Egyptian Art of the Amarna Period of Akhnaten
35 points
Overview
In Week 4 of our History of Western Art course, we have focused on Egyptian art and architecture under the pharaohs. By the Old Kingdom period, artists and architects established standards, idealized types, and canons of representation that would dominate Egyptian artistic production for 2000 years.
However, we also learned that during the brief reign of the New Kingdom (c.1550-1070 BCE.) Pharaoh Akhenaten c.1349-1336 BCE.), enormous changes occurred, not only in the Egyptian religion but in artistic production. In particular, the standard for representing idealized images with carefully proportioned bodies, taking part in traditional scenes of ritual or warfare took a revolutionary turn.
Based on the information and insights you gleaned from the eLearning videos, chapter readings, and other assigned research from this week’s learning module, you will discuss one work of Amarna Period art.
You will complete the assignment by researching, investigating, and commenting on the properties and characteristics of the type, in a specific work of art of your choice from the collections of the Brooklyn Museum.
Based on the information and insights you gleaned from the eLearning videos, chapter readings, and other assigned research from this week’s learning module, you will discuss one work of the Amarna Period in Egyptian art using VoiceThread, an interactive, visual online discussion tool is a virtual classroom where we will share what we have discovered and learned about Egyptian art, and especially, the Amarna Period.
You will complete the assignment by researching, investigating, and commenting on the properties and characteristics of the Egyptian Amarna style, in a specific work of art of your choice from the Egyptian collections of the Brooklyn Museum.
Assignment Guidelines
Part 1
Go to the website for the Brooklyn Museum (Links to an external site.). Do a search using the keyword “Amarna.” The Brooklyn Museum contains one of the largest and most outstanding collections of Egyptian art in general, including a fine collection of some 400 pieces of Amarna period art. Most of the later works are small and fragmentary but indicate clearly the characteristics of Amarna art.
Look through the Amarna Period work thumbnails, and choose ONE work to further investigate by clicking on the thumbnail to view the full description. Be sure you are looking only at the Amarna collection.
You will need to download your chosen image to your desktop. The Download button is below the image. The Brooklyn Museum allows downloads through Creative Commons with attribution/credit.
(You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of three-dimensional works in accordance with a Creative Commons license (Links to an external site.). Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum.)
Part 2
Scroll down this page to our Class Group VoiceThread Link. Click on the supplied VT link and it will take you to our Group Class VoiceThread. Our shared Class Group Voicethread will show the title, Egyptian Art of the Amarna Period, semester, and our class section number. Click on our Class Voicethread and listen to my instructions, which include an example of what your initial post/commentary should be like.
You will then upload the Brooklyn Museum jpg file of your chosen work to our Class Group VoiceThread.
YOU MAY NOT USE THE SAME IMAGE AS A FELLOW STUDENT. Be sure to check our class VoiceThread first to ensure you are not duplicating any images! You can upload your image before you complete your VoiceThread commentary about it.
Once you have uploaded your image, it becomes a separate slide in our Group VoiceThread.
You then need to create either a text, audio, or video one-paragraph (about 6-8 sentences) commentary about your uploaded work that your fellow students can view/listen to.
Next, in 6-8 sentences, comment about ONE of the other works uploaded by a fellow student. Add a new perspective on why the work looks like the Amarna period in terms of subject or style.
So, your assignment is to write a minimum of two commentaries. One about your Amarna Period work of art, and a one-paragraph response to another student’s choice of an Amarna Period work of art. Your commentaries must add value to our discussion. Do not simply say, “I agree with you.”
Check out the assignment rubric.
Step-by-Step instructions to add a slide and comment in VT:
Anyone with commenting access can add a slide to the instructor’s VoiceThread with these steps on both a web browser and the VT mobile app:
Open the VoiceThread.
Click on the postcard icon at the bottom of the VoiceThread to see all slides.
Click on the “+” button.
Opt to upload a file, record an audio slide, or record a video slide.
Finish recording or uploading that slide.
A window will pop up with a preview of what was just created. Give the slide a title, and save.
All work will be saved automatically. Contributors can edit their own slides by hovering their mouse over the slide they created. The pencil icon is for editing, and the trash can icon is for deleting.
What is a commentary? A commentary refers to the writer’s evaluation or comment about something. Synonyms for the word “commentary” include insight, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, explication, and reflection.
Respond to the following six prompts as you prepare to record/word process your one-paragraph commentary on VoiceThread.
What is the full title of the work? Give the date.
What material is it made from? (i.e., stone, wood, ivory, etc.) What medium/technique was used? (relief sculpture, painting, inlay, etc.)
Who or what is represented?
How did the work function?
Why is the work a good example of Egyptian Amarna period art?
How is the work similar or different in look and/or function from traditional Egyptian art from the Old or New Kingdoms?
