Royal Women of Amarna (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Lyn Green (Author), James Allen (Author)

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Product Description

Surveying the depiction of the female form during Egypt's Amarna period (circa 1353-1336 BC), this is the catalogue of an October 1996 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. During the reign of Amenhotep IV, also known as Akhenaten, Egyptian art saw a brief flowering of expressive, intimate images. This period is especially interesting because many well-preserved pieces exist, including portraits of Queen Nefertiti and her six daughters. The book traces the evolution of the elegant image of Nefertiti during the reign of Akhenaten, as well as the respresentations of her children, which are remarkable for their sensuous and youthful eroticism. Other depictions of royal women from the court at Armana include a delicately carved bust of a princess that shows a close affinity to works of art from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Many of the pieces came from the workshop of Tuthmose, sculptor to the king and one of the few artists of Ancient Egypt whose name is known. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 169 pages
• Publisher: Abrams, N (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810965046
• ISBN-13: 978-0810965041
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,383,187 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As glorious and awe-insprirng as the Amarna-epoch, itself., April 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Royal Women of Amarna: Images of Beauty from Ancient Egypt (Hardcover)

"Royal Women of Amarna" portrays not only some of the most beautiful pieces created by any craftsmen of the ancient world with both text and fabulous plates, but also the personalities of the women who inspired such timeless masterpieces. This work is more than a mere collection of museum pieces; it tells the tale of every known Queen and princess of the period, spanning from the reign of Amenhotep III to that of his son Akhenaten, even those princesses who are attested by name only in the historical record. The possible reasons for the prominence of females during this period are examined, as well as the symbolism embedded in the art: a personal fascination for me was the theory that the shape of Nefertiti's blue crown is based on the hairstyle worn by women about to give birth, stressing both her fertility and her link to Tefnut. Whilst examining the women who made up a great part of his life, the book also gives some insight and wonderful, suggestive hints towards the personality of Akhenaten, himself. Again, the plates are the best one could ever hope for, making each piece seem tangible to those who have never seen them first hand(including myself) but plan to (including myself:), and the book would be worth purchasing for them alone if the text were not just as compelling. "The Royal Women of Amarna" is a must for any Amarna bookshelf and works of the late, great Cyril Aldred should find no shame in sharing company with them.