The Amarna period represents a time period during the Eighteenth Dynasty when Akenaten (previously known as Amenhotep IV) ruled all of Egypt. Historians believe that Amenhotep IV may have been one of the first to practice monotheism, the belief of one god. Shortly after claiming the throne, he declared the god Aten, represented by the sun, was the only true god. To pay homage to his chosen god, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akenaten. Throughout his rule, Akenaten changed many aspects of Egyptian culture, especially the style and usage of art. Prior to his ruling, Egyptian artwork was depicted in a precise manner. Artists illustrated royalty with strong masculine features, and the representations of the royalty vaguely resembled their true appearance. The traditional artwork depicted individuals in specific formal stances and included symbols and colors in relation to the precise standards of the customary works.
Not only did Akenaten’s original monotheistic approach leave the people of Egypt unsettled, but so did his outlandish mark upon the artwork of their land. Akentaten wished to blatantly reflect the immense change in leadership and to place his unique mark upon Egypt. One of the greatest changes to traditional Egyptian art within the Amarna period was the depiction of the human figure within the artwork. Artists showed subjects with elongated facial structures accompanied by folds within the skin and lowered eyelids. The figure was also illustrated with a more elongated body than the previous representation. In the new human form, the subject had more fat in the stomach, thigh, and breast region, while the torso, arm, and legs were thin and long like the rest of the body. The depiction of the body type is sometimes suggested to be pear-shaped, which is quite unusual in comparison to the original style. This new approach has been described as a more organic style or “naturalistic”.
sources: Jump up ^ Spence, Dr. Kate. "Akhenaten and the Amarna Period". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Jump up ^ Hill, Jenny. "Egypt Society: Amarna Art". ancientegyptonline.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Jump up ^ Doyle, Noreen (September 2007). "Akhentaten's ART."Calliope. Retrieved 27 October 2015.