I am comparing the Egyptian painting Judgment of Hunefer Before Osiris on page 77, to the Minoan painting of Bull Leaping on page 88. Both works of art are revealing in their own right, with insight into each culture. There are many differences between these two works of art that far outweigh their similarities.
The Judgment of Hunefer Before Osiris is painted on a papyrus scroll and meant to be placed in the wrappings of mummified bodies. They were commissioned by the family of the deceased, Hunefer, and symbolized the coming to judgment of Hunefer before the god of the dead, Osiris. The painting shows the three stages of the induction into the afterlife, which consumed Egyptian culture. The scroll tells the story of Hunefer being led by Anubis, the jackal-headed god of embalming and cemeteries to weigh his heart against the “feather of truth.” Hunefer passes the test and the crocodile lion, Ammit, does not eat him. He is then presented to Osiris by Horus, king of the earth. In the top register, Hunefer is accepted into the afterlife and kneels before the 14 gods of the underworld.
The Bull Leaping fresco is much less dramatic and seems more realistic. It simply shows a man leaping over a bull. We are not quite sure of the meaning of the painting, whether it is a religious ritual, initiation or pure entertainment. However, it shows two women on either side of the bull, one steadying the bull and the other perhaps ready to catch the man.
The differences in these works are the medium, papyrus for the Egyptian art and a fresco painting for the Minoan art. The size is smaller in the Egyptian art as well. The composite pose of the Egyptian work is a telltale sign of its origin, with the profile view but with frontal eyes and torso. By contrast, the Minoan art is totally profile, but has an Egyptian influence in the frontal eyes. Another influence of the Egyptians that are similar in both pieces of art is the shades of the men and women, the men are darker than the women. Another difference is that the Egyptian art has all of the figures on the ground whereas the Minoan piece shows the women in air, not touching the ground. The pinched waist of the Minoan art is traditionally their style, although it seems as if the Egyptian artwork show some figures with a pinched waist.
The Egyptian art is more somber looking, perhaps because of their fascination and living for the afterlife in contrast to the Bull Leaping which looks fun and playful. There are many bright colors in the fresco, the blue in the background and the overlapping boarder that seems to repeat in a certain order. Frescos are associated with Minoan culture and traditions as papyrus scrolls are associated with the Egyptian culture. I would think the biggest difference between the two works of art is the subject matter and telling of a story. The Egyptian piece is very detailed and symbolic about the stages of afterlife and judgment as opposed to the Minoan art which shows a man leaping over a bull, a symbol of strength.
Both works of art are unique and quite interesting; I can’t say that one is better than the other because they are so different. But I think the papyrus scroll is amazing in the detail and it is able to tell a story from a picture whereas the Bull Leaping is not informing us what exactly the significance might be.
What an interesting comparison! I wouldn't have thought to put these works together for a comparative analysis. I like your discussion of style and tying those elements into the overall "mood" for these pieces (somber vs. playful).
ReplyDeleteOne other thought: it's interesting to think about how both of these pieces have their own little "border." The Minoan fresco is surrounded by semi-circles which might be a depiction of a lunar calendar cycle. The Book of the Dead scene is also "bordered" (at least above the main scene) with repetitive patterns like the hieroglyphs, seated figures, or the designs in Osiris' canopy.
-Prof. Bowen
I love how you note near the end how the Egyptian piece seems somber and more symbolic and specific where the bull piece is just joyful and fun to observe. I agree with you that neither one is “better” I think they are both amazing pieces and probably both a good representations of the cultures they are identified with.
ReplyDeleteI like that you thought to compare/contrast these two pieces.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Egyptian piece’s symbolism & heiroglyphs displays a strong narrative (story) as compared to the Minoan piece. The Bull Leaping appears like a snapshot in time, rather than a full-fledged story. I also like your contrast of them; somber versus fun & playful. The veiwers can clearly see this through the use of line and shape in both pieces.
I also would not have put these two pieces of art together! But you made it work with some valid comparisons. The comparison with somber vs. playful.I can see why, the energy the the leaping bull is so much, and the Egyptian art is so put together and formal in a sense.
ReplyDeleteI agree when you say the differences between these two pieces far outweigh the similarities. I think, aside from style and convention, the strongest difference is the strict narrative of Judgment, compared to the simple scene of Bull Leaping. I think this difference is a heavy contributor to the feelings the pieces radiate, as you said somber and joy.
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned, I found the contrast of narrative story-telling (Egyptian) and whimsical scenery (Minoan) to be very stimulating. Nothing about the bull scene suggests a narrative was intended while in the Egyptian piece there is a clear effort to depict a discrete event (Hunefer's after-life). The difference in borders was another thing I noticed that separates these two. Since it appears aesthetic beauty was the main purpose of the Minoan painting, the patterning of the border is nearly as engaging as the scene in the center; in contrast, the border of the Egyptian piece is strictly implemented to provide a visual border for which the story is the entire focus of the composition. Nice selection!
ReplyDelete-Tyler