http://en.artquid.com/gallery/-5/museum-artworks-reproduction.html Buy and sell your Art and Antiques, create your customized online art gallery, exhibit your artworks, promote your art, discover emerging artists, meet art dealers, collectors and decorators and consult the art market news. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:05:39 +0000 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:52:28 +0000 600 artquid.com [RSS Generator](1.0) http://www.artquid.com/img/logo_artquid.png 144 24 http://en.artquid.com/gallery/-5/museum-artworks-reproduction.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5898/gupta-buddha.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5898/gupta-buddha.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:05:39 +0000 The Gupta dynasty, which reigned over a large part of the Indian territory from the 4th to the 6th century, introduced a style that can be described by the epithet ô classic. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Gupta Buddha The Gupta dynasty, which reigned over a large part of the Indian territory from the 4th to the 6th century, introduced a style that can be described by the epithet ô classic. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5896/buddha.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5896/buddha.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:04:57 +0000 This Buddha is standing in a frontal position with his left arm hanging down, a frequently portrayed attitude. The hand missing from the raised right forearm was probably sculpted in the canonical gesture, that is to say, palm turned to the front and the closed fingers stretching upwards, the symbol of welcome or the “absence of fear” (abhaya).

This Buddha is wearing a monastic costume consisting of a garment in two pieces : a long robe draped along the body (uttarâsanga) and underneath, a long skirt (antaravâsaka), revealing the middle pleats and a belt under the clinging robe. In this statue, the Buddha is covered in ornaments : a cap covering his hair bun, a diadem, pendant earring, armbands and a big pectoral necklace.
This is an interpretation by Thai illustrators of texts indicating that the Buddha, despite being the supreme Renouncer, can take on the appearance of those he wishes to convert, including the great sovereigns. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Buddha This Buddha is standing in a frontal position with his left arm hanging down, a frequently portrayed attitude. The hand missing from the raised right forearm was probably sculpted in the canonical gesture, that is to say, palm turned to the front and the closed fingers stretching upwards, the symbol of welcome or the “absence of fear” (abhaya).

This Buddha is wearing a monastic costume consisting of a garment in two pieces : a long robe draped along the body (uttarâsanga) and underneath, a long skirt (antaravâsaka), revealing the middle pleats and a belt under the clinging robe. In this statue, the Buddha is covered in ornaments : a cap covering his hair bun, a diadem, pendant earring, armbands and a big pectoral necklace.
This is an interpretation by Thai illustrators of texts indicating that the Buddha, despite being the supreme Renouncer, can take on the appearance of those he wishes to convert, including the great sovereigns. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5895/bodhisattva-maitreya.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5895/bodhisattva-maitreya.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:04:33 +0000 An intermediary Buddhist figure half way between the Buddha and the believer, and a future Buddha himself, the Boddhisattva Maitreya can be recognised by the small stupa in his hair.
As a being with the ability to reach nirvana, Maitreya seems to have enjoyed relative popularity during the early period of Khmer art.
He is one of the most frequently portrayed Bodhisattvas in pre-Angkor art and has a unique place in the Buddhist pantheon.

His youthful appearance, stylised facial features and the meticulously treated long curls of his braided bun are characteristic of Khmer art during the pre-Angkor period, around the 8th century in the southern quarter of present-day Cambodia.
This figure, finely sculpted in highly polished sandstone, demonstrates the high technical and plastic standard of divine images during that period.. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Bodhisattva Maitreya An intermediary Buddhist figure half way between the Buddha and the believer, and a future Buddha himself, the Boddhisattva Maitreya can be recognised by the small stupa in his hair.
As a being with the ability to reach nirvana, Maitreya seems to have enjoyed relative popularity during the early period of Khmer art.
He is one of the most frequently portrayed Bodhisattvas in pre-Angkor art and has a unique place in the Buddhist pantheon.

His youthful appearance, stylised facial features and the meticulously treated long curls of his braided bun are characteristic of Khmer art during the pre-Angkor period, around the 8th century in the southern quarter of present-day Cambodia.
This figure, finely sculpted in highly polished sandstone, demonstrates the high technical and plastic standard of divine images during that period.. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5893/maravijaya-buddha.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5893/maravijaya-buddha.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:04:17 +0000 This is the reproduction of a bronze dated from the 15th century.
The stylized features of the face and the general proportions are characteristic of the art of Sukhothai, a school of sculpture that had developed around this capital between the 13th and 15th centuries.
Among the hallowed images in the Thai iconography of the Buddha, this is probably the most classical. The canonical attitude shows the Blessed One meditating at the ultimate moment of his path towards right living, when he calls upon the Earth to bear witness to his victory, expressed by a slight gesture of his right hand. The “Awakened One” becomes the Buddha at that precise moment, after having triumphed over the attacks of Mara (Death and Evil): the Maravijaya.

In Buddhism, Mara is the supreme incarnation of the tempter, the god who reigns over the world of desire. When he felt that his authority over this world was threatened by the Buddha as he was getting ready to discover the way to salvation, he made him go through several trials. After an attack by devils and an intervention by Mara himself, the Buddha came out of these struggles victorious. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Maravijaya Buddha This is the reproduction of a bronze dated from the 15th century.
The stylized features of the face and the general proportions are characteristic of the art of Sukhothai, a school of sculpture that had developed around this capital between the 13th and 15th centuries.
Among the hallowed images in the Thai iconography of the Buddha, this is probably the most classical. The canonical attitude shows the Blessed One meditating at the ultimate moment of his path towards right living, when he calls upon the Earth to bear witness to his victory, expressed by a slight gesture of his right hand. The “Awakened One” becomes the Buddha at that precise moment, after having triumphed over the attacks of Mara (Death and Evil): the Maravijaya.

