Egyptian art was created between 3000 BCE to 100 BCE. At the time Egyptians were fascinated with the afterlife and they strongly believed in rituals. With this fact, Egyptians created works of art, especially 3-D figures. The 3-D figures were made from clay, wood, metal, stone, etc. These sculptures were always either cubed or frontal, but they all represented the theme of the afterlife and power or a divine person such as a pharaoh. We can also often find use of animals in their art as well, such a cat that was looked as a powerful animal.
Funerary Mask of Tutankhamun
Source: Here
On these 3-D figures, Egyptians often liked to use rich gem colors such as reds, oranges, turquoise, and gold. Each color had meaning. In the Funerary Mask of Tutankhamun, we can see exactly the use of these colors. For some pieces these colors were painted, but in certain pieces like the one above, consisted of valuable gems. The piece above consists of gold inlaid with glass and semiprecious stones. The piece weighs 24 pounds and is about 54 cm tall.
Since Egyptians were strong believers of the afterlife and power, they created this funerary mask for a pharaoh that existed a that time. It was used to resemble power and the after life. It used precious colors to create this.
Today, we look at Egyptian art in a different meaning. The Egyptians looked at their art as a symbol of the afterlife and power. We look at Egyptian art as one of the most aesthetic art periods. In the fashion industry we often look back at art periods for inspirations. In this 2012 collection, it is easily noticeable that is has been inspired by Egyptian Art. The use of the color palette of gold, white, orange, and turquoise shows it all. It shows the richness of the colors that were used in Egyptian art to resemble power and the afterlife. However there is one more key element in this collection. The use of the masks on the models faces shows it all. These masks resemble the funerary masks that were used in Egyptian art. Just like the Funerary Mask of Tutankhamun, these masks were mimicked to resemble it. They consisted of a similar form and it definitely shows the beard.
To be honest, I love the Egyptian art period. It is one of my favorite art periods because it is very interesting and there is just a mystery that surrounds it.