of those who are drawn by their brush or carved by their chisel are more at ease and graceful. Their manner is characterized by smoothness of lines and harmony of colors, refinement and grace. Using the old motifs for decorative decoration, they show great ingenuity and sophistication.

THE FLOWERING OF EGYPTIAN PAINTING IN THE ERA OF THE MIDDLE KINGDOM.

In the visual arts of the Middle Kingdom, realistic tendencies are intensifying. In the wall paintings of the tombs of the nomarchs, images acquire greater compositional freedom, attempts to convey volume appear in them, and the color scheme is enriched. The images of secondary domestic scenes, as well as plants, animals and birds, are distinguished by special poetic freshness and immediacy. To the most famous works This time includes images of scenes of fishing and hunting in the Nile thickets.

New stories take more and more important place in art, fill it with ever greater concreteness. In the painting that adorned the walls of tombs and temples, attempts are also found to overcome the old compositional schemes. Strict, majestic friezes are replaced by more freely grouped scenes, the colors become softer and more transparent. The paintings are done in tempera on dry ground. The golden color of the bodies is combined in them with the greenery of grasses, the whiteness of clothes, the blueness of flowers. Not limited to local tones, masters use mixed paints superimposed now thickly, now barely perceptible. The contours are indicated either sharply or gently, which is why the still flat silhouettes become lighter and more picturesque.

Frescoes in the tombs of the normahs in Beni-Khasan.

Normachi sought to imitate the official style of the palace, erecting their tombs like royal mortuary temples. Masters of local schools found original compositions in plastic and relief. solutions. Magnificent monuments of wall painting have been preserved in the norms of Middle Egypt, located north of Thebes - Beni - Hasan.

The tombs were carved into the rocks, so that only the entrance belonged to the ground part, decorated in the form of a portico with protodoric columns.

The colonnades continued into the interior. The ceiling in the form of a vault resting on the colonnades was covered with paintings.

Multi-tiered compositions of murals were built according to registers, inside which the artist plastically placed figures of people, animals and birds. Ritual cycles repeated themes dating back to the time of the Old Kingdom. Among the new plots, one should include the drive of prisoners with captured trophies, the image of military duels.

painting technique remained the same. The craftsmen made sketches, which, using a grid of squares, were transferred to the wall in accordance with a given scale. If in the ancient kingdom the murals played a subordinate role in relation to the relief, then on average they acquire an independent significance. Artists tonally associate the background with the color scheme of the composition, the contour lines acquire different intensities, become thinner, and sometimes completely absent. The colorful palette of artists is expanding significantly.

In the tomb of Khnumhotep II in Beni Hassan (20th century BC), one of the most remarkable paintings in the art of the Middle Kingdom was created - a hunting scene on the banks of the Nile. It is accompanied by texts in which, in addition to cult content, there are biographies of nomarchs.

Tall and slender figures of hunters move across the water in curved boats. Around them, on trees with the finest lace of transparent foliage, many bright birds in elegant plumage are depicted. A wild cat with soft insinuating movements hid on an elastically bent papyrus stalk among tender blue flowers. Everything in this painting is full of perfect craftsmanship and at the same time subordinated to a fine decorative system. great attention in the postures of animals. Dynamism in the transfer of hunting. The impression of several spatial plans.

Murals in the palace at Amarna.

Architectural monuments of the Amarna period are almost not preserved. According to the excavations, scientists discovered a city with a clear plan, combining religious and palace buildings. The central building is the temple “House of Aten”, which was adjoined by the royal palace, which consisted of ceremonial and living quarters. The facade of its official part was turned towards the temple of the Aten. A three-span bridge connected both halves of the palace complex.

The ceremonial premises and private chambers of the pharaoh were richly decorated with murals, fragments of which were discovered during excavations of the city. In the compositions there are ornamental motifs and story scenes. The style and themes of the paintings are characterized by new features. The exaggerated emphasis on the features of the structure of the face and figure of the pharaoh was not perceived by contemporaries as grotesque. On the contrary, similar methods of performance extended to the images of his wife Nefertiti and daughters.

