OLD KINGDOM — 2700-2150 B.C.

Pyramids of Gizeh — Menkaure (smallest, Mycerinus in Greek), Khafre (center, Chephren in Greek), Khufu (Cheops in Greek) 

The most famous monuments of the Old Kingdom are the three great Pyramids of Gizeh, which were built for three pharaohs over a period of 75 years. They were one of the seven wonders of the world.

Obviously, these were conceptually derived from the mastaba, but the design did change significantly.  The pyramidal shape took on an added layer of meaning.  In Egypt, the pharaohs were believed to be gods.   They saw themselves as the sons of Re, the sun god.  The ben-ben was a pyramidal stone that was believed to hold magical power associated with Re — a fetish associated with the god.  Thus, it made sense for the Pharaohs — as incarnations of Re — to have their spirits contained within the pyramid.

As noted previously, the Egyptians always buried their dead on the west side of the Nile — where the sun set. 

Pyramids of Gizeh — Detail of surface

 

The pyramids were mostly constructed from solid limestone masonry.  These large blocks were quarried from the eastern cliffs of the Nile, floated across the river during the seasonal floods, and dragged by laborers up temporary planks.  One school of thought suggests that these provided work when it was impossible to farm.  It is not clear whether the ramps were vertical or zig-zag.

Originally, these large stone were covered with a layer of white limestone — smooth & white.  We can see the remnants of this sheathing on top of the center pyramid of Khafre.  As with the Pyramid of Zoser, each of the four points was oriented towards the four cardinal directions — north, south, east, and west. 

These were massive structures that looked like large mountains in a flat terrain.  As a result, they also attracted easy attention — especially the attention of grave robbers.  Indeed, many royal tombs were plundered almost as soon as they were completed.

Pyramids of Gizeh — Sectional Drawing 

The pyramids define space, but do not really enclose space.  For a virtual tour of the interior:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/

Pyramids of Gizeh — Plan of the site

As with the Pyramid of King Zoser, these pyramids were also part of a complex, which included an adjoining chapel for ceremonies, a covered causeway leading to the valley, a valley temple and the Sphinx. 

Sphinx, Gizeh

The Sphinx was the guardian of the pyramid of Khafre.  It was a lion with a human head, and the head may be a portrait of Khafre.  It was also a statue that could be inhabited by the ka of the .Pharaoh

Valley Temple of the Pyramid of Khafre, Gizeh, ca. 2575-2525 B.C.

At the very end of the causeway was the Valley Temple.  Note the use of post and lintel architecture. Likewise, note that this temple was designed with niches that housed sculpture.  As we shall soon see, the royal sculpture of Old Kingdom Egypt may look like true sculpture in the round, but it was placed within defined niches and only seen from a frontal point of view.  

 Khafre (Chefren,) ca. 2550



 

This is a minor point, but your textbook says that the statue of the Pharaoh Khafre is made of diorite.  Very recently, however, this has been disputed.  Rather the stone is anorthosite gneiss — a hard stone from the dessert.  Why is this important?  In a museum setting under artificial lights, this stone was relatively nondescript — attractive, but nothing special.  Recently, however, geologists visiting the quarry noticed that this stone appears iridescent deep blue in the natural sunlight — it appears that the stone was a appreciated for this special quality. 

Some chiseling was done at the beginning, which is evident in the planar surfaces, and then the surface was abraded and polished with quartz or emery.  Stone was a material reserved for royalty or nobility.  The method of producing this kind of sculpture is subtractive (in contrast to working with clay — which is additive).

Although this is a finished work of art, we can see the original block of stone.  The face is perfect with no expression and no lines of experience of the face.  It is an ideal of a human face.  It is not a true portrait — it's almost a symbolic image of the Pharaoh.  He sits on a throne.  The side of the throne is adorned with intertwined lotus and papyrus — which is symbolic of a unified Egypt . Here, we see also Horus protecting the Pharaoh.  Recall that the living Pharaoh was an embodiment of the god Horus.  Also note that the Pharaoh  is wearing the kilt of the Old Kingdom , a linen headdress (nemes), and a uraeus cobra of kingship.  The beard is a ceremonial, fake beard.  This seated composition was very typical of Old Kingdom statuary.

As the architecture of the Egyptians had a specific funerary purpose, so did the sculpture.   Funerary sculpture was not decorative — none of it was meant to be seen by the living.  All of it was functional in that it was meant to be inhabited by the ka.  Note that the ka could simultaneously inhabit different statues within the funerary complex.  For example, the ka of Khafre could inhabit the Sphinx and this seated statue at the same time.

Note that although this sculpture is carved in the round, it was not meant to be seen in the round.  These sculptures were designed for niches.

King Menkaure & His Queen, (Mycerinus and His Queen), ca. 2500 B.C. 

King Menkaure & His Queen  was found in the Valley Temple of the Pyramid of Menkaure at Gizeh.  It was discovered on January 18, 1910 by George Rieser and recorded in his diary:

. . . In the evening, just before work stopped a small boy from the gang at the thieves’ hole in strip I appeared suddenly at my side and said “come.”  In the lower part of the hole the female head of a statue (3/4 life size) of bluish slate had just come into view in the sand.  It was too late to clear it.  But immediately afterwards a block of dirt fell away and showed a male head on the right,-- a pair statue of king and queen.  A photograph was taken in failing light and an armed guard of 20 men put on for the night.

Rieser did not find the statue in its original location.  It had probably been moved by tomb robbers.

