Ancient Egyptian Art
Ancient Egyptian art spans over three millennia, representing one of humanity's longest continuous artistic traditions. From the pyramids of Giza to the treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb, Egyptian artists created works of extraordinary beauty and symbolic power that served religious, funerary, and political purposes.
Historical Context
Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile River, creating a remarkably stable culture that persisted through the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms until Cleopatra's death in 30 BCE. Art was intimately connected to religion and the afterlife, with strict conventions governing representation that changed little over three thousand years.
Key Characteristics
- Hierarchical scale showing social importance through size
- Composite perspective combining frontal and profile views
- Rich symbolism in colors, animals, and hieroglyphics
- Monumental scale in architecture and sculpture
- Focus on eternal preservation through mummification and tomb art
Explore Ancient Egypt Artworks
10,000 artworks from 3000 BCE - 30 BCE available in our collection
Stray Horse
E. Drappier
1906
Houses at Murnau
Vasily Kandinsky
1909
Painting with Troika
Vasily Kandinsky
January 18, 1911
The Bewitched Mill
Franz Marc
1913
Woman on Rose Divan
Henri Matisse
1921
Apples
Henri Matisse
1916
Portrait of a Woman
Amedeo Modigliani
c. 1917/19
James Vibert, Sculptor
Ferdinand Hodler
1907
Head of Apollo
Emile-Antoine Bourdelle
1900–1909
Day (Truth)
Ferdinand Hodler
1896/98
Fisherman's Cottage
Harald Oscar Sohlberg
1906
Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray
Piet Mondrian
1921
Improvisation No. 30 (Cannons)
Vasily Kandinsky
1913
Woman before an Aquarium
Henri Matisse
1921–23
Jacques and Berthe Lipchitz
Amedeo Modigliani
1916
Still Life with Geranium
Henri Matisse
1906
Sawmill, Outskirts of Paris
Henri Rousseau
c. 1893/95
Painting with Green Center
Vasily Kandinsky
1913
Landscape with Two Poplars
Vasily Kandinsky
1912
Farm near Duivendrecht
Piet Mondrian
c. 1916
Hermine David
Jules Pascin
1907
Madam Pompadour
Amedeo Modigliani
1915
Composition (No. 1) Gray-Red
Piet Mondrian
1935
Model of the Mastaba Tomb of Perneb
Unknown Artist
Model: A.D. 1913–1916; Original ca. 2381–2323 B.C.
Showing 24 of 10,000 artworks
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Greek & Roman
800 BCE - 476 CE
Classical antiquity produced the artistic ideals that shaped Western civilization. Greek artists pioneered naturalistic human representation, while Romans excelled in portraiture, engineering, and monumental architecture. Together, they established standards of beauty, proportion, and artistic excellence that artists would return to for millennia.
Medieval
500-1400
Medieval art encompasses nearly a thousand years of artistic production, from the fall of Rome to the dawn of the Renaissance. This period saw the development of Byzantine mosaics, Romanesque monasteries, Gothic cathedrals, and illuminated manuscripts—all serving primarily religious purposes with a focus on spiritual rather than naturalistic representation.
19th Century
1800-1899
The 19th century witnessed revolutionary transformations in art, from Neoclassicism through Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism. This era saw artists breaking from academic traditions, exploring new techniques, and capturing modern life with unprecedented immediacy.