How Did Mesopotamian Art Change

Looking Assignment One

As man evolves and the culture that he lives in changes, does the artwork he creates reflect these changes? Artwork, like man, is ever changing. If you were to look back at Paleolithic cave drawings through present day and compare the art available to us now to the first known artwork, you would notice a great change based on both evolution and culture. The area known as Mesopotamia is an excellent example of the effects of change on the people and how it influences the artwork produced. Mesopotamia has gone through many different rulers from many different civilizations and with each change their influence is seen in the artwork of the people. Not far from Mesopotamia is Egypt and although Egypt maintained a certain

From its beginnings c. 8,000 B.C.E. Egyptian standards were developed for art and architecture and were followed by its people. The Egyptian economy had highs and lows as with any nation, but even with that and changes in Kings, the standards remained the same until c. 2181 B.C.E. when there was a division in the country creating an Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt each with its own ruler. Even with this divide the underlying beliefs and structure of life remained unchanged until c. 2010 when the kings named Mentuhotep reunited Egypt as one nation. At this time Egypt flourished again both in architecture and art. With this change and the past struggles of the division, there were slight changes in art. Royalty were depicted in a more relaxed form. The bodies are realistically displayed with round stomachs, a somewhat softer body and the eyes and facial features appear older, wiser in years. There were more displays of family relationships in paintings and less conquering. In addition to the changes in art, architecture expanded with the creation of great temples for funeraries and to honor their gods larger and more elaborate than before. Egypt was prospering and its wealth was great. This wealth is displayed in everything they

The main difference is the price of the art, for lack of a better description. Egyptian art reflects the wealth of those who commission the work, the rulers. The artwork that we have seen was created from the precious metal gold, and the use of bright colors and precious jewels all are symbols of wealth, even relief sculptures express wealth in their story. Whereas this Assyrian artwork was carved from ivory although beautiful, it is a common material. Other artwork from this civilization would be carved in alabaster and limestone without bright colors to distract. It is a comparison similar to Hollywood vs. Harlem. Great artists in each city but very different ideas for expression and use of media available to them. Regardless of who created it or what it is made from, this art is priceless in that it helps the world to know the story of the