Egyptian Art
Art 194, Classics 194
Professor Mireille M. Lee
This course explores the development of Egyptian art and culture from the Predynastic period through the era of Roman rule. Emphasis will be placed on the use of monumental building projects (pyramids, temples) and visual images (sculpture, painting) in constructing the ideology of pharaonic rulership. Other topics include: the geography and climate of the Nile Valley and surrounding areas; the emergence of social stratification and statehood; the economy and administration of the Egyptian state; relationships between Egypt and neighboring cultures; Egyptian daily life; roles of slaves and the working classes; roles of women; relationships between humans and the divine; and Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife. Finally, we will consider how others? esteem for the Egyptians, in antiquity and the modern era, has affected our understanding of this fascinating culture.