EGYPTIAN ART by LEAH KOBAL
EGYPTIAN ART by LEAH KOBAL
The River Nile and its fertile floodplain allowed its inhabitants to flourish into an extraordinarily sophisticated civilisation, which lasted over 3 millennia, from 3100BC to its conquest by the Roman Empire in 30BC, under Cleopatra. Ancient Egypt was an agricultural-based community but developed mathematics, sciences and the arts, quarrying, surveying and building.
Pyramids, temples and obelisks are enduring testament to these accomplishments. The legacy of this period not only includes dramatic geometrically-perfect monuments, but beautiful pottery, glassware, enamel and jewellery. The Egyptians made great advances in astronomy and medicine and created writing systems including hieroglyphics, allowing literature to flourish. Their powerful systems of Government, steeped in religion, allowed them not only to conquer adjacent lands, but to negotiate and establish the first known Peace Treaty with the neighbouring Hittites, in 1259 BC, under Rameses II.
The River Nile and its fertile floodplain allowed its inhabitants to flourish into an extraordinarily sophisticated civilisation, which lasted over 3 millennia, from 3100BC to its conquest by the Roman Empire in 30BC, under Cleopatra. Ancient Egypt was an agricultural-based community but developed mathematics, sciences and the arts, quarrying, surveying and building.
Pyramids, temples and obelisks are enduring testament to these accomplishments. The legacy of this period not only includes dramatic geometrically-perfect monuments, but beautiful pottery, glassware, enamel and jewellery. The Egyptians made great advances in astronomy and medicine and created writing systems including hieroglyphics, allowing literature to flourish.
Their powerful systems of Government, steeped in religion, allowed them not only to conquer adjacent lands, but to negotiate and establish the first known Peace Treaty with the neighbouring Hittites, in 1259 BC, under Rameses II.
SPHINX & PYRAMID at GIZA
by TOM PODMORE
CARVED TEMPLE COLUMNS
by CALIN STAN
OBELISK
by JEREMY BEZANGER
SPHINX & PYRAMID at GIZA by TOM PODMORE
CARVED TEMPLE COLUMNS by CALIN STAN
OBELISK by JEREMY BEZANGER
Ancient Egypt has captured the imagination of the world for centuries, inspiring design in all forms, technology, science and literature. Children learn of the pyramids before they know anything of Gothic cathedrals. In the arts we see influences and iconography in many movements and works.
The shapes of French Empire style, motifs of Art Deco, even some elements of the works of Gustav Klimt all show threads leading back to Ancient Egypt. Symbols were explicit and include the Ankh (vitality), the Eye of Horus (protection), the djed (stability) scarabs (beauty and culture), black cats (Bastet was the Egyptian feline god) lotus flowers (the sun, creation, rebirth), bees (givers of life, birth, death and resurrection) and owls (mourning and death), graphic representations of ideas and qualities, allowing the literate, and the more numerous illiterate, to decipher visual interpretations in equal measure.
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 by Napoleonic officer Pierre-Francois Bouchard, allowed the decoding of Ancient Egyptian texts by offering three versions of the same decree, dated 196 BC (hieroglyphics, Demonic and Ancient Greek). The stone was acquired by the British in 1801, on the defeat of the French, and brought to London where it has been on public display at the British Museum almost ever since. It is the Museum's most visited object.
Ancient Egypt has captured the imagination of the world for centuries, inspiring design in all forms, technology, science and literature. Children learn of the pyramids before they know anything of Gothic cathedrals. In the arts we see influences and iconography in many movements and works.
The shapes of French Empire style, motifs of Art Deco, even some elements of the works of Gustav Klimt all show threads leading back to Ancient Egypt. Symbols were explicit and include the Ankh (vitality), the Eye of Horus (protection), the djed (stability) scarabs (beauty and culture), black cats (Bastet was the Egyptian feline god) lotus flowers (the sun, creation, rebirth), bees (givers of life, birth, death and resurrection) and owls (mourning and death), graphic representations of ideas and qualities, allowing the literate, and the more numerous illiterate, to decipher visual interpretations in equal measure.
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 by Napoleonic officer Pierre-Francois Bouchard, allowed the decoding of Ancient Egyptian texts by offering three versions of the same decree, dated 196 BC (hieroglyphics, Demonic and Ancient Greek). The stone was acquired by the British in 1801, on the defeat of the French, and brought to London where it has been on public display at the British Museum almost ever since. It is the Museum's most visited object.
VARIOUS EGYPTIAN SILKS by FOX & CHAVE
VARIOUS EGYPTIAN SILKS by FOX & CHAVE
In 1922 the discovery of the intact tomb of King Tutankhamun (1341BC-1323BC) by Howard Carter caused huge international excitement, and allowed the modern world to view with awe the collection of over 5000 artefacts, which had remained buried and mostly undisturbed for over 3 millennia. King Tut, as he is affectionately known, was the son of the Pharaoh Akhenaten and his sister.
Incestuous marriage was accepted and common in royal circles (King Tut married his half sister) and no doubt contributed to the sickly health of the boy king, who died at 19. The treasures of the tomb were exhibited at the British Museum in 1972 (and made a great impression on this then teenager) and the King's gold and lapis death mask, now housed at the Museum of Cairo, remains one of the world's most recognised symbols of Ancient Egypt.
To mark the 100th anniversary of this fabulous discovery, the British Museum is again holding an exhibition to highlight this captivating and enlightened civilisation, the bedrock of subsequent centuries of developments in architecture, science and medicine. Unlocking Ancient Egypt, opens on 13th October. Fox & Chave is delighted to have supplied silk accessories for what will no doubt be a seminal exhibition.
Our collection of Ancient Egyptian designs include hieroglyphics, lotus flowers, scarabs and other archetypal patterns and images printed on luxurious silk scarves and ties. The Eye of Horus and the Black Cat make elegant cufflinks for the well-dressed man.
In 1922 the discovery of the intact tomb of King Tutankhamun (1341BC-1323BC) by Howard Carter caused huge international excitement, and allowed the modern world to view with awe the collection of over 5000 artefacts, which had remained buried and mostly undisturbed for over 3 millennia. King Tut, as he is affectionately known, was the son of the Pharaoh Akhenaten and his sister.
Incestuous marriage was accepted and common in royal circles (King Tut married his half sister) and no doubt contributed to the sickly health of the boy king, who died at 19. The treasures of the tomb were exhibited at the British Museum in 1972 (and made a great impression on this then teenager) and the King's gold and lapis death mask, now housed at the Museum of Cairo, remains one of the world's most recognised symbols of Ancient Egypt.
To mark the 100th anniversary of this fabulous discovery, the British Museum is again holding an exhibition to highlight this captivating and enlightened civilisation, the bedrock of subsequent centuries of developments in architecture, science and medicine. Unlocking Ancient Egypt, opens on 13th October. Fox & Chave is delighted to have supplied silk accessories for what will no doubt be a seminal exhibition.
Our collection of Ancient Egyptian designs include hieroglyphics, lotus flowers, scarabs and other archetypal patterns and images printed on luxurious silk scarves and ties. The Eye of Horus and the Black Cat make elegant cufflinks for the well-dressed man.