In Buddhism, Mara is the supreme incarnation of the tempter, the god who reigns over the world of desire. When he felt that his authority over this world was threatened by the Buddha as he was getting ready to discover the way to salvation, he made him go through several trials. After an attack by devils and an intervention by Mara himself, the Buddha came out of these struggles victorious. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5891/figure-of-chinese-dancer.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5891/figure-of-chinese-dancer.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:48:26 +0000 This reproduction made of resin is inspired by a statuette dated from the first half of 7th century.

These two dancers were cast in square-based moulds inspired by the Sui prototypes.
Their originality lies in their green and brown glaze . The revival of this technique, wich was similar to the one used in glassmaking, was probably due to the Bei Qi potters of Henan . Works with lead- based glazes were extremely rare at the end of the 6th century and in the first half of the 7th century .

Their silhouettes, facial features and hairstyles belong to the same ideal of beauty as the creations of the mid-7th century. Their hair is drawn up to the top of their heads and arranged like outspread butterfly wings. Their oval faces grace slender, adolescent bodies. The tight-fitting bodices enhance the delicately moulded, bowed busts. The narrow waists, supple backs and folded legs are suspended in a dance movement.
Although many of the melodies of this era are well-known, it is difficult to match them with a specific choreography. At best, one may deduce that these harmonious attitudes belong more to the traditional Chinese ruan style than to the much livelier Western jian dances. Foreign contributions were indeed absorbed, but the way of moving near the ground could have come from India. Much of the dancer's talent probably lay in the manner in which she hovered apparently weightlessly held up by the swirling fabrics of her sleeve. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Figure of Chinese dancer This reproduction made of resin is inspired by a statuette dated from the first half of 7th century.

These two dancers were cast in square-based moulds inspired by the Sui prototypes.
Their originality lies in their green and brown glaze . The revival of this technique, wich was similar to the one used in glassmaking, was probably due to the Bei Qi potters of Henan . Works with lead- based glazes were extremely rare at the end of the 6th century and in the first half of the 7th century .

Their silhouettes, facial features and hairstyles belong to the same ideal of beauty as the creations of the mid-7th century. Their hair is drawn up to the top of their heads and arranged like outspread butterfly wings. Their oval faces grace slender, adolescent bodies. The tight-fitting bodices enhance the delicately moulded, bowed busts. The narrow waists, supple backs and folded legs are suspended in a dance movement.
Although many of the melodies of this era are well-known, it is difficult to match them with a specific choreography. At best, one may deduce that these harmonious attitudes belong more to the traditional Chinese ruan style than to the much livelier Western jian dances. Foreign contributions were indeed absorbed, but the way of moving near the ground could have come from India. Much of the dancer's talent probably lay in the manner in which she hovered apparently weightlessly held up by the swirling fabrics of her sleeve. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5890/figure-of-chinese-dancer.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5890/figure-of-chinese-dancer.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:48:08 +0000 This reproduction made of resin is inspired by a statuette dated from the first half of 7th century.

These two dancers were cast in square-based moulds inspired by the Sui prototypes.
Their originality lies in their green and brown glaze . The revival of this technique, wich was similar to the one used in glassmaking, was probably due to the Bei Qi potters of Henan . Works with lead- based glazes were extremely rare at the end of the 6th century and in the first half of the 7th century .

Their silhouettes, facial features and hairstyles belong to the same ideal of beauty as the creations of the mid-7th century. Their hair is drawn up to the top of their heads and arranged like outspread butterfly wings. Their oval faces grace slender, adolescent bodies. The tight-fitting bodices enhance the delicately moulded, bowed busts. The narrow waists, supple backs and folded legs are suspended in a dance movement.
Although many of the melodies of this era are well-known, it is difficult to match them with a specific choreography. At best, one may deduce that these harmonious attitudes belong more to the traditional Chinese ruan style than to the much livelier Western jian dances. Foreign contributions were indeed absorbed, but the way of moving near the ground could have come from India. Much of the dancer's talent probably lay in the manner in which she hovered apparently weightlessly held up by the swirling fabrics of her sleeve. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Figure of Chinese dancer This reproduction made of resin is inspired by a statuette dated from the first half of 7th century.

These two dancers were cast in square-based moulds inspired by the Sui prototypes.
Their originality lies in their green and brown glaze . The revival of this technique, wich was similar to the one used in glassmaking, was probably due to the Bei Qi potters of Henan . Works with lead- based glazes were extremely rare at the end of the 6th century and in the first half of the 7th century .

