060095 VO Special Topic Art and Architecture: Guideline Systems in Ancient Egyptian Art (2024W)

Guideline systems (e.g. auxiliary drafting lines and squared-grids) are fundamental utilitarian tools in the design and art-making process that have been used by practitioners across the globe since antiquity, with the earliest currently known examples of their use coming from ancient Egypt. This course focusses on the use of guideline systems by ancient Egyptian artists during the conception and creation of visual culture, along with how the employment of this technique has been discussed in modern Egyptological literature.

By drawing upon examples found on two- and three-dimensional media from a variety of contexts (i.e. primary sources), the course will demonstrate how guideline systems could be used by ancient Egyptian artists in each stage of the image production process, from the training of apprentices through to the preparation of monumental scenes and sculptures. Key secondary source material related to the topic will also be presented, with a focus on critically analysing how guideline systems have been discussed in the existing literature in conjunction with what more can still be learnt about this artistic practice.

Learning aims and outcomes:

On successful completion of this unit, participants will be able to:
- Outline the functions and purposes of guiding systems in relation to the conception and creation of imagery in ancient Egypt.
- Explain the methods employed by ancient Egyptian artists when constructing and applying visual guides.
- Describe and classify the development and evolution of ancient Egyptian guiding systems over time, including their connection to changes and/or continuity in aesthetics.
- Identify, analyse and critique primary and secondary source material pertaining to the study of ancient Egyptian artistic practice, especially in relation to the use of guideline systems.

Delivery:

The method of delivery will be lectures (face-to-face instruction) that will take place over a block period of 1.5 hours each week for seven weeks. Active participation in the form of questions and discussion is encouraged.

A copy of the lecture slides from each week will be made available via Moodle. Please note that lectures will not be recorded or live-streamed.

Students may only use the content provided in Moodle for private learning purposes and not for professional or commercial purposes (e.g. downloading, saving and printing). Passing on content to third parties is generally prohibited, also the passing on via upload to other platforms, via social media or cloud services or similar is not permitted from a copyright point of view.