The Picture Book of Ancient Egypt: Evening Option

In this course we will explore the rich narrative of Egyptian representations, both in two and three dimensions. We will consider different genre, when and where they appear and what we can learn from them. Woven into this will be a review of literature, both religious and secular, which will aid our understanding of the images and objects. The techniques used to produce the representations will be examined, alongside changes in style and design from the Predynastic to the Greco-Roman period. The functionality of the images and objects will be at the heart of the discourse, as the ancient Egyptians did not value the aesthetic in its own right, and much of what we consider ‘art’ was created for the cult of the king, the worship of the gods, or for the benefit of the deceased. However, we will examine what these images and objects can tell us about life and death in ancient Egypt. We will study a variety of mediums, which form the rich tapestry of Egyptian representations.

Part 1

Week 1 – Tuesday 30th September 7pm

The Still Life: Offerings for Eternity

Week 2 – Tuesday 7th October 7pm

The Landscape: The Black and Red Land

Week 3 – Tuesday 14th October 7pm

The Love Story: Human Connection

Week 4 –Tuesday 21st October 7pm

In your face: Frontality

Week 5 - Tuesday 28th October 7pm

The Gods and Goddesses: The Divine Realm

Articles and links will be sent out after each lecture as appropriate.