Their silhouettes, facial features and hairstyles belong to the same ideal of beauty as the creations of the mid-7th century. Their hair is drawn up to the top of their heads and arranged like outspread butterfly wings. Their oval faces grace slender, adolescent bodies. The tight-fitting bodices enhance the delicately moulded, bowed busts. The narrow waists, supple backs and folded legs are suspended in a dance movement.
Although many of the melodies of this era are well-known, it is difficult to match them with a specific choreography. At best, one may deduce that these harmonious attitudes belong more to the traditional Chinese ruan style than to the much livelier Western jian dances. Foreign contributions were indeed absorbed, but the way of moving near the ground could have come from India. Much of the dancer's talent probably lay in the manner in which she hovered apparently weightlessly held up by the swirling fabrics of her sleeve. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5889/chinese-horseman.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5889/chinese-horseman.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:47:50 +0000 Moulded in a clay and enhanced with fine incisions, this statuette of a horseman wearing a military cape evokes the China that was torn apart during the Late Middle Ages. The country was plagued by invasions but recovered its unity in the North thanks to the Wei dynasty.

The squat but slim horse, caparisoned and wearing a mask, is the symbol of the new order that reigned in the 5th and 6th centuries. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Chinese Horseman Moulded in a clay and enhanced with fine incisions, this statuette of a horseman wearing a military cape evokes the China that was torn apart during the Late Middle Ages. The country was plagued by invasions but recovered its unity in the North thanks to the Wei dynasty.

The squat but slim horse, caparisoned and wearing a mask, is the symbol of the new order that reigned in the 5th and 6th centuries. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5888/chinese-horse.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5888/chinese-horse.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:40:40 +0000 Like ancient Greece, ancient China was fascinated by the horse. As early as the Chang Dynasty (17th -11th century B.C.), it accompanied sovereigns to their funerary palaces. It was then buried in numbers in order to create a procession.
Under the Qhou Dynasty (10th - 3rd century B.C.), the appeared in a team harnessed to chariots with two wheels. Often harnessed with ornaments of precious metals, it was only exceptionally shown as such. It was not until the Qin and the Han Dynasties (221 B.C. - 220 A.D.) that it was often represented in this manner. The little bronze from the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet belongs to this lot of remarquable pieces dating from the end of the Qhou Dynasty. Its daring schematisation reinforce the expressionist effect of this impetuous steed. It appears tamed, its banded muscles hardly hiding its strong and bony build. Its taut spine holds a strange and stylised head which transform the animal into a sort of fantastic creature. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Chinese Horse Like ancient Greece, ancient China was fascinated by the horse. As early as the Chang Dynasty (17th -11th century B.C.), it accompanied sovereigns to their funerary palaces. It was then buried in numbers in order to create a procession.
Under the Qhou Dynasty (10th - 3rd century B.C.), the appeared in a team harnessed to chariots with two wheels. Often harnessed with ornaments of precious metals, it was only exceptionally shown as such. It was not until the Qin and the Han Dynasties (221 B.C. - 220 A.D.) that it was often represented in this manner. The little bronze from the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet belongs to this lot of remarquable pieces dating from the end of the Qhou Dynasty. Its daring schematisation reinforce the expressionist effect of this impetuous steed. It appears tamed, its banded muscles hardly hiding its strong and bony build. Its taut spine holds a strange and stylised head which transform the animal into a sort of fantastic creature. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5887/laotian-buddha.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5887/laotian-buddha.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:40:54 +0000 his is the reproduction of a statue in stone sculpted in the 19th-century Laotian style.

This Buddha depicts a crucial moment in the ultimate life of the Buddha Sakyamuni, who lived among men in the 6th century B.C.
After deliberately leaving the royal palace of his father, and parting from his wife and son, Prince Siddhartha retired to the forest to meditate on the tragedy, pain and unhappiness of the human condition, and to seek a remedy.
His reflections led him to understand the basic causes of human suffering, as well as the reason behind the migration of the human soul through numerous incarnations both in the animal world and in social strata. All that remained was for him to structure his reasoning before making it accessible to men, and to demonstrate that desire triggers off a chain of causalities which keep the cycle of renaissance revolving indefinitely. It was at this crucial point that he sat under the tree of wisdom to meditate.
But the fearsome god Kama (“Love), also called *Mara (“Death”), determined to protect his empire, immediately attacked him with arms.

Thanks to his impassive attitude and the unquestionable value of his concept, the Buddha Sakyamuni won the first confrontation with the one that can be considered to be the Devil.
As proof of his supremacy, he called upon the Earth to be a witness, stretching his right hand towards it. This is the gesture reproduced here, the bhoumicpar-shamoudra (bhoumi = earth, moudra = gesture). ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Laotian Buddha his is the reproduction of a statue in stone sculpted in the 19th-century Laotian style.

This Buddha depicts a crucial moment in the ultimate life of the Buddha Sakyamuni, who lived among men in the 6th century B.C.
After deliberately leaving the royal palace of his father, and parting from his wife and son, Prince Siddhartha retired to the forest to meditate on the tragedy, pain and unhappiness of the human condition, and to seek a remedy.
His reflections led him to understand the basic causes of human suffering, as well as the reason behind the migration of the human soul through numerous incarnations both in the animal world and in social strata. All that remained was for him to structure his reasoning before making it accessible to men, and to demonstrate that desire triggers off a chain of causalities which keep the cycle of renaissance revolving indefinitely. It was at this crucial point that he sat under the tree of wisdom to meditate.
But the fearsome god Kama (“Love), also called *Mara (“Death”), determined to protect his empire, immediately attacked him with arms.