A fragment of the palace painting of Akhetaten with the image of two princesses has been preserved, in the appearance and poses of which the handwriting of the Amarna masters is clearly traced. The picturesque style is distinguished by tonal unity, a soft combination of colors.

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Scribes - who are they?

A special estate in ancient Egypt, scribes are highly respected people who were distinguished by their education, the ability to understand the most complex writing - hieroglyphs. It was their responsibility to keep records of everything from the erection of majestic monuments to the collection of taxes. Let's get acquainted with what the scribes were.

Definition

Ancient Egypt is one of the most interesting states of past eras, many of whose secrets have not been solved to this day. However, scientists managed to learn a lot about what the society of the country of the pyramids was like. Scribes are one of the estates of the class structure of Egypt, their duties included not only writing and reading already written texts, but also maintaining all types of records. Largely thanks to the work of these educated men (less often women), papyrus scrolls have come down to us, allowing us to understand the peculiarities of the life of a mysterious civilization.

This profession was respected, scribes were not required to pay taxes, did not serve in the army, were considered part of the court of the pharaoh himself, which was very prestigious.

A scribe in the East was also called a harpedonapt or a hierogrammist.

Occupation

Consider what the scribes did:

They wrote down the decrees of the king.
Managed tax collection.
Conducted a population census.
Engaged in rewriting ancient texts.
They acted as library custodians.
Were secretaries.
They were engaged in accounting for crops, animals, food, and compiled detailed registers.

Also, the duties of scribes included recording stories heard from strangers. Often it was scribes that people who did not know how to write turned to in order to make a petition. Such services were provided for an additional fee.

Job Features

We learned that scribes are highly respected people, representatives of the Egyptian nobility. Let's highlight a number of features of this type of occupation:

The title was not hereditary. To become a scribe, it was necessary to study long and hard. However, the sons of scribes had more chances, since from childhood they received the necessary education and were preparing to take a place next to their father.
Women could fill this prestigious position, but little information has come down to us about female scribes.
The patron gods of scribes are Thoth, the deity of wisdom (often depicted with the head of an ibis or baboon) and Seshat, the patroness of writing and writing.
The position was so highly valued in ancient Egypt that the word "scribe" had its own hieroglyph: a writing instrument, a palette.

The position has existed since the time of the Old Kingdom and has played at all times key role in the history of the land of the pyramids.

Description of the scribe

A papyrus has survived to this day, which gives an idea of how the ideal scribe looked and behaved:

He was well dressed.
Hardworking and responsible, work does not tire him.
Can skillfully direct the actions of others.
Enjoys honor and respect.

He did not engage in exhausting physical work and could afford to eat well. Some very literate representatives of the class spoke ancient languages.

Depiction of scribes in art

The art of the ancient Egyptians was built on strict observance of the canons, so it is not surprising that there is a clear trend in the depiction of scribes:

Sculptures of these literate people are sitting.
Their legs are crossed.
On her lap is a papyrus scroll.

Among the most famous creations of the masters of the country of the pyramids is the 53-cm statue of the scribe Kai, made of limestone and covered with paint. The appearance of this sculpture dates back to about 2500 BC. e. Now it is kept in the Louvre. The features of the statue are:

A typical posture for a scribe: sitting with legs tucked in.
Rock crystal and ebony were used to inlay the eyes.
The author tried to convey a portrait likeness, while the black eyes of the scribe turned out to be sharp and attentive.
The lips of the statue are tightly compressed.

A fact is known: when the sculpture of Kai was discovered, the workers experienced genuine horror, because because of the sharp eyes and the twilight reigning in the tomb, it seemed to them that they saw a living person.

The specifics of education in ancient Egypt

The opportunity to gain knowledge in the country of the pyramids was not available to everyone, only the children of nobles and nobles close to the pharaoh had the opportunity to receive an education. The children of artisans and peasants from childhood helped their parents and, as a rule, continued their fate. However, there was no gender difference yet: noble boys and girls had equal rights.

The key goal of the training was to prepare for a profession inherent in the members of the student's family. So, a child from a warrior's family most often comprehended the basics of military affairs. Similarly, scribes - the position was not inherited, but the children of these wise and educated people from childhood they studied hieroglyphic writing and mathematics.

