Ancient Egyptian Paintings

Paintings that decorated the walls of the tombs in Egypt were intended to keep alive the history. The pictures and models found in Egyptian tombs were connected with the idea of providing the soul with helpmates in the other world. These wall-paintings provide in extraordinarily vivid picture of life as it was lived in Egypt thousands of years ago. And yet, looking at the art for the first time, may find rather look strange. What mattered most was not prettiness but completeness. It was the artists' task to preserve everything as clearly and permanently as possible. So they did not set out to sketch nature as it appeared to them from any fortuitous angle. They drew from memory, according to strict rules which ensured that everything that had to go into the picture would stand out in perfect clarity.

.	Ancient Egyptian Paintings	Renaissance Paintings 16th century
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Techniques	Frontalism - strict rules The head of the character was always drawn in profile, while the body is seen from the front. Although the face is to the side, the eye is drawn in full. The legs are turned to the same side as the head, with one foot placed in front of the other. The head is at right angles to the body. Every figure in paintings, stands or sits with a formal, stiff, and rigid posture. The stance of the body is severe, but the faces are calm and serene. Slaves and animals were painted more natural and relaxed, and with a smaller scale in drawings to show their limited importance. There was little attempt at plastic or spatial illusionism - no attempt at linear perspective. Artists made colors from raw materials around them and therefore worked in a limited number of shades. Color was applied in flat tones - strict rules often applied to the use of a particular color for particular purpose. For example, men's skin was colored red while women's was yellow.	The use of perspective Realistic presentation of art Treatment of light - shades and shadows Extensive color pallete and tones Show of emotional gestures and expressions
Subjects	Religious scenes Military scenes Daily life scenes	Religious scenes Portrait Paintings
Media	a) Papyrus b) Walls of tombs and temples	a) canvas - a heavy-duty fabric b) Frescoes - the surface of wet, fresh lime mortar c) secco - dry plaster
Artists	Ordinary craftsmen No individual artists with creativity talents - imitation and strict adherence to rules required	Supreme individualism of art Masters Examples: Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and El Greco