A History of Art in Ancient Egypt, Vol. 2 (of 2) — Reading Companion

Contrasting Periods: Decadence and Revival

Perrot and Chipiez explicitly frame Egyptian art history in terms of decline and renewal. They describe the period after the Ramessids as one of "continuous decadence," accelerated by foreign invasions. Yet they identify a revival under Psemethek, marked by a "renascence" in art. This pattern is illustrated through the Ethiopian occupation: the authors cite Sabaco's repairs at Karnak, where the reliefs are criticized for "exaggerated" muscular development and "coarse vigour" replacing "graceful strength." In contrast, the Saite period is characterized by "grace and refinement." The authors do not simply assert these judgments; they ground them in specific works, such as the Ameneritis statue, which they describe as "imbued with the spirit of Saite art." This comparative approach allows readers to see how the authors evaluate artistic merit through formal qualities like proportion, expression, and technique.

Portraiture and Convention in the Ameneritis Statue

The statue of Queen Ameneritis serves as a focal point for the authors' discussion of portraiture. They note that her head is covered with a "full-bottomed wig" and that she holds a whip and a purse, details that situate her within iconographic conventions. However, the authors emphasize the individuality of her face: "the squareness of the lower jaw and the firm line of the mouth being especially significant." They argue that this is likely a "good portrait" because the expression matches what one would expect of a "high-born Egyptian female possessed of sovereign power." Yet they also point out a tension: the bust is "younger than the head," suggesting a conventional treatment of the body. This observation reveals the authors' method of distinguishing between idealized forms and realistic depiction, a recurring theme in their analysis of Egyptian sculpture.

The Role of Foreign Influence and Artistic Judgment

Throughout the excerpts, Perrot and Chipiez assess the impact of foreign rule on Egyptian art. They describe Ethiopian civilization as "no more than a plagiarism" from Egypt, yet they acknowledge that Ethiopian kings "gave full employment to such artists as Egypt had preserved." The resulting works are "very unequal in merit," as seen in the Karnak reliefs. The authors also note that the statue of Ameneritis, though produced during the Ethiopian occupation, reflects Saite sensibilities. This suggests a nuanced view: artistic quality is not determined solely by political autonomy. The authors' judgments are explicit—they describe certain works as "by no means satisfactory"—but they avoid sweeping condemnation. Instead, they use specific examples to illustrate how foreign patronage could both degrade and sustain artistic traditions, offering a measured perspective on cultural exchange.

Readers attentive to Perrot and Chipiez's method will notice how they use descriptive detail to support broader claims about artistic periods. The excerpts offer a window into their analytical framework, which balances formal analysis with historical context. By focusing on specific artifacts and their qualities, the authors invite readers to consider how style and technique reflect broader cultural shifts, without losing sight of the individual work.

That rainy afternoon, I kept returning to the History of Art’s quiet insistence that refinement often masks loss—the Saite sculptors’ polish felt like a longing for something older. Later, as my eyes drifted, that same shadow of yearning turned up in another volume, where painters wrestled with similar illusions of truth. Odd, how one book gently hands you the next. Art Principles with Special Reference to Painting Together with Notes on the Illusions Produced by the Painter — Background and Themes lingered in my lap as the rain softened.