Reference no: EM133787830
Assignment:
The discussion post was: Consider ancient Egyptian beliefs about death and the afterlife and discuss how those beliefs impacted the style, subject, use, and location of their work. Give examples of how you see this belief playing out in their art.
My response was:
In ancient Egypt, beliefs were deeply connected to death and the afterlife, and art was seen as a an achievement of success in the afterlife. They used ornate tombs (The Great Pyramid of Giza, which houses the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu), funerary artifacts, representations of gods, and scenarios from the afterlife.
The purpose of the Book of the Dead was to help the dead find their way into the afterlife, and it often included illustrations depicting the afterlife and death judgment.
Egyptian art is filled with representations of gods and goddesses connected to the afterlife, including the mummification god Anubis and the dead god Osiris. These individuals were thought to direct the voyage to the afterlife and ensure that ceremonies, offerings, and the afterlife were carried out for the deceased.
How to respond to the following:
For the ancient Egyptians, both death and the afterlife were portals to a parallel universe. Their work was significantly impacted by this concept. Many of the artworks depicted the afterlife as a normal person, surrounded by presents, going about their daily lives. It was believed that this would guarantee that the deceased will carry on with these practices in the hereafter. Egyptian art tended to use perfect shapes and figures that looked like they would never change in order to emphasize the idea of endless life. When tomb paintings, sarcophagi, and figurines were used, they were meant to protect and help the dead on their trip.
People thought that these pieces could lead from the spiritual world to the real world, so they put them in pyramids, tombs, and churches. Egyptians were very concerned with planning for the future and making sure they would live forever. This is clear from how well things like the paintings in the tomb of Seti I were placed and what they meant.