Thanks to his impassive attitude and the unquestionable value of his concept, the Buddha Sakyamuni won the first confrontation with the one that can be considered to be the Devil.
As proof of his supremacy, he called upon the Earth to be a witness, stretching his right hand towards it. This is the gesture reproduced here, the bhoumicpar-shamoudra (bhoumi = earth, moudra = gesture). ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5886/buddha.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5886/buddha.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:41:07 +0000 This is the reproduction of a 19th-century bronze from Camdodia, the statuette Ajuthia of teaching Buddha. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Buddha This is the reproduction of a 19th-century bronze from Camdodia, the statuette Ajuthia of teaching Buddha. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5885/buddha-from-angkor-wat.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5885/buddha-from-angkor-wat.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:41:20 +0000 This is the reproduction of a stoneware statuette dated from the 12th-13th centuries.

Buddhism, which spread from India, did not become the prevailing religion in Cambodia until the end of the 12th century. It was nevertheless the inspiration for some very fine sculpture as of the 7th century.

During the 11th century, an ethnic type was imposed on sculptors who broke away from the Indian influence of the past. This movement led to a series of faces, both Buddhist and Brahminic, which idealized the features of the Khmers : the smile appeared during this period, The cranial protuberance, one of the canons for portraying the Buddha, like his curly hair, are interpreted in the Khmer style in this work, as in the variations found all over South-East Asia. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Buddha from Angkor Wat This is the reproduction of a stoneware statuette dated from the 12th-13th centuries.

Buddhism, which spread from India, did not become the prevailing religion in Cambodia until the end of the 12th century. It was nevertheless the inspiration for some very fine sculpture as of the 7th century.

During the 11th century, an ethnic type was imposed on sculptors who broke away from the Indian influence of the past. This movement led to a series of faces, both Buddhist and Brahminic, which idealized the features of the Khmers : the smile appeared during this period, The cranial protuberance, one of the canons for portraying the Buddha, like his curly hair, are interpreted in the Khmer style in this work, as in the variations found all over South-East Asia. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5884/bouddha-jayavarman-vii.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5884/bouddha-jayavarman-vii.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:41:35 +0000 Portrait of Jayavarman VII (Mahâ Paramasangata Pada) (1207-1218 ), king of Cambodge from 1181 to 1202, son of Dharanindravarman II et Lokeçvara.

Jayavarman means “protected from the victory*. This name is carried by many Khmer kings.
Jayavarman VII hoisted Buddhism with the row of religion of State.
Its posthumous name is Paramasangatapada, Jayavarman VII will drive out Chams. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Bouddha Jayavarman VII Portrait of Jayavarman VII (Mahâ Paramasangata Pada) (1207-1218 ), king of Cambodge from 1181 to 1202, son of Dharanindravarman II et Lokeçvara.

Jayavarman means “protected from the victory*. This name is carried by many Khmer kings.
Jayavarman VII hoisted Buddhism with the row of religion of State.
Its posthumous name is Paramasangatapada, Jayavarman VII will drive out Chams. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5883/shakyamuni-buddha.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5883/shakyamuni-buddha.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:41:57 +0000 Buddha Shakyamuni (560 before JC - 480 before JC) was born Prince in north from India of the time.

Until the 29 years age it saw a life of pleasures in a palate with the variation of the real world, when it becomes aware of the reality of the life: misery, disease, old age, dead.
Upset, it gives up woman and children in 531 before JC to become ascetic and fixes themselves like**objective to release the humanity of the suffering. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Shakyamuni Buddha Buddha Shakyamuni (560 before JC - 480 before JC) was born Prince in north from India of the time.

Until the 29 years age it saw a life of pleasures in a palate with the variation of the real world, when it becomes aware of the reality of the life: misery, disease, old age, dead.
Upset, it gives up woman and children in 531 before JC to become ascetic and fixes themselves like**objective to release the humanity of the suffering. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5881/prajnaparamita-buddha.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5881/prajnaparamita-buddha.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:42:16 +0000 This is the reproduction of a stoneware sculpture dated from the end of the 12th century.

During the first centuries of our era, Cambodia was under the influence of India, and Indians regularly flowed in every time the Ganges valley was invaded or threatened. The official religion was therefore Brahmanism.
Cambodia then fell under the domination of the peoples of Java, but at the beginning of the 9th century the Khmers re-conquered the entire country and later chose the site of Angkor as its capital.

Despite the upheavals and the wars waged against their neighbors, particularly the Chams, their architecture and civilization reached exceptional heights, especially in the first half of the 12th century, during which the huge temple of Angkor Vat was erected, thus marking the peak of classic Khmer art. But shortly afterwards, the Chams again attacked the country, even seizing the capital by surprise and burning it (1177). However, in 1181, Jayavarman VII succeeded in repelling the invaders, and after being crowned king, he started to rebuild the capital in the city of Angkor Thom, with the Bayon Temple as its principal monument.

There was a certain break with the preceding period during this reign. Brahmanism was abandoned in favor of Buddhism, leading to significant changes in the plans of religious buildings, while their decoration became more exuberant and the motifs were inspired directly from real life, as in this head with a cunning expression.

The smile that is a little tense and the wide open but slightly vacant eyes are far from being stereotyped, and they are remarkably different from the contemporary heads with their calm smiles. ]]> Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Prajnaparamita Buddha This is the reproduction of a stoneware sculpture dated from the end of the 12th century.

During the first centuries of our era, Cambodia was under the influence of India, and Indians regularly flowed in every time the Ganges valley was invaded or threatened. The official religion was therefore Brahmanism.
Cambodia then fell under the domination of the peoples of Java, but at the beginning of the 9th century the Khmers re-conquered the entire country and later chose the site of Angkor as its capital.

