Art History ~ Works of the Masters
Art is a defining aspect of culture. From the hieroglyphics of Ancient Egypt to the sculpture of the Renaissance to the paintings of the Romantic era, we can understand the people throughout history by the art that they produced. There are thousands of amazing artists that we could study from the last thousand years, but we will focus on only a few that may give you greater understanding of the work that they produced and the times they lived in.
Cave Drawings
These paintings in the Lascaux cave in France are some of the earliest examples of art in the world, dating back to 19,000 BC.
There are many cave drawings all around the world. These paintings discovered in France are called the Lascaux caves and are some of the best examples in the world. Visit their official website HERE to learn more about them. Be sure to take the "guided tour" that will virtually show you all of the caves and let you explore them in more detail.
Prehistoric art can also be found in Utah. Some of the best examples in North America can be found in Nine Mile Canyon near Moab. If you'd like to see local examples of cave art, visit the Utah Outdoor Activities website.
Petroglyphs & Pictograms
Ancient drawings that are carved into rock are called Petroglyphs, such as the photos shown of Nine Mile Canyon.
Drawings that are painted on to the surface are called Pictograms or Pictographs, such as the ones from Lascaux.
Try your hand at drawing like artists from ancient times.
Lascaux Caves, France
Nine Mile Canyon, near Price, Utah
Egypt in Art
The Egyptians created their distinctive art style around 5,000 years ago. It was so deeply embedded in their culture and connected to their beliefs about the afterlife that they kept the same style of art for nearly 3,000 years.These paintings in the Lascaux cave in France are some of the earliest examples of art in the world, dating back to 19,000 BC.
Much of Egyptian art was made to provide instructions to the gods in looking after the dead. The pyramids were tombs made for great pharaohs. As they believed that the next life was a continuation from this one, the paintings often showed how the person would work or play and the kind of lifestyle they lived. The art they created helps us to learn about the people who lived long ago.
The Art and Writings of Ancient Egypt
The Tomb of Sennedjem
Sennedjem was a master craftsman and servant who lived around 1300 BCE. The paintings on his tomb were designed to create a spell to ensure that he and his wife Iy-neferti would always have enough to eat in the afterlife. What does this painting tell us about the way they lived when they lived in Egypt?
Pharaohs and Queens
Queen Nefertari, a wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II was memorialized on this panel. She is playing a game called Senet that was very popular in her time. Also notice the writing on the panel, which describes more about the events of the painting. Egyptian picture writing is called “Heiroglyphics.”
Egyptian Sculpture
Look at the photos below of some artifacts that were found in ancient tombs. What do you think these items represented or were used for?
Hieroglyphics and Cartouches
The Egyptians used a form of picture writing that we call hieroglyphics. Each picture represented a word or sound, much like our alphabet does today. (see chart below) We can learn about the people of ancient Egypt by the writings they left behind.
Kings and queens often used an enclosed set of symbols or letters as a type of signature. The symbols were often the pharaoh's name. The enclosed oval shape represented a rope encircling everything lit by the sun, or in other words, the king's power over the world. The Egyptians called this "shen" which means 'to encircle.' The French named it "cartouche" which means 'bullet case' because that's what the shape reminded them of. These symbols are most often called cartouches today.
The cartouche symbols have been found on documents and on tombs to identify which ruler was in charge or who was buried there. These symbols were very important to the pharaohs of the time. The image on the lower left is Rameses III, and the one on the right is Cleopatra.
Make Your Own Cartouche
Using the chart below, you can make a cartouche that represents your own name. Generally, the knot for the rope appears at the bottom and the hieroglyphics are written from top to bottom. Sometimes, as in the images above, a long name would be written sideways. See which one you like best. You can draw your own oval shape or use the PDF printout if you choose.
More Resources to Explore
For more activities and information on Ancient Egypt, including their mummies, pyramids, daily life, rulers, and gods & goddesses, please visit KidsAncientEgypt.com
for fun and in-depth explanations.