Just thinking..

It would be really interesting to do a study of how current and past politics have dictated history. I could look at the good and bad areas of these political motivations. Like the pressures on the Australian government from the indigenous people and religious groups, and compare the media and education policies, and anything else i can find. Look at australia (past and present), japan, america, korea (mightn't happen).

And maybe the religious motivations that affect history in schools......

Not going to do this but just some thoughts...

Some books that are interesting

• Proportion and style in ancient Egyptian art

  By Gay Robins, Ann S. Fowler (p 119)
  

• Egypt, trunk of the tree, Volume 2

  By Simson Najovits (p148)

• The Egyptian Museum in Cairo: a walk through the alleys of ancient Egypt

  By Farid Atiya, Abeer El-Shahawy, Matḥaf al-Miṣrī, Farid S. Atiya (realism is to show the emotion and affections of the royal fam. an interesting interpretation)

• Eternal Egypt: masterworks of ancient art from the British Museum

  By Edna R. Russmann, Thomas Garnet Henry James, British Museum (realism and family ideaology)

• New York Magazine 12 Nov 1973 (p81, interesting b/c of date= early interpretation)
  

Some theories about why the art looks soooo odd

1. Eugene Lef èbvre:
(based on statue of late blog)

• French scholar of the late C19th.
• b/c of feminine physique & b/c occasionally wore a long clinging robe though that Pharaoh was a woman pretending to be a man.
• (need more info on; if wrote book, or anything about this, more specific time period i.e what art movement he was part of).
• Recent thoughts to
  

2.Elliot Grafton Smith:

• 1972 anatomist
• thought suffered physical disorder of endocrine system, "Fr ölich's Syndrome"
• caused fat to be deposited in breast areas, abdomen, pubis, thighs, bum, distortion of skull, facial peculiarities.
• sex organs not mature at puberty and become sterile
• Sufferers are mentally retarded (LOL)
• CANT HAVE THIS because know from inscriptions that had kids
• KNOW not mentally retarded
• GEN want more info
  

3. Alwyn Burridge:

• Canadian scholar
• "Marfan's Syndrome", rare genetic disorder
• SYMPTOMS: elongated skull, tall slender stature, elongated fingers and toes (+ others)
• Art works display all symptoms
• IF did suffer kid & him would have faced an early death b/c of heart weakness and possible blindness
• SEEMS REASONABLE
  
• NEED more info

4.Artistic and R.E innovation:

• Aki emphasized devotion to MAAT (in "hymm to Aten" verse says "the King who lives by Maat") and may have chosen that because of the honest nature of MAAT chose to be depicted as he looked (this was perhaps more than a revolutionary artistic move for Egypt as may have been a move to realism).
• Bek (in reliefs from Aswan and Hermopolis) says that Ak taught them how to do the art (another reason they look so weird, perhaps crap at art and so his influence was part of prob).
• IF we look at this as a move towards realism it would be interesting, b/c as the art progressed (middle period compared to early) it became less weird and the style "softened".
  
• Just to give a more contempary e.g. there is the australian art movement which reflects a theory that they were just getting the hang of it.
• Comparing the early collonialists works to those of Fred McCubbin to modern realistic depictions. This theory becomes more plausable.
• More later on this i thinks
• ALSO the colours became more natural/ realistic especially in the royal palace. (FREED)
  

• ALL Egyptian art was a depiction of all religious themes (good point???)
• 
  

Characteristics of the amarna art style.

Long thin head, elongated neck, almond eyes and fleshy lips.
Elongated skulls, swelling breasts (male and female), broad hips,
plump thighs & long spindly legs.

http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/berlin-14145.jpg (picture)

Some info for everyone :)

http://www.utexas.edu/courses/classicalarch/images1/Akhenatensculpt.jpg (picture)

Early in Akhenarten's regin the art forms were in the traditional egyptian forms, as seen in the Temple of Amun at Karnak. The tenth pylon (later reused by Horemheb) shows Akenharten in the traditional style. As does the relief from Karnak, where the pharaoh is depicted 'smiting the enemy'.

This is a good thing to mention b/c the art style is considered very revolutionary BUT is wasn't initiated as soon as Akhenarten came into power, making it not as revolutionary as it seems.

Despite this, it seems that it was introduced almost immediately after through the Tomb of the Visier at Thebes and Ramose's Tomb. This seems to be the first emergence of the style.

The monuments at the East Karnakare obviously in the style. (above pic)


(info from txt book)

Question thoughts

Different interpretations about why Amarna art changed, and the caustation behind their reasons.

:)