The Art of Ancient Egypt by Gay Robins

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THIS EDITION HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A NEWER EDITION..

From the awesome grandeur of the great pyramids to the delicacy of a face etched on an amulet, the spellbinding power of the art of ancient Egypt persists to this day. This beautifully illustrated book conducts us through the splendors of this world, great and small, and into the mysteries of its fascination in its day as well as in our own. What did art, and the architecture that housed it, mean to the ancient Egyptians? Why did they invest such vast wealth and effort in its production? These are the puzzles Gay Robins explores as she examines the objects of Egyptian art--the tombs and wall paintings, the sculpture and stelae, the coffins, funerary papyri, and amulets--from its first flowering in the Early Dynastic period to its final resurgence in the time of the Ptolemies.

Spanning three thousand years, her book offers a thorough and delightfully readable introduction to the art of ancient Egypt even as it provides insight into questions that have long perplexed experts and amateurs alike. With remarkable sensitivity to the complex ways in which historical, religious, and social changes are related to changes in Egyptian art, she brings out the power and significance of the image in Egyptian belief and life. Her attention to the later period, including Ptolemaic art, shows for the first time how Egyptian art is a continuous phenomenon, changing to meet the needs of different times, right down to the eclipse of ancient Egyptian culture. In its scope, its detail, and its eloquent reproduction of over 250 objects from the British Museum and other collections in Europe, the United States, and Egypt, this volume iswithout parallel as a guide to the art of ancient Egypt.

KLIATT

Covering three millennia of Egyptian art, this beautifully illustrated volume presents a chronological survey of the monuments and art works of the ruling elite of ancient Egypt. Opening with an introductory chapter on the function and aesthetic principles of Egyptian art that includes a section on material and techniques, this highly readable volume features 150 color and 150 b/w illustrations, accompanied by substantial informative captions. Each historical chapter concludes with a succinct summary of the detailed discussion covered on the preceding pages, and each supports the author's central thesis that the art of ancient Egypt served primarily to bolster the power of the ruling class and support the clearly delineated social hierarchy. The generous use of line drawings and architectural plans supplements the beautiful photographs of temples, wall paintings, sculptures, coffins, and tomb furnishings. An extensive bibliography is included along with a detailed chronology and map. An index makes it easy to find information on such well-known figures as Cleopatra, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamun as well as such topics as funerary practices, fertility figures, and artists' workshops. This book is sure to delight anyone interested in the art and archaeology of the ancient world. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 1997, Harvard University Press, 272p, illus, map, bibliog, index, 26cm, 97-19458, $24.95. Ages 16 to adult. Reviewer: Rhonda Cooper; Dir., University Art Gallery, Stony Brook, NY, March 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 2)

Library Journal

Robins (art history, Emory Univ.) has produced the first significant general survey of ancient Egyptian art in the English language since Cyril Aldred's Egyptian Art in the Days of the Pharaohs, 3100-320 BC (Oxford Univ., 1980) and W. Stevenson Smith's The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt (Penguin, 1981). The first chapter orients the reader in the cultural, technical, and iconographic contexts needed to explore the evolution of the Egyptian artistic tradition in subsequent chapters. Beginning with the predynastic origins (5000 BCE) and concluding in the Ptolemaic Period (304-30 BCE), Robins traces the development of sculpture, painting, funerary and religious art, and architecture with over 300 illustrations, many in color. Unique to this survey is the inclusion of Ptolemaic art and the attention paid to the decoration of sarcophagi, coffins, and mummy cartonnages over three millennia. The text is authoritative and fully referenced with an excellent bibliography. This work will interest general readers as well as scholars and is recommended for all public and academic libraries.Edward K. Werner, St. Lucie Cty. Lib. Sys., Ft. Pierce, Fla.

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