Despite the upheavals and the wars waged against their neighbors, particularly the Chams, their architecture and civilization reached exceptional heights, especially in the first half of the 12th century, during which the huge temple of Angkor Vat was erected, thus marking the peak of classic Khmer art. But shortly afterwards, the Chams again attacked the country, even seizing the capital by surprise and burning it (1177). However, in 1181, Jayavarman VII succeeded in repelling the invaders, and after being crowned king, he started to rebuild the capital in the city of Angkor Thom, with the Bayon Temple as its principal monument.

There was a certain break with the preceding period during this reign. Brahmanism was abandoned in favor of Buddhism, leading to significant changes in the plans of religious buildings, while their decoration became more exuberant and the motifs were inspired directly from real life, as in this head with a cunning expression.

The smile that is a little tense and the wide open but slightly vacant eyes are far from being stereotyped, and they are remarkably different from the contemporary heads with their calm smiles. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Asian and oriental Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5880/the-god-anubis-proffering-life.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5880/the-god-anubis-proffering-life.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:42:33 +0000 This cast reproduces one of the numerous images decorating the inside of the sarcophagus of Taho.

It is an admirable anthropoid sarcophagus, cut in black basalt, a dark and hard stone. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) The God Anubis proffering life This cast reproduces one of the numerous images decorating the inside of the sarcophagus of Taho.

It is an admirable anthropoid sarcophagus, cut in black basalt, a dark and hard stone. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5879/osiris.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5879/osiris.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:42:49 +0000 This splendid face impresses at the same time great charm and of a soft serenity is completely in agreement with the revival of the art which appears in Egypt in XXVIème Dynastie, time called «saïte» because of what the capital settled in Saïs in the Delta, or néo-memphite because the sculptors endeavoured to find the inspiration in the art of the workshops memphites of the time of the pyramids.

One is however in VIIème century before our era and soon the influence of Hellade will be felt on the face of the statues. This aspect is treated in a mixed style since its expression, very typical for the time, illuminates a face, a figure nevertheless made with certain artifices archaïsants like these «fardés eyes» of the royal statues of the traditional period.
One hesitates to recognize in this portrait of the time of Psammétique the image of the sovereign himself: it could be that one is in the presence of the head of a statue of the Osiris god decorated with a hairstyle similar to that of king de Haute Egypt, the mitre, avoided cobra which draws up itself on the face, but whose features would naturally point out those of the Pharaon of the time. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Osiris This splendid face impresses at the same time great charm and of a soft serenity is completely in agreement with the revival of the art which appears in Egypt in XXVIème Dynastie, time called «saïte» because of what the capital settled in Saïs in the Delta, or néo-memphite because the sculptors endeavoured to find the inspiration in the art of the workshops memphites of the time of the pyramids.

One is however in VIIème century before our era and soon the influence of Hellade will be felt on the face of the statues. This aspect is treated in a mixed style since its expression, very typical for the time, illuminates a face, a figure nevertheless made with certain artifices archaïsants like these «fardés eyes» of the royal statues of the traditional period.
One hesitates to recognize in this portrait of the time of Psammétique the image of the sovereign himself: it could be that one is in the presence of the head of a statue of the Osiris god decorated with a hairstyle similar to that of king de Haute Egypt, the mitre, avoided cobra which draws up itself on the face, but whose features would naturally point out those of the Pharaon of the time. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5878/cat-bastet.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5878/cat-bastet.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:43:14 +0000 ln Ancient Egypt, the goddess Bastet, represented as a female cat, was venerated at Bubastis, in the Delta.
ln reality, Bastet was a sweeter version of the goddess Sekhmet who every year left the land of Egypt in the form of a lioness, becoming the distant goddess, only to return during the rainy season appeased and transfigured in the form of a cat. Generally, domestic cats were often brought into Egyptian dwellings, they symbolized the presence of the divine star. Cats were considered as the family protector ; after death, they would be mummified and often placed as ex-votos in the sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Bastet. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Cat Bastet ln Ancient Egypt, the goddess Bastet, represented as a female cat, was venerated at Bubastis, in the Delta.
ln reality, Bastet was a sweeter version of the goddess Sekhmet who every year left the land of Egypt in the form of a lioness, becoming the distant goddess, only to return during the rainy season appeased and transfigured in the form of a cat. Generally, domestic cats were often brought into Egyptian dwellings, they symbolized the presence of the divine star. Cats were considered as the family protector ; after death, they would be mummified and often placed as ex-votos in the sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Bastet. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5877/priest-in-prayer.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5877/priest-in-prayer.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:43:30 +0000 Despite the great diversity in the forms of divinity, there is, in reality, only one purpose : it is to express the immense complexity of the creator.

However, the Egyptian cult, which was celebrated in great mystery in numerous sanctuaries, shows a similarity in the rituals that clearly proves the identity of the forms of the demiurge.

Whether this sculpture is of a priest or a donor, the small worshipper in bronze reflects the fervour of the ancient Egyptians, the most religious of all peoples.

His head is shaven, perhaps for ritual purity. He is wearing a simple skirt with a pleated front flap. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Priest in Prayer Despite the great diversity in the forms of divinity, there is, in reality, only one purpose : it is to express the immense complexity of the creator.

