ArtH 151 Exam 1

Sumerian Empire, Akkadian Empire, Neo-Sumerian Empire, Assyrian Empire, Egyptian Empire

Tablet with Inventories of Grain and Beer, Sumerian, from Uruk, Late Uruk Period

Anu Ziggurat and White Temple, Sumerian, Uruk, Late Uruk Period

• ziggurat= artificial mountain w/temple on top

• honors sky God Anu

Female Head (Inanna?), Sumerian, Uruk, Late Uruk Period

Warka Vase, Sumerian, Uruk, Late Uruk Period

• organized registers following hierarchical scale

• ruler is tallest figure bringing offerings to a priestess of Inanna

• bottom register = nature/source of gifts

• map of society/social hierarchy

Victory Stele of Eannatum, Sumerian, Girsu, Early Dynastic Period

• King Eannatum records an important battle with another city state over land

• Eannatum wears a robe, headdress, and has a bun (signifies royalty)

• King gives offerings to Ningirsu (symbolized by lion-headed eagle)

• vultures swarm around dead enemies

The Standard of Ur, Sumerian, found in Ur, Early Dynastic Period

• lapis lazuli → only from Afghanistan → cross cultural connections

• war side: ruler with warriors

• peace side: ruler enjoying feast with courtiers while war spoils are brought to palace

Head of a Man (known as Akkadian Ruler), Akkadian Period

• more realistic/naturalistic than Sumerian art

• has elements of Sumerian art (bun, headdress, beard = royalty)

Enheduanna Disk, Akkadian Period

• shoes Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon and high priestess, giving gifts to Gods

• first recorded author/poet in history

Victory Stele of Naram-Sim, Akkadian Period

• differs from Sumerian art b/c landscape

• shows Naram-Sim and his army in victory

• wears headdress with horns → first time that anyone ever represented themselves as a God

Votive Statue of Gudea, Neo-Sumerian Period

• Gudea was a Neo-Sumerian ruler and a patron of the arts; there are more statues of him than of anyone else of this time period

• Shows him offering gifts to the gods, which emphasizes his piety (differs from the Akkadians b/c he’s NOT a God)

• however, also shows more Akkadian naturalism

Gudea the architect with Plans, Neo-Sumerian Period

• Gudea has architectural plans for a new temple

• once again emphasizes his piety

• sculpture AND writing convey its meaning, so for the literate and illiterate

Nanna Ziggurat, Neo-Sumerian period

• revival of Sumerian culture and traditions

Fragment of Ur-Namma Stele, Neo-Sumerian Period

• God sits on throne and gives building materials to king

• king does not equal god

Human-Headed Winged Lion, Late Assyrian Period

• lamassu: composite of human and animal body parts (usually the head of a man and the body of a lion); seen at entrances to palaces in the Assyrian period; spirit that works with and helps the gods

• five legs so that it can be viewed from the front and from the side

Asurbanipal II Returning from War in Triumph, Late Assyrian Period

• God is shown in the sun with wings and horns

• very naturalistic

Assurbanipal II Hunting Lions, Late Assyrian Period

• emphasizes the super-human strength of an emperor

Citadel and Palace of Sargon II, Late Assyrian Period

• religious structures are incorporated into the palace

• ziggurat is on a much taller platform; only King and priest can enter

Sculptures from the Palace of Sargon II, Late Assyrian Period

• soldiers bringing lumber from conquered territories

• lumber for temples = piety

• loading ships on Tigris = cross-cultural connections

Sack of an Elamite City and Assurbanipal II receiving booty from Babylonia, Late Assyrian Period

• Assurbanipal is larger in scale

• Elamite kings kneel in submission, prisoners are led away

The Royal Lion Hunt, Late Assyrian Period

• shows the otherworldly strength of the ruler

• very detailed, especially in terms of muscles

Assurbanipal and His Queen in the Garden, Late Assyrian Period

• shows peace, tranquility, and wealth of empire

• also shows head of Elamite king, showcasing strength

Two Dog Palette, Late Predynastic Period

• used to prepare makeup

• no humans, only animals fighting and playing musical instruments

Palette of Narmer, Early Dynastic

• wears white crown on front (rules upper Egypt) but on back has red crown (lower Egypt)

• falcon= Horus (God)

• Horus and pharaoh conquer lower Egypt → falcon/Horus hold papyrus

Stepped Pyramid and Mortuary Precinct of Djoser, Old Kingdom, Third Dynasty, Imhotep (architect)

• first stone structure at this point in history → more laborious → state has more control over citizens/laborers

• mastaba inside stepped pyramid

  • mastaba includes an above ground chamber with a chapel and ka statue, and an underground burial chamber

Ka Statue of Djoser, Old Kingdom, Third Dynasty

• closed figure, holding something in fist

• traditional elements of royalty shown: fake beard, headdress, short kilt

• less detailed and made out of less expensive materials as future ka statues

Bent Pyramid of Sneferu, Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty

• bent because of miscalculations

Red Pyramid of Sneferu, Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty

• first successful pyramid

• mirror light cascading down the sides of the pyramid

Great Pyramids of Giza, Old Kingdon, Fourth Dynasty

• Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure

• oriented east-west to mimic the sun→ pharaohs were associated with the suns/ are resurrected like the sun after going through the underworld

• each part of the pyramid is maintained by a priest, and each has a causeway that connects the valley temple with the mortuary temple

• smaller pyramids for queens and rows of mastabas for courtiers

• benbenets: gold pieces on top that reflect light

Khafre (Ka Statue), Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty

• much more realistic than previous Ka statues (like Djoser), but still shows royal themes from traditional art (like bear, headdress and kilt)

• falcon/Horus on the back of his head

• not carved free

• lotus and papyrus are conjoined

• sits on lion

Menkaure and His Queen, Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty

• both are in traditional stance (one foot forward) → balance and power

• still not carved free

• depicted as all pharaohs are depicted to showcase their power and royalty

Heminu Seated, Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty

• not royal (member of the court) so allowed to be less perfect

• much truer to life and realistic (saggy skin, jowls, etc)

Seated Scribe, Old Kingdom, Fifth Dynasty

Ka-aper, Old Kingdom, Fifth Dynasty

• fully free

• wood (rarely preserved)

Ti Watching a Hippopotamus Hunt, Old Kingdom, 5th Dynasty

• not royal (hairdresser), but distinguished from the lower class by size

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty

• built into rocks/cliffs → radical change from pyramids

Hatshepsut Enthroned, New Kingdom, 18th dynasty

• even though she was a woman, she’s represented as a male king

• her appearance was molded to fit convention, which shows how important tradition was to Egyptian art

Fowling Scene, New Kingdom, 18th dynasty

• shows a lower-class individual (overseer of grain), so less detailed

• very flat/2D

Colossal Figure of Akhenaten, New Kingdom, 18th dynasty

• completely alters Egyptian culture (by pushing monotheism) and therefore completely alters the state of Egyptian art

• throws out canon of proportions

• looks like a caricature of Egyptian art

Nefertiti, New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, Thutmose (sculptor)

Royal Torso (Nefertiti?), New Kingdom, 18th dynasty

Akhenaten and His Family, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty

Temple of Ramses II, New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty

• cut into rocks

• facade has 4 seated T Ramses wearing the double crown

• smaller temples to the sides for his queens

Temple of Amun, New Kingdom, 19th dynasty

• oriented west to east so that the Ka statue could move from east to west

• meant to recreate the experience of creation

• Hypostyle Hall: carved, painted columns