Sarcophagus Analysis

1476 Words6 Pages
Yuexin Li Professor Scott Montgomery ARTH 2801: World Art I Nov. 4th, 2014 The Sarcophagus The Sarcophagus at the Denver Art Museum is a realistic representation of the object as it appeared in history. The object is an alabaster carving that shows the physical marks, decorations and dimensions within the authentic range of ancient Egyptian art. The sarcophagus is shown in a raised position above the ground level. Apparently, raising the sarcophagus at this level is a deliberate design orientation that protects the ashes of the deceased and any other items stored within the object. A closer assessment of the size and orientation of the sarcophagus in the museum reveals a realistic match with the key aspects of the artwork within its cultural…show more content…
Usually, this representation shows the deceased in some posture of relaxation. The nature of the images used in the decoration of the deceased is consistent with the metaphysical understanding of the nature of death. Innately, the Egyptians considered life as lived in phases where individuals transition from the point of birth to the afterlife. They rejected the notion of death as some terrible finality or some essence of permanent loss. As such, the meaning of death is captured in the art forms on the sarcophagus, which portray the deceased in various modes of merriment. The same representation also shows the deceased as being who has finally arrived at some higher point of being. The greater utility value of the sarcophagus connects with the level of respect and recognition, which the people of ancient Egypt assigned to the…show more content…
Features of Roman art are also visible on the surface sarcophagus. Subsequent development in the Egyptian aesthetics showed increased borrowing from aspects of Roman art. Consequently, many aesthetic aspects on the top part and the sides of the sarcophagus are conspicuous in the level of connection between traditional and medieval artistic techniques. Moreover, the task of using the sarcophagus to protect the royal mummy cuts across both the Roman and the Egyptian cultures. Sections of historical evidence have shown that the Roman and the Egyptian ways of life including the conduction of burials remained largely similar across generations. Inherently, the designers of the sarcophagus were exceptionally gifted in the use of artistic skills to advance cultural objectives. Elements of cultural dominance and imperialism usually spread from one region to another through works of art as one of the most potent ways of influencing target

More about Sarcophagus Analysis

Open Document