In the era of the Old Kingdom, schools of scribes had not yet appeared, knowledge was passed from father to son. If the native child was incapable of learning, the scribe could choose an apprentice. Later, specialized institutions were formed where children were trained.

Where did scribes study?

Education was carried out in the Schools of Scribes, which were located at the royal or noble court or at the temple. How was the preparation?

Pupils were forced to rewrite texts several times, many of which described the delights of the profession of a scribe.
Solve math problems.
Study music and geography, medicine and astronomy.

The age of students starting to acquire knowledge was 5 years.

The lessons were held for a long time, the students comprehended the basics from early morning until late evening. The unscrupulous and lazy were severely punished. In one of the texts that have come down to us, it is indicated that a negligent student could be punished with a whip made from the skin of a hippopotamus.

The specifics of education

Those who graduated from the school of scribes possessed a wide range of knowledge necessary for their further activities:

They knew at least 700 hieroglyphs.
They knew how not only to write and read beautifully, but also to draw up business documents.
They knew the secular style (he helped to work with papers) and the statutory style (used in religious texts).

The training was carried out sequentially: first, the students memorized the hieroglyphs themselves and their meaning, then they learned to correctly formulate thoughts. Finally, they comprehended the basics of eloquence. To become scribes, students with early childhood were obliged to give up many entertainments and all free time devote to learning.

After leaving school, the scribe needed to find himself a good place. The surviving text advises these young people to act like this: do not argue with your boss, agree with him in everything. This is the only way to achieve stability, high income and position in society.

How and what did they work

Some information has survived to this day that allows us to figure out who the scribes in Egypt are and how they worked:

They had to write on sheets of papyrus.
The work was carried out with the help of a reed brush.
Not only black, but also red, blue and green paints were known. For their manufacture, coal, ocher and crushed minerals diluted with water were used.
Still necessary attributes of a scribe are a small wooden cup into which water was poured, and a plate with recesses in which paints were placed.

It is known that most often scribes used black color, only the main phrases were highlighted in red.

Role and significance

Scribes were an educated class of Ancient Egypt, it was thanks to their work that it was possible to preserve knowledge and transfer it next generation. For us, their work is especially important, since it is the papyri that provide researchers with valuable material that allows them to understand how the representatives lived. ancient civilization. Finally, these educated servants of the pharaohs wrote down decrees, were engaged in accounting, that is, they played a crucial role in the development of the country and its management. Often they worked in libraries, rewrote the oldest documents, helping to preserve them for posterity.

So, scribes are a special category of inhabitants of the country of the pyramids, which enjoyed honor and respect. Many dreamed of becoming one of the scribes, but few managed to get an education and comprehend the science of hieroglyphic writing. The ancient Egyptians valued their scribes, which is why the names of many of them have come down to us, and detailed description teaching systems.

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Art of ancient Egypt

Imagine that we have arrived in Cairo. We walk along the streets of this large original city, admiring its buildings, gardens, bazaars. But what is it? Some triangular silhouettes are visible on the horizon. We guess that these are the famous tombs of the pharaohs - pyramids built more than four and a half thousand years ago. And here we stand in front of the tombs, stunned by their gigantic size: the largest of them, the pyramid of Cheops, reaches 147 meters in height. More than 2,300 thousand stone slabs weighing two and a half tons each went into its construction.

The Egyptians were the first to build stone buildings. Much of what the ancient architects built in the Nile Valley has survived to this day: tower-like gates of temples, walls, columns, obelisks. All this is made of stone and decorated with relief figures of kings and gods, scenes of battles and hunting.

The largest was the temple of the god Amun-Ra in Karnak, not far from the capital of Ancient Egypt, the city of Thebes (XIII century BC). Each pharaoh considered it necessary to build something in this temple - a new columned hall or a chapel, depict his victories on the walls.

