Introduction
The objects in this gallery span the period
from the beginnings of history with the
formation of the Agrarian empires of Egypt
and Mesopotamia to the fall of the Western
Roman Empire in A.D. 476. It includes the
Museum's holdings of Sumerian, Egyptian,
Etruscan, Roman and Greek materials. As
these early civilizations grew, art went
beyond being a part of and the instrument
of religion or the commemorator of those
events which were important to the community,
particularly those which related to their
rulers. Art emerged as a way to satisfy
the needs of the newly affluent and powerful
- art became a luxury.
Egypt
Egyptian history is divided into three
main periods: the Old (Pyramid Age), Middle,
and New Kingdoms which define almost 3,000
years of continuous cultural and political
development.
The aim of Egyptian art was primarily
religious with the pharaoh and the gods
as the main subjects. Old and Middle Kingdom
decoration focused mostly on scenes from
royal and daily life, public ceremonies,
games, and work that was bright and cheerful
as illustrated in the various paintings
on papyrus. The emphasis shifted to the
hereafter (funeral banquets, mummification,
and the judgment of the soul before Osiris,
best known as the god of the dead) toward
the end of the 19th Dynasty. Egyptian art
is frontal, balanced, symmetrical, and
symbolic. It reflects their belief that
humans had animal counterparts and that
the supernatural was a part of their everyday
lives.
Since the afterlife was of great importance
to the Egyptians, they devoted much time
to preparing for death. Exhibited in this
gallery is one of the Museum's most well
known objects, the c. 550 - 250 B.C. mummified
remains of an elderly Egyptian woman named
Nfr-ii-n (Anglicized Nefer-ii-ne). The
wooden coffin is decorated with magic signs
and spells to protect the soul of the departed
as it traveled through the underworld.
It is accompanied by an alabaster Canopic
Jar, which usually contained the intestines
of a deceased person. Mummified animals
associated with gods were also placed in
tombs, for example, exhibited in this gallery
is a sacred cat mummy. Cats were given
the same respect as humans and mummified.
Anyone who killed a cat was subject to
a penalty of death.
Also displayed is a boat model that was
made in the Middle Kingdom Period. This
is possibly a model of a family funerary
trip to a new world where daily activities
continued much as they had in the realm
of the living or it could represent a pilgrimage
to Abydos, the burial site of Osiris. One
of the seated persons (most likely the
largest) is the deceased. Models of everyday
scenes ensured their continuance through
the afterlife.
Shabtis are also featured in this gallery.
They are small figures placed in a tomb
for the benefit of their owner in the afterlife
and are often found in sets of 365 (one
for each day of the year). The older figures
are from the late New Kingdom. The younger
figures are stylistically more like miniature
statues rather than mummy figures.
The
originals of the Lions exhibited in this
gallery are now located in the British
Museum. Found at Gebel Barkal, they were
initiated by Amenhotep III (c. 1417-1379
B.C.) called "The Magnificent" because
of his development of temples and palaces.
In his lion form, the king becomes guardian
of the temple.
A
replica of King Tutakhamen’s Gold
Throne is also featured. The lion's feet
refer to an earlier furniture tradition.
The front grillwork (gone from the original)
represents the unification of the Upper
and Lower Kingdoms (Sma-taw). Missing from
the reproduction are the ankh signs in
the hands of Aten's (the solar disk's)
rays. A replica of the world famous Rosetta
Stone is on the wall.
Sumer
Sumer was the ancient land in south central
Iraq later known as Babylonia, an early
kingdom of Mesopotamia that was a great
cultural center. Its artists created mosaics,
paintings, reliefs, and metalworks. They
sculpted human and animal figures out of
clay and made stone pendants and amulets
and produced the oldest written language
in existence.
Exhibited in this gallery are clay tablets
made to record business transactions and
events such as deeds, contracts, loans,
and payments - just as we use paper. The
stone seals were used to identify individuals
as we sign our signature or stamp our mark.
Their writing, named cuneiform, was made
with a stylus that left wedge-shaped marks.
Greece
The Greeks are known for their rings,
cups, and kylixes, decorative sheets of
gold, gold mortuary masks, and sealstones.
Pottery, tools, weapons, and jewelry are
distinguished by their decoration, technique,
and workmanship. Key to the development
of Greek art is the Minoan - Mycenaean
(c. 1100-1000 B.C.) formative influence
on the shapes and decoration of pottery.
A
set of four extremely important red-figure “Krater” vases
used for mixing wine with water includes
two Column Kraters, a large Bell Krater
and the tallest vase called Volute Krater
with vertical handles, which terminate
in spirals extending above the lip.
On
the other side of the gallery there are
two large black-figure Hydriae (pl.
of Hydria), a black-figure Amphora, a red-figure
Stamnos and a red-figure Column Krater,
which attest to the importance of the Museum’s
collection.
The red-figure style was introduced in
Athens around the end of the 6th century
B.C. With its improved sense of realism,
it produced a more satisfactory decoration
and quickly superseded the earlier Corinthian
black-figure technique. Scenes depicting
the gods, warfare, heroic deeds, celebrations
and parties were the principal subjects
for the decorators who began to be recognized
by name.
Rome
The Romans received much from Greek architecture.
Brilliantly practical, they were the first
to use concrete as a construction material.
Their buildings were decorated with wall
paintings of remote, exotic scenes. At
first there was little interior decoration.
Later, large frescos of figures and landscapes
were painted all over the interior walls.
They also decorated with beautifully colored
marble. Note, for example the handsomely
figured marble fragments from a floor in
the ancient terraced city of Pergamun,
the site of one of the wonders of the ancient
world - the great open altar to Zeus. Painted
portraits were realistically done, as were
their remarkable sculptured heads, glass,
pottery, coins and medallions.
Etruscan
The Etruscans ruled much of Italy before
the rise of the Roman Empire. Influenced
by Greek art they produced fine sculpture
and metalwork, particularly in gold.
The most common materials they used in
building were limestone, travertine, sandstone,
and tufa. Most Etruscan art comes almost
exclusively from tombs and sanctuaries.
Indeed, it was a custom to paint the walls
of the underground tombs. This was especially
prevalent at Tarquinia, an ancient site
in central Italy.
Etruscan
art extends from about 700-575 B.C. with
a style usually described as “orientalizing,” including
for example, oriental patterns, slim bodies,
elongated legs, and rows of mythological
creatures. They had an expressiveness for
naturalism and a preference for reliefs
rather than sculpture in the round. They
also had a profound belief in life and
an acceptance of life.
Please
note, paintings, objects and artists
represented on the website may not
be on view at all times.
Ronald
C. Roth Director & CEO |