However, the Egyptian cult, which was celebrated in great mystery in numerous sanctuaries, shows a similarity in the rituals that clearly proves the identity of the forms of the demiurge.

Whether this sculpture is of a priest or a donor, the small worshipper in bronze reflects the fervour of the ancient Egyptians, the most religious of all peoples.

His head is shaven, perhaps for ritual purity. He is wearing a simple skirt with a pleated front flap. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5876/the-rosetta-stone.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5876/the-rosetta-stone.html www@artquid.com (British Museum (London)) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:43:57 +0000 This is the reproduction of the stone discovered in 1799 by a soldier in Napoleon's army named Pierre-François Xavier Bouchard.

On Napoleon's defeat, the stone became the property of the English under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria (1801) along with other antiquities that the French had found.

A decree is engraved on the stone three times, in hieroglyphic (suitable for a priestly decree), demotic (the native script used for daily purposes), and Greek (the language of the administration).

The French scholar Jean-François Champollion then realized that hieroglyphs recorded the sound of the Egyptian language and laid the foundations of our knowledge of ancient Egyptian language and culture. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) The Rosetta Stone This is the reproduction of the stone discovered in 1799 by a soldier in Napoleon's army named Pierre-François Xavier Bouchard.

On Napoleon's defeat, the stone became the property of the English under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria (1801) along with other antiquities that the French had found.

A decree is engraved on the stone three times, in hieroglyphic (suitable for a priestly decree), demotic (the native script used for daily purposes), and Greek (the language of the administration).

The French scholar Jean-François Champollion then realized that hieroglyphs recorded the sound of the Egyptian language and laid the foundations of our knowledge of ancient Egyptian language and culture. ]]> British Museum (London) Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5871/scribe-iay.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5871/scribe-iay.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:44:22 +0000 Lay, a high ranking official of the Pharaon (Chief of the Double Treasure), is seated cross-legged in the well-known position of a scribe.

In his left hand, he holds a papyrus unrolled over his knees, showing the list of funerary offerings. He wears a large wig, which leaves his ears uncovered, and a short belt-less skirt tied simply at the waist with a knot.

The first portrayals of seated scribes go back to the 4th Dynasty (around 2620-2500 BC). At that time they were princes of royal blood but officials gradually adopted this position.

The scribe is he who knows how to read and write, who uses divine words (the Egyptian term for hieroglyphs), he is the one who imposes taxes, who receives them, who draws up inventories of everything that exists, in short, he has the most important and best of professions. It is also thanks to scribes that Egyptian literature is known. Their patron is Thot. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Scribe Iay Lay, a high ranking official of the Pharaon (Chief of the Double Treasure), is seated cross-legged in the well-known position of a scribe.

In his left hand, he holds a papyrus unrolled over his knees, showing the list of funerary offerings. He wears a large wig, which leaves his ears uncovered, and a short belt-less skirt tied simply at the waist with a knot.

The first portrayals of seated scribes go back to the 4th Dynasty (around 2620-2500 BC). At that time they were princes of royal blood but officials gradually adopted this position.

The scribe is he who knows how to read and write, who uses divine words (the Egyptian term for hieroglyphs), he is the one who imposes taxes, who receives them, who draws up inventories of everything that exists, in short, he has the most important and best of professions. It is also thanks to scribes that Egyptian literature is known. Their patron is Thot. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5870/head-of-tutankhamun.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5870/head-of-tutankhamun.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:44:38 +0000 This beautiful head wears a large wig that leaves the ears uncovered and bears on the forehead the erect cobra «uraeus» decoration.

The back part of the head has been mutilated; however, the well-conserved face with its soft modelling and well-drawn features is of great elegance.

Based on the style, it may be attributed to reign of Tutankhamun ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Head of Tutankhamun This beautiful head wears a large wig that leaves the ears uncovered and bears on the forehead the erect cobra «uraeus» decoration.

The back part of the head has been mutilated; however, the well-conserved face with its soft modelling and well-drawn features is of great elegance.

Based on the style, it may be attributed to reign of Tutankhamun ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5869/bastet.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5869/bastet.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:44:53 +0000 The cat goddess Bastet may be represented as a standing woman with the head of a cat or a stately seated cat nursing her young.

A domesticated form of the ferocious lion goddess Sekhmet, she assumed the form of a cat around 900-600 B.C. and thus became the mistress of the house and the lady of motherhood.

Her cult flourished during the 22nd dynasty, owing to the Libyan sovereigns who lived in her city of Bubastis in the Nile Delta. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Bastet The cat goddess Bastet may be represented as a standing woman with the head of a cat or a stately seated cat nursing her young.

A domesticated form of the ferocious lion goddess Sekhmet, she assumed the form of a cat around 900-600 B.C. and thus became the mistress of the house and the lady of motherhood.

Her cult flourished during the 22nd dynasty, owing to the Libyan sovereigns who lived in her city of Bubastis in the Nile Delta. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5868/horus-as-a-falcon.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5868/horus-as-a-falcon.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:45:12 +0000 This figurine represents the god Horus in the form of a falcon wearing a pschent, the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, worn by pharaohs and certain gods.

An inscription is engraved on the base naming the god :

Horus, Son of Isis, and Horus in the Marshes.