The temple of Queen Hatshepsut (XVI century BC), also built in Thebes, is also very interesting. west bank Nile, on the spurs of the mountains that surrounded the capital. The colonnades of the temple, located on three ledges rising one above the other, were in good harmony with the vertical ledges of the rocks that served as its natural backdrop. There were many statues depicting the queen in the temple. Some stood on the facade, on the sides of the colonnades. The walls of the temple, as usual, were covered with colored reliefs depicting either gods or events that took place under Hatshepsut. Particularly remarkable are the reliefs, which show the distant country of Punt, from where the Egyptians brought valuable incense.

Temple of Hatshepsut is a perfect example of a combination different types fine arts: architecture, sculpture, colored reliefs or paintings. This synthesis was born in Egypt and was one of the important features of its ancient monumental monuments.

Egyptian art reached the highest peaks. Sculptors created statues, masterfully conveying faces different people- an attentive scribe, a stern king, a young woman. Here is a statue of the scribe Kai (3rd millennium BC). His face, with a flat nose and prominent cheekbones, is unusually expressive. Compressed lips and an attentive look keen eyes give the face of the scribe an expression of restraint, readiness to obey and at the same time subtle observation. This is a dexterous and intelligent royal confidant. We see completely different features in the statues of other scribes.

The same ability of the sculptor to create a portrait can be easily seen when comparing the statues of pharaohs, for example, Amenemhat III (beginning of the 2nd millennium BC) and Ramses II (1250 BC). The first has an elongated oval face, narrow eyes, slightly concave a long nose, precisely cut at the top of the cheek. The face of Ramses II is with a large aquiline nose, full cheeks, and an energetic chin.

It is also characteristic of ancient Egyptian art that there is a big difference between the statues of kings and nobles, on the one hand, and the statuettes of servants and slaves, on the other. The figures of the pharaohs and the nobility are always completely motionless, they seem to be frozen in solemn importance. They were placed close to the walls in the halls of temples or in the chapels of the tombs, they were prayed to, sacrificed. The sculptor had to emphasize the high position of these people, and therefore, whether a king or a nobleman is sitting or standing, he is always shown as a calm, self-confident person, healthy, powerful, sometimes overly full. So the impression from these statues was achieved by the strict symmetry of the construction of the figure, the immobility of the pose. The heads are always set straight, the hands of the sitting figures rest on their knees, those of the standing figures are lowered, sometimes they hold a staff.

The statuettes of servants and slaves, on the contrary, are full of movement and life. They depict working people, and the sculptor, conveying the image of a person engaged in labor, emphasized the postures and gestures characteristic of each type of work. Sometimes, wanting to note the unbearable burden of labor, the sculptor depicts emaciated figures with protruding ribs, which differ sharply from the powerful figures of kings and nobles.

The creations of ancient Egyptian painters - wall paintings were also beautiful. Birds are flying above the green thickets on the banks of the Nile... A wild cat is sitting on a papyrus stalk... Fishermen are pulling a net... It is as if the whole life of Ancient Egypt passes here before us: the hard work of farmers, slaves and artisans, feasts of the nobility, scribes for work, detachments of warriors. How fresh and bright the colors are, how well the movements of dancers and acrobats are conveyed, the reeds swaying in the wind, the frantic gallop of horses, the measured tread of bulls, the light jumps of calves.

The excavations introduced us to the products of artisans - stone cutters, metalworkers, jewelers. The Egyptians were the first to invent glass.

The art of ancient Egypt was not the same at all times. For thousands of years, much has changed in the Nile Valley - man gradually mastered nature, technology developed. Sometimes the country was devastated by wars; sometimes Egypt itself seized neighboring countries, from where wealth, slaves, and valuable materials came from. There were various events. Sometimes the power of the pharaoh, nobles and priests weakened, and the middle strata of the population began to play an important role. Terrible popular uprisings were also frequent. All this found its echo in the monuments of art.

Some of them are made strictly according to the rules established since ancient times: we see monotonous powerful figures of pharaohs and gods, scenes painted in the same way. In other monuments, these rules are violated, artists and sculptors become bolder, try to depict everything that surrounds them more vividly and closer to reality, to convey movement, the natural various poses of people, the landscape, to build scenes in a new way. In a word, the art of Ancient Egypt, like the art of each country, reflected in its works the life of the people who created it.