Lesson plan based on Amenemhet
Analyze traditional ancient Egyptian depictions of the human body.
Skills and Focus: Art History, Discussion
Subject Area: Fine Arts
Thematic Connection: Connecting Past and Present
Grade Level: Secondary School
Time Needed: 20 minutes, 40 minutes for discussion
Objectives
• Recognize the distinguishing characteristics of the ancient Egyptian method of depicting the human body.
• Explore how this method was used by artists throughout the history of ancient Egyptian art.
• Determine what the use of this method tells us about ancient Egyptian attitudes toward perfection, change, and progress.
Instructional Materials Needed
Story: What Does This Show?
Activity
Step 1: While looking at the image of the fragment, discuss how ancient Egyptians depicted the human body, focusing on the head, facial features, and position of the torso and limbs. Point out those body parts that are depicted frontally and those that are depicted in profile.
Step 2: Divide students into small groups. Have each group use the library or the Internet to find three images of the human body from the 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history. For each example, the group should record the image’s original location, date, and a brief description of its meaning and purpose.
Step 3: In a subsequent class period, have each group display its three images and provide a brief oral introduction to each.
Step 4: Discuss the images with the class.
Critical Thinking Ask students to
• compare the images, focussing on how the images differ and how their artistic characteristics may have changed over time.
• describe how the ancient Egyptian commitment to the notion of the perfection of the world is demonstrated by the preservation of past artistic styles in the depiction of the human form.
Goals
This activity meets Illinois State Goal 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.
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