Horus also appears as a man with the head of a falcon. As a falcon, he is the great god of the sky, and his eyes are the sun and the moon. He is also the sun god, under the name of Re-Horakhty. A very ancient god of Hierakopolis, worshipped since prehistoric times, he is the royal god and protector of the sovereign. Pharaoh is his representative on the throne of Egypt (one of the five names composing the royal title is, in fact, the «Name of Horus»).
Horus is also the posthumous son of Osiris, brought up in the marshes of the Delta by his mother Isis, to protect him from the vengeance of his father's murderer. However, he eventually vanquished the latter and took possession of his rightful heritage. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Horus as a Falcon This figurine represents the god Horus in the form of a falcon wearing a pschent, the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, worn by pharaohs and certain gods.

An inscription is engraved on the base naming the god :

Horus, Son of Isis, and Horus in the Marshes.

Horus also appears as a man with the head of a falcon. As a falcon, he is the great god of the sky, and his eyes are the sun and the moon. He is also the sun god, under the name of Re-Horakhty. A very ancient god of Hierakopolis, worshipped since prehistoric times, he is the royal god and protector of the sovereign. Pharaoh is his representative on the throne of Egypt (one of the five names composing the royal title is, in fact, the «Name of Horus»).
Horus is also the posthumous son of Osiris, brought up in the marshes of the Delta by his mother Isis, to protect him from the vengeance of his father's murderer. However, he eventually vanquished the latter and took possession of his rightful heritage. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5867/swimmer-spoon.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5867/swimmer-spoon.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:45:29 +0000 This toiletry item, which belongs to a well-known group of spoons with a swimmer, probably served as an tomb offering.

The graceful young women adorned with jewels and wig reflects all the refinement of the 18th dynasty.
The spoon that she holds in her extended arms is decorated with an aquatic motif evoking the life-giving freshness of water and vegetation, which may have been a guarantee of eternal youth. ]]> European Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Swimmer Spoon This toiletry item, which belongs to a well-known group of spoons with a swimmer, probably served as an tomb offering.

The graceful young women adorned with jewels and wig reflects all the refinement of the 18th dynasty.
The spoon that she holds in her extended arms is decorated with an aquatic motif evoking the life-giving freshness of water and vegetation, which may have been a guarantee of eternal youth. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum European Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5866/lady-tuy.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5866/lady-tuy.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:45:46 +0000 This reproduction is inspired by a statuette portraying an elegant lady of the Amenophis III period.

She is dressed in a smooth, simple tunic which conceals her ankles but hugs her body.

A discreet and delicately pleated shawl is draped over her shoulders. A heavy, finely braided wig frames her face and covers her shoulders.

This contrast between headdress and clothing was a canon of elegance during that period.

Dresses often hugged the body in a revealing way or, on the contrary, enveloped it in a plethora of refined decoration. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Lady Tuy This reproduction is inspired by a statuette portraying an elegant lady of the Amenophis III period.

She is dressed in a smooth, simple tunic which conceals her ankles but hugs her body.

A discreet and delicately pleated shawl is draped over her shoulders. A heavy, finely braided wig frames her face and covers her shoulders.

This contrast between headdress and clothing was a canon of elegance during that period.

Dresses often hugged the body in a revealing way or, on the contrary, enveloped it in a plethora of refined decoration. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5865/head-of-nefertiti.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5865/head-of-nefertiti.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:46:03 +0000 Nefertiti is the beautiful and mysterious wife of the pharoah Akhnaton. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Head of Nefertiti Nefertiti is the beautiful and mysterious wife of the pharoah Akhnaton. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5864/torso-of-queen-nefertiti.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5864/torso-of-queen-nefertiti.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:46:22 +0000 This is one of the rare cult statues associated with Nefertiti.

Far from the usual clichés representing the beautiful, mysterious wife of the pharoah Akhnaton by her face alone, this suggestive work probably shows her advancing toward Aton, the one god of her husband's monotheistic religion, with her eyes closed and her right hand raised in a sign of respect. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Torso of Queen Nefertiti This is one of the rare cult statues associated with Nefertiti.

Far from the usual clichés representing the beautiful, mysterious wife of the pharoah Akhnaton by her face alone, this suggestive work probably shows her advancing toward Aton, the one god of her husband's monotheistic religion, with her eyes closed and her right hand raised in a sign of respect. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5863/egyptian-mirror.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5863/egyptian-mirror.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:47:01 +0000 Egyptian art was also represented by modest objects of daily use. The craftsmanship of these items reveals a degree of perfection equally found in temples and sculptures.

Belonging to the cosmetic set of a stylish Egyptian woman, this small mirror is made of a bronze disk set in a delicately incised handle. This feature represents a female nude wearing a high wig and necklace. Her left arm is bent in a gracious gesture as she holds a bird against her breast.

This is the “profane” counterpart to the classical sacred decoration for the handle of a mirror, the subject which most often presents the face of the goddess Hathor.

Be carefull: the mirror is varnished with a protective coat that might be scratched. Do not touch it with fingers. Clean only with a soft cloth. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Egyptian Mirror Egyptian art was also represented by modest objects of daily use. The craftsmanship of these items reveals a degree of perfection equally found in temples and sculptures.

Belonging to the cosmetic set of a stylish Egyptian woman, this small mirror is made of a bronze disk set in a delicately incised handle. This feature represents a female nude wearing a high wig and necklace. Her left arm is bent in a gracious gesture as she holds a bird against her breast.

