
Old Kingdom art
Old Kingdom art, flourishing in ancient Egypt from around 2686 to 2181 BCE, is characterized by its focus on order, symmetry, and idealized forms. Artists aimed to create lasting representations of pharaohs and deities, emphasizing their divine status through statues, reliefs, and tomb paintings. Materials like limestone and granite were commonly used to convey permanence. This period also saw the development of standardized artistic conventions, such as frontal poses and hierarchical scaling, which communicated social status and power. Overall, Old Kingdom art served both religious and political purposes, reflecting the beliefs and values of ancient Egyptian society.