Egyptian Family
by Pet Serrano
Title
Egyptian Family
Artist
Pet Serrano
Medium
Painting - Acrylic On Papyrus
Description
The figures in this Egyptian family painting pose in a traditional way that signifies both love and shared responsibility. Ancient Egyptian figures, like their smaller counterparts the hieroglyphs, use a type of sign language and color code that made images readable by both literate and illiterate citizens.
This version is intended for framing and has no border. I also have a version with a poster-style black border available.
The child represents either a son or daughter, pointing to his or her mouth means it's a toddler about to suck its fingers. The father holds the child facing away, a position meaning he is teaching. The mother holds the child facing toward her, about to hug. Holding their child at the same time means they are sharing responsibility. They are wearing their best family-portrait clothes, but the father has decided to go for a down-to-earth look by not wearing a wig.
Skin tone in Egyptian artwork had little to do with reality. Red and yellow ochre were the most common pigments available, so in general the convention is red ochre for men and children (more likely to work and play in the sun) and yellow ochre for women (more likely to work inside or in the shade). In crowds, however, colors often alternated for the same gender. As with anything else, it depended on the artist and the local fads.
To some in the classical world, sculptures and paintings had magical properties, to others, a happy family portrait might remind people to strive for happiness.
While this piece depicts common poses in historically-accurate pigments on sustainable papyrus, it is an original work and not in the public domain. Probably best ordered at less than 24 inches long.
Uploaded
July 13th, 2013
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