I disagree with Gay Robins and her perception that Amarna art isn't very revolutionary in her book 'Proportion and Style in Ancient Egypt'. Yes there hasn't been MUCH that has changed about the construction and method the art was made in, but the artists at this time WERE experimenting! They developed a new style of carved reliefs, they made the King seem human and not the military driven man that other Pharaoh's were portrayed as. In the tomb of Amarna he and his family are shown GRIEVING in a position of weakness, which wasn't 'done' in previous reigns, as Pharaohs were warriors and so their weakness wasn't to be evident to their people or their enemies. Also, dead bodies were never shown in a tomb, thus changing the traditional conventions of Egyptian art.
Like Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the artists of Amarna seem to have changed the traditional stances of their subjects. They are no longer confined to the rigid and limited stances and sittings, as seen in MANY of the wall reliefs in which the royal family play with their children, or SMOOTH CURVES convey the family leaning over in (as much as it is improper to label them) realistic.
The artists also experimented more than they had, refining the wall carving reliefs found in much of Amarna art. They also added toes and fingers and changed the skin colours of male and females; an innovation, if small, but an innovation none the less.
Also, in regards to the grid systems, they weren't used in the private tombs AND they were changed. besides this, the fact that the art changes from rigid stances to smooth movements is an innovation in itself.
Besides, Akhenaten had a short reign in which the royal artists were trained in a specific tradition, which encompassed grid systems. Surely it would be stupid to suddenly prohibit the artists from using it, changing artistic styles takes TIME something Akhenaten didn't have alot of. If one were to look at the Bek's limestone 'drawing' of Akhenaten you see how much he struggled in comprehending the new style. If one were to look a year sevens drawings in comparison to a year twelves you see the gradual understanding of drawing what you see: which I will say is mighty hard, one has to overcome their own conceptions of space and proportions, and then continually draw what you see. It is all too easy to draw without looking at the image or person and draw a 'characteristic' sketch, as opposed to a realistic one.
Though, i do agree the hype of Amarna is large, possibly even too much. But it IS the most distinct period of all of Egyptian history un-effected (relatively) by foreign influences or ruling. The rave of Tutankhamun though does supersede that of Amarna. I'm sure by now i've contradicted myself, but look at the title.
I was going to add something, but i forgot, oh well :)
Now you are getting interesting Emma-Kate. When you start to disagree like this you really have got to know something well. I'm finding many of your ideas convincing.
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