This sculpture is an example of a standing royal couple.  It is not an example of free-standing sculpture — the figures are still attached to the stone, so it is actually a high relief sculpture.  The King wears a royal head cloth, a false beard, and a plain kilt.   His left leg is forward.  His hands are clenched around two cylinders — which are still enigmatic, but may be foreshortened scepters or symbols of power.  The Queen embraces her husband and also has left leg slightly advanced.  She is wearing a long wig and a shear sheath.  This sculpture was originally painted; we see traces of red around the king’s face, neck, and ears and black on the queen’s hair.    

Seated Scribe, from a mastaba tomb at Saqqara , ca. 2500-2400 B.C.

 

In contrast to the sculpture of royalty, the tomb sculptures of their attendants were much more naturalistic. Still, these were not intended for public display, but were required as part of the cult ceremony for the deceased.  The ancient Egyptians called them “living images,” that is, “done from life.”  Here an example of a non-royal scribe who is seated cross-legged with a scroll on his lap.  Apparently he originally held a writing utensil.

The Seated Scribe was executed in limestone.  Notice the naturalistic paunches of flesh around the waist, his sagging chest, and the surviving paint.  Compare this piece with a Pharaoh portrait and notice how much more individualistic this representation is.  We see some experience lines in the face, some personality, and some caliper lines from the nose to the mouth.

From: Linnea H. Wren, Perspectives on Western Art (New York: Harper & Row, 1987), 23-25.

The Autobiography of Weni

The Career of a Court Official

The Count, Governor of Upper Egypt, Chamberlain, Warden of Nekhen, Mayor of Nekheb, Sole Companion, honored by Osiris [the ruler of the dead].   Foremost-of-the­-Westerners, Weni says: I was a fillet-wearing youth under the majesty of King Teti, my office being that of custodian of the storehouse, when I became inspector of tenants of the palace [. . .]. When I had become overseer of the robing-room under the majesty of King Pepi, his majesty gave me the rank of companion and inspector of priests of his pyramid­-town.

            While my office was that of [. . .] his majesty made me senior warden of Nekhen, his heart being filled with me beyond any other servant of his. I heard cases alone with the chief judge and vizier, concerning all kinds of secrets. I acted in the name of the king for the royal harem and for the six great houses, because his majesty’s heart was filled with me beyond any official of his, any noble of his, any servant of his. . .

            When there was a secret charge in the royal harem against Queen Weret-yamtes, his majesty made me go in to hear it alone. No chief judge and vizier, no official was there, only I alone; because I was worthy, because I was rooted in his majesty’s heart; because his majesty had filled his heart with me. Only I put it in writing together with one other senior warden of Nekhen, while my rank was only that of overseer of royal tenants. Never before had one like me heard a secret of the king’s harem; but his majesty made me hear it, because I was worthy in his majesty’s heart beyond any official of his, beyond any noble of his, beyond any servant of his.

            When his majesty took action against the Asiatic Sand-dwellers, his majesty made an army of many tens of thousands from all of Upper Egypt : . . . His majesty sent me at the head of this army, there being counts, royal seal-bearers, sole companions of the palace, chieftains and mayors of towns of Upper and Lower Egypt, companions, scout-leaders, chief priests of Upper and Lower Egypt, and chief district officials at the head of the troops of Upper and Lower Egypt, from the villages and towns that they governed and from the Nubians of those foreign lands. I was the one who com­manded them—while my rank was that of overseer of royal tenants— because of my rectitude, so that no one attacked his fellow, so that no one seized a loaf or sandals from a traveler, so that no one took a cloth from any town, so that no one took a goat from anyone. . .

            When I was chamberlain of the palace and sandal-bearer, King Mer­nere, my lord who lives forever, made me Count and Governor of Upper Egypt, from Yebu in the south to Medenyt in the north, because I was worthy in his majesty’s heart, because I was rooted in his majesty’s heart, because his majesty’s heart was filled with me. When I was chamberlain and sandal-bearer, his majesty praised me for the watch and guard duty which I did at court, more than any official of his, more than any noble of his, more than any servant of his. Never before had this office been held by any servant. . .

            I was one beloved on his father, praised by his mother, gracious to his brothers.  The count, true governor of Egypt, honored by Osiris, Weni.

Ka-Aper, 2500-2400 B.C., from a mastaba tomb at Saqqara , ca. 2500-2400 B.C. 

 

Ka-Aper was a minor official and this is another example of non-royal tomb sculpture.  In death, Ka-Aper remains a servant ready to serve his master.  In this case, he was carved from wood.  He was originally covered with plaster and painted.  Again, we see a much more naturalistic presentation than we see with the royal portraits.  

Lord Ti and the Hippo Hunt, ca. 2400 B.C. 

 

In addition to freestanding statuary, the deceased were also represented in tomb relief sculpture and in mural painting.  Here we are looking a relief sculpture from the mastaba of Ti, who was an official.  This example is located in Saqqara.  It was carved into limestone and then painted. 

The subject is typical of a funerary chamber represents the supplying food and provisions for the ka.  Within funerary chambers, one will often see scenes associated with agriculture and hunting.

In this example, we have a dense growth of papyrus.  Ti and his men in boats are moving through the marshes.  They are hunting hippos and other aquatic animals in the water.  Above are birds and some stalking mammals.  Ti is largest, indicating his importance.   His size also implies that man was dominant in nature, but his integration into the composition indicates that he was not apart from nature.  This two-dimensional sculpture does not attempt any three-dimensional illusions.  It is very flattened with minimal overlap.