Painting in Ancient Egypt

Tomb of Nebamun, Thebes

Painting in ancient Egypt is an important field of Egyptian art that extends from Prehistoric Egypt to the prohibition by Christianity of the polytheistic religion of ancient Egypt (Roman period of Egypt) which profoundly influenced the art of this period. Throughout the history of ancient Egypt, painting remained, for aesthetic and religious reasons, closely linked to sculpture: bas-reliefs are generally painted, as are statues. However, there are many examples of wall paintings without relief, whether from the Old (the Meidum Geese for example) or from the New Kingdom (the tombs of the Theban necropolis in particular). ^[1]

History

Old Kingdom

During the predynastic period, relief and painting were inseparable; in most cases, the artist used both the brush and the chisel to create a work, although the main purpose of painting was to enhance the sculpture with colours.

Middle Kingdom

The First Intermediate Period marks the decline of Egyptian art, which only seems to be reborn during the 11th Dynasty, at the end of the second millennium, during the political reunification of the country by the Antef and the Mentuhotep. However, painting will not regain its former splendor.

Ra and the Goddess of the West - Tomb of Nefertari

New Kingdom

As in other artistic fields, the New Kingdom experienced an unparalleled renewal in painting, after the decline in standards of the Second Intermediate Period. ^{[2] [3]}

Archaeologists agree that the New Kingdom began with the reign of Ahmose I. The decorations of the Chapel of the Boat at Karnak, in the sanctuary of Amun, and that of the Temple of Millions of Years at Deir el-Bahari, including scenes of the expedition to the marvelous and mysterious Land of Punt, allowed the royal workshops to exercise their talents and achieve a pictographic richness that did not exist until then. ^[4]

References

1. "ARTISTS_AND_PAINTING_IN_ANCIENT_EGYPT" (PDF).
2. "Ancient Egyptian culture from the 11th Dynasty to the end of the 17th Dynasty". www.donsmaps.com. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
3. Mark, Joshua J. "Second Intermediate Period of Egypt". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
4. "Khan Academy". www.khanacademy.org. Retrieved 2025-05-02.