The Nile Valley of Egypt is a cradle of civilization more than 5000 years old. And as with other river valley peoples, the salubrious climes and seasons of plenty led to a flourishing of the arts and culture.
The Art of Ancient Egypt found expression in painting and sculptures which were characterized by strict adherence to realism, detail and presentation. Artistic license to achieve visual and compositional ideals was frowned upon. It reflected the highly religious nature of Ancient Egyptian civilization, and many of the great works depicted gods, goddesses, and Pharaohs.
The idea of order was developed with clear and simple lines combined with simple shapes and flat areas of color. Correct proportions were specified, in which political and religious, as well as artistic order, was maintained. Social hierarchy was clearly defined, with figures were drawn to sizes based not on their distance from the painter's point of view but on relative importance. For instance, the Pharaoh would be drawn as the largest figure in a painting no matter where he was situated, and a greater God would be drawn larger than a lesser god.
Symbolism also played an important role in establishing a sense of order. Symbols, ranging from the Pharaoh's accoutrements of power, to the individual symbols of Egyptian gods and goddesses, were extensively used. Animals were usually also highly symbolic figures. The ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic script consisting of a variety of pictures and symbols also constituted a remarkable part of the works.
Color had special significance. Blue and green represented the Nile and life; yellow stood for the sun god; and red represented power and vitality. These original colors have endured the passage of time because of Egypt's dry climate.
The extended time-span and prolific output of this influence has resulted in its division into several distinct periods, starting with the Predynastic, through the Old Kingdom (2680 BC–2258 BC), the Middle Kingdom (2134 BC–1786 BC), the New Kingdom (1570 BC–1085 BC), the Amarna Period (1350 BC–1320 BC), and the Late Period.
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