WEEK 2: Ancient Civilizations- Egypt
Veronica Aguirre
Entombing was practiced by the Egyptians, which is important because it is the reason why we have the oldest surviving pieces of furniture, including wooden furniture. This stands out to me because wood is a natural resource, and we are studying a time period from hundreds of years ago. Wood gets warped easily by the environment (the sun, temp., etc.), so it amazes me to know we are still able to see the furniture that the Egyptians designed and used.
The Egyptians are given credit for ARMCHAIRS. The type of wood used for the furniture was cedar, cypress, and ebony.
Cedar is aromatic, resistant to insects and rot, and has a straight grain, making it easy to work with.
Cypress is durable, flexible, dense, and bug-resistant.
Ebony is an extremely dense, dark, and luxurious hardwood. It's naturally resistant to pests and wear.
Egypt liked to use high-quality material, so it makes sense that with care, the furnishings were able to be preserved for so long. This wood actually came from other parts of the world, since these types of wood/trees are not native to Egypt, giving us an insight into their trading networks in earlier times.
Because of Egypt's dry climate, the minimal moisture environment prevented the furnishings from decaying.
King Tutankhamun's bed and chest.
Textile weaving is one of the oldest techniques for woven textiles. It was a significant craft used for decorative items, clothing, religious artifacts, burial wrappings, and furnishings.
Women and men wore the same thing or dressed very similarly. Because of the heat, clothing was light and kept to a minimum. Children would not wear any clothes for most of their years.
Wealthier women wore long dresses that were made with lighter linen compared to the rest of the people, and it was more expensive to make.
Makeup was also used by both Men and Women to enhance looks, especially their eyes.
Coal would be applied not only to enhance their eyes, but to protect them from the Sun.
https://youtu.be/TtHAcPOh-Zk?si=ZNZOMosEO9eRFK8r
A link to see the history of Egypt fashion
https://youtu.be/FnNHIE4lO5c?si=sBg1JXD9fq1yGKe4A link to see ancient weaving techniques blended with today's techniques
Jewelry was often based on their religious beliefs. Most of it was made of gold.
PRESENT DAY APPLICATIONS
They used malachite to have strong green shadows, and Charcoal as a medicinal and protection.
In today's world, I just head to the Ulta store and pick any colors I want at hand!
Imagine having to do the extra labor in your beauty routine. We ladies already take long enough as it is!
The Art Deco Style was influenced by Egypt after the findings of Tutankhamen's tomb.
As shown in the presentation, the
Chrysler Building was heavily influenced by Egypt.
William Van Allen
ONE STEP FURTHER
The work by Henri Sauvage is heavily influenced by Egyptian Architecture. Henri Sauvage is an Art Deco architect and designer. He was a functional architect but appreciated innovation in decoration. He wanted to allow more sunlight and circulation in his buildings. The idea of symmetry and monumentality is reflected in his work.
CONCLUSION
To this day, Ancient Egypt continues to influence the way we design and express ourselves. Its culture set a foundation for art and design that has lasted thousands of years due to its creativity and innovation. The Egyptians were the first to use symbolism, symmetry, and geometry in their architecture and in their art, such as jewelry, furniture, and even clothing. Traditions preserved resurfaced in later design movements such as the Egyptian Revival (19th Century) and the Art Deco Style (20th Century). The lasting impact shows how one of the world's earliest civilizations continues to shape design history and inspire creative work in the modern era.
I like how you put applicate the applications in the present day, you integrate really well the make up modern applications.
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