Ramses II
While visiting the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, I found numerous works of art that interested me. I was able to appreciate these works more than before because of the knowledge I now possess after having taken this class thus far. Understanding the background, time periods, and history of the works that I was practically analyzing at the museum, made the pieces even more interesting and valuable to behold. The piece of work that captured my eyes the most was the statue of Ramesses II (?). This statue was found at the Heracleopolis, Temple of Harsaphes, in Egypt. This sculpture was made somewhere between 1897 and 1834, during Egypt's Middle Kingdom. The artist was probably an ancient Egyptian who was patroned by the Pharaoh Ramesses II himself. According to the museum's description of the work, Ramesses II seized this sculpture from a former ruler and the head was replaced to fit Ramesses' satisfaction. This is a historical piece to preserve his power and immortality. This statue is an example of freestanding sculpture or sculpture in the round. It has been carved and chiseled out of Quartzite stone. This particular stone is composed mainly or entirely of quartz. "The stone is c
Ramesses II wears a headdress and a fake detachable beard (which is missing) to denote The sculpture's space and form takes up a three dimensional quality and is meant to be viewed from all sides. It is composed into a block of stone. This three-dimensional sculpture occupies both mass and volume. The carving technique used in the sculpture is known as subtractive, taking away from the original form of the stone. The slab of stone the Pharaoh sits upon is utilized as a throne. The back is flat although it ends at the lower back. Ramesses II is a clear and definite example of the characteristic one would find in many other works of Ancient Egypt. The sculpture of Ramesses II provides us with the knowledge of his status as a pharaoh and the power he held. This was the function that it was intended to give and this is understood by the observer. This is all clear by his composition, size and visual evidence. Ramesses II youth, power and immortality lives on in our knowledge. There is no color visible except for the hue of the stone but it was most likely painted at one point in history. This is because the Ancient Egyptians were known for decorating their sculptures with pigment of some sort. The sculpture being three-dimensional somewhat provides its own light. The grooves of the muscles and face cast some shadow and leave room for depth. The statue of Ramesses II is not proportional. The head, since it was replaced, is small for the work's massive body. The feet are awkwardly long for his body along with the hands.
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Approximate Word count = 1253
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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