Source |
A little
bit of history
Date: about
1340 B.C.
Nefertiti was an Egyptian Queen whose husband, the Faraoh Akhenaten, broke with
all religious and artistic traditions of the time. The Egyptians had many
deities, but Akhenaten started worshiping one god above all the others. This
god, called Aten, was represented in the shape of a sun. However, Egypt went
back to being polytheistic and adopting the so called Egyptian style when his
successor was still alive.
A little
bit of technique
The queen wears a colorful necklace and a crown with a ribbon. A
serpent, the prerogative of royalty, used to adorn the crown. We can still see
two of the serpent’s coils, but the head is gone. ( Source: Catalogue of the Egyptian Museum in Berlin (1982) p. 97)
A little
bit of enthusiasm
It’s
amazing how an ancient bust (3300 years old!) can convey so much beauty.
Not only beauty but also power and elegance.
When we
look at portraits from older times we sometimes get a little shocked because
the clothes are so different and unusual. But not here. Her crown only
contributes to elevate her, to show that she belonged to royalty.
Do you like Egyptian art? Does the bust still embody our ideal of beauty?