Aegean Art

A detailed Summary of Aegean Art

1. The significance of the idol from Amorgos is that it represents a fertility goddess and a mother. This piece is just more proof that Aegean art represented daily life. This idol was one of the first realistic impressions of a nude female figure.

The origins of the idol from Amorgos came from Asia Minor and East Asia, but is most often seen in Cycladic art. The idol is a rather primitive sculpture, but has angular and abstract qualities. It has a flat wedge shaped body, a strong and column like neck, and an almost featureless face. The lack of features shows the insignificance of beauty. The only feature on the face is a ridge like nose. In Egyptian times, the nose was the soul of the statue and if it was cut off, the statue lost its soul. There are many other fertility idols from prehistoric civilizations (Lascaux, Willendorf, etc.)

The idol from Amorgos was very different from its prehistoric counterparts. The Venus of Willendorf had accentuated hips and bust. Most of the prehistoric fertility idols had a striking resemblance to the Venus of Willendorf. The idol from Amorgos, though is much more elegant and sophisticated than the prehistoric idols. Most of the prehistoric idols are made from stone and were r

There is no other early piece like this in ancient art which shows these typed of feelings. In Egyptian art, there is no strong reference to the family. There are no pieces where the children are showed being taken care of by elders. There is a more formal feel to all their art, whereas the Three Deities have a more welcoming and informal air to it. Most Egyptian portraits only had the husband and wife. Seeing a child in a piece is a very rare occurrence. This is probably due to the fact that most Egyptian children were either servants or slaves and regarded as small adults. Even when King Tut became king at the age of 9 we never see him portrayed in a childlike manner. He always looks older than his actual age. Egyptians probably didn't have strong relationships with their children. This sculpture shows that Mycenaean parents were somewhat affectionate to their child and had a stronger bond with them.

No matter which way one interprets it, the sculpture there is a deeper meaning. The gestures between the 2 women and the child are affectionate and warm. There is a closeness between the figures that shows intimate human feelings. It also shows how the people of this era thought of their children. Children weren't just little workers, but played and needed love.

2. Though all 3 cultures were established in the same area and era, Minoan, Cycladic and Mycenaean art were very varied. Cycladic art was angular and was more abstract (like the idol from Amorgos.) Sculptures are refined more so than Paleolithic or primitive art. Cycladic sculptors were also one of the first to make life size sculptures of nude female figures. The were also the first to suppress the traditional aspects of fertility in their fertility idols.

4. Aegean art contains many ideas and pictures that are seen in no other civilizations prior to its establishment. It is very spontaneous and creative. Though it has some new ideas, there are some influence

Some common words found in the essay are:
Deities Mycenae, Amorgos Sculptures, King Tut, Minoan Mycenaean, Harvester Vase, East Asia, Venus Willendorf, Egypt Asia, , Asia Minor, aegean art, idol amorgos, mycenaean art, harvester vase, trade routes, daily life, fertility idols, minoan mycenaean, prehistoric idols, pottery pieces,

Approximate Word count = 1324
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Arts