Palette Of Narmer And Apollo Of Veii example essay topic

The two works of art that have been chosen to compare and contrast are The Palette Of Narmer and Apollo of Veii. The Palette Of Narmer dates back to the Hierakonpolis Dynasty 1 in 3100 BCE. The Palette of Narmer is interesting because it is the oldest historic work of art that names a person, and is the earliest piece of art that uses hieroglyph. This artwork depicts the dawn of a new age of man and his use of writing and pictographs in art. The statue of Apollo, from Veii comes from the Etruscan art period Apollo was created around 500 BCE. It was created by a very popular sculpture of his time, by the name of Vulca.

The delicate technique of firing clay is fascinating. A sculptor of Vulca's ability was required to know how to construct a large figure so that it did not fall under it's own weight. He had to know how to precisely regulate the temperature of a kiln large enough to fit a statue of almost 6 ft tall, for a long period of time. The fact that to this day, Vulca is the only Etruscan Sculpture whose works of art have survived the test of time, show his genius in his creations. The Palette Of Narmer is made of mudstone, which is a kind of shale. It is a flat stone with circular depressions on it.

Palettes were common utensil of the time. It is believed that this flat stone was used for grinding eye paint. This eye paint was used for both men and women to prevent eye infections and possibly also used to reduce the glare of the bright desert sun. The Palette Of Narmer was found at Hierakonpolis in the temple of Horus.

It is believed to have been a votive offering to the god Hours, who was the Egyptian god of sky and kingship. Many scholars believe that palettes decorated with animals, birds, and human figures had some sort of ceremonial function. On the palette, Narmer's name appears in pictographs a horizontal fish translated Nar and a vertical chisel translated Mer. These hieroglyphs appear three times on this piece of art. The king appears as the main character in various scenes on both sides of the palette, he also appears in hierarchical proportion representing the status of individuals in a highly stratified society.

The significance of the ruler appearing larger than other human figures indicates importance and divine status. On one side of the palette Narmer appears with the White Crown of Upper Egypt signifying that it has been tamed. On the opposite side he wears the Red Crown of Lower Egypt signifying that it also had been tamed. These images amongst other images of conquest proclaim him to be the great unifier, protector, and leader of the Egyptian people. The statue of Apollo is made of painted Terra-cotta, which is also known as baked clay.

It is the same material used for pottery containers. It stands at a height of five feet ten inches, and is recognized by the statues archaic smile, well-developed massive body, quick stride, and expressive power. Apollo is partially concealed by a robe that cascades down in knife-edged pleats to his knees. Apollo is shown striding forward which to our eyes appears that he is stepping over a decorated structure, but actually it is used to support the weight of the structure. The statue was discovered on the ridgepole of the temple roof in the Portonaccio at Veii. Apollo was originally part of a four-figure scene, depicting Apollo and Hercules fighting for the possession of a deer scared to Diana, while she and Mercury looked on.

These two works of art are very different in many ways. The Palette of Narmer stands at a height 25 inches where Apollo of Veii stands at a height of 5'10". The Palette is made of a natural mudstone where the Apollo is made from clay (terra-cotta). The palette is a ceremonial piece used for a daily ritual of the Egyptians where as the Apollo is a ceremonial piece that stands atop the roof of a temple. Though they do not share any of the same style of art they are both similar in that they tell a story. Both works of art were part of a temple and had some sort of religious significance.

Both the artist of the Palette of Narmer and the Apollo of Veii reveal to us the gods of their cultures. Which passes down the history of the people of their time. Which allows us to remember and learn about our ancestors and where we come from..