Egyptian & Greek Art

Presented above are two different styles of art, Egyptian and Greek. Both art styles focus on their own individual themes and qualities. On the top, we have the Egyptian figurine of the Goddess Wadjet (664-525 B.C). The first thing that allowed me to identify this as Egyptian was the lack of detail in the anatomy of the figure. Unlike Greek art where the anatomy is often artistically expressed in heavy detail, Egyptian art tends to keep the focus on symbolism. Based on the symbolism in this figure, it is my belief that Wadjet was somehow affiliated with royalty. She is presented with the head of a lion and a cobra on top of it (representing power, strength, and authority). Wadjet is also depicted with her left foot forward, which was associated with royalty.

Pictured below Wajet is the Greek Fallen Warrior from the Temple of Aphaia at Aegina  (510-470 B.C). Movement is a common theme in Greek art, This is expressed in the sculpture where the Fallen Warrior appears to be dragging himself on the floor after being defeated in battle. In addition to movement, nudity is also a common theme. Nude subjects allowed the artists to work out the fine details of the human body onto their works of art, which symbolized a number of things. In the Fallen Warriors’ case, I believe the nudity in this photo represents the vulnerability of the warrior.