How did the reign of Akhenaten change the look of art in Ancient Egypt?
The reign of Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep IV, brought about a significant change in the look of art in Ancient Egypt. To understand this change, it is important to know a few things about Akhenaten and the religious, cultural, and political changes he implemented during his reign.
1. Background: Akhenaten ruled Egypt during the 18th Dynasty (around 1353-1336 BCE). He introduced a religious revolution by shifting Egypt's polytheistic worship towards the worship of a single sun god, Aten. This belief in Aten as the supreme deity is known as Atenism or the Amarna period.
2. Artistic Style: Akhenaten's religious revolution influenced the artistic style of the period. Egyptian art had traditionally followed strict conventions, portraying figures with idealized and stylized forms. However, during Akhenaten's reign, there was a dramatic departure from the established conventions.
3. Naturalistic Representations: The art of the Amarna period emphasized a more naturalistic style. Figures, including Akhenaten himself, his wife Nefertiti, and their children, were depicted with more lifelike and realistic proportions. The curvilinear nature of the human body, with rounded bellies, elongated heads, and exaggerated facial features, became prominent in this period.
4. Sun Worship: Akhenaten's religious beliefs heavily influenced the art. The Aten, the sun disk, was often depicted in artwork, surrounded by rays terminating in hands that extended life-giving energy to the king and the royal family. These rays were represented as curving lines ending with hands holding Ankhs (symbols of life), providing a visual connection between the sun god and the royal family.
5. Lack of Idealization: Unlike previous pharaohs, whose art portrayed them as powerful and godlike, Akhenaten was shown in art as a vulnerable and androgynous figure. He was represented with elongated facial features, including a long nose, thin lips, and a prominent chin. It is believed that this departure from traditional portrayals partially reflected Akhenaten's desire to emphasize his own unique connection to the Aten.
The reign of Akhenaten brought about a distinct revolution in Egyptian art, with a departure from the traditional stylized representation of figures and the introduction of a more naturalistic style. The focus on sun worship and the depiction of Akhenaten and his family in a less idealized manner distinguished this period from the preceding and subsequent eras in Ancient Egyptian art.