This is the “profane” counterpart to the classical sacred decoration for the handle of a mirror, the subject which most often presents the face of the goddess Hathor.

Be carefull: the mirror is varnished with a protective coat that might be scratched. Do not touch it with fingers. Clean only with a soft cloth. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5862/scribe-nakhtsebek.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5862/scribe-nakhtsebek.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:47:18 +0000 This small statuette portrays a priest by the name of Nakhtsebek, in the attitude of a scribe, a figure that was always in favour during all the periods of Pharaonic Egypt.

He is seated on a small base, the left leg raised in front of him, the right one folded on the ground. His left hand is placed flat on his knee while his clenched right hand probably once held a reed pen.

A papyrus is unrolled on his short pagne. It has an engraved inscription of his name and title, identifying him as the son of Imy.
He is wearing the kind of curly wig that was very popular during the 18th dynasty.

It is composed of a cap of thick locks of hair, arranged in layers and parted into two wavy bunches on each side of the face. In addition to the inscriptions on the papyrus, formulas for offerings are engraved around the base ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Scribe Nakhtsebek This small statuette portrays a priest by the name of Nakhtsebek, in the attitude of a scribe, a figure that was always in favour during all the periods of Pharaonic Egypt.

He is seated on a small base, the left leg raised in front of him, the right one folded on the ground. His left hand is placed flat on his knee while his clenched right hand probably once held a reed pen.

A papyrus is unrolled on his short pagne. It has an engraved inscription of his name and title, identifying him as the son of Imy.
He is wearing the kind of curly wig that was very popular during the 18th dynasty.

It is composed of a cap of thick locks of hair, arranged in layers and parted into two wavy bunches on each side of the face. In addition to the inscriptions on the papyrus, formulas for offerings are engraved around the base ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5861/fragment-of-a-face-of-amon-re.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5861/fragment-of-a-face-of-amon-re.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:40:30 +0000 This replica made of resin is the reproduction of a Amon Ré fragment face, Egypte 1295-1069 J.C.

This fragment from a statue shows the face of a male divinity, the chin adorned with a braided beard attached by straps. The very fine and regular features of the face reflect the artistic quality of the statue it once belonged to.

The top of the wide-open eyes is outlined with a protruding rim, prolonged by a strip of make-up in relief.

The eyebrows, also treated in relief, are harmoniously arched. The finely modelled mouth gives a hint of a smile.

This face belongs to a group of statues, at present in the Museum of Cairo, several fragments of which were found in the temple of Amon-Re in Karnak. This group portrays the great dynastic god Amon-Re and the goddess Mut who is associated with him. They were seated on each side of a small effigy of a standing king, probably Sethi I. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Fragment of a Face of Amon Re This replica made of resin is the reproduction of a Amon Ré fragment face, Egypte 1295-1069 J.C.

This fragment from a statue shows the face of a male divinity, the chin adorned with a braided beard attached by straps. The very fine and regular features of the face reflect the artistic quality of the statue it once belonged to.

The top of the wide-open eyes is outlined with a protruding rim, prolonged by a strip of make-up in relief.

The eyebrows, also treated in relief, are harmoniously arched. The finely modelled mouth gives a hint of a smile.

This face belongs to a group of statues, at present in the Museum of Cairo, several fragments of which were found in the temple of Amon-Re in Karnak. This group portrays the great dynastic god Amon-Re and the goddess Mut who is associated with him. They were seated on each side of a small effigy of a standing king, probably Sethi I. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5860/cubic-twenty-face-and-twelve-face.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5860/cubic-twenty-face-and-twelve-face.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:40:20 +0000 Two traditions relate the invention of the dice-cubos in Greek, alea in Latin, the first recorded by Pausanias (Phoc. XXXI) and attributing it to the Greek Palamedes, the second going back to pharaonic Egypt and attested by archaeological discoveries, although rather scarcely.

As for knucklebones, rolls of the dice carried particular denominations : the Felicious, the Ennemy, the Bitting, the Lacedemonians.

As games, rules were most varied. They could be set at the beginning of the play, the different players defining the aim of the game before rolling them : getting the highest or the lowest total, draw certain figures. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Cubic twenty-face and twelve-face Two traditions relate the invention of the dice-cubos in Greek, alea in Latin, the first recorded by Pausanias (Phoc. XXXI) and attributing it to the Greek Palamedes, the second going back to pharaonic Egypt and attested by archaeological discoveries, although rather scarcely.

As for knucklebones, rolls of the dice carried particular denominations : the Felicious, the Ennemy, the Bitting, the Lacedemonians.

As games, rules were most varied. They could be set at the beginning of the play, the different players defining the aim of the game before rolling them : getting the highest or the lowest total, draw certain figures. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5859/scribe-nebmertouf-and-god-thot.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5859/scribe-nebmertouf-and-god-thot.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:39:59 +0000 Hands wisely posed on the knees, a monkey baboon is perched on a small base. It would be sacrilege to confuse it with a familiar animal.

This monkey is one of the shapes of the Thot god, owner of the scribes.
It is what points out to us the table of offering placed at the bottom of its pedestal and the attitude of the scribe, humbly sitted with its feet.
It unrolls a papyrus registered on its knees and curve the head as a sign of devotion; the inscription which runs all around this small group consists of invocations with Thot, “Main of the divine words”, for the benefit of the scribe, whose titles are enumerated. It is a very high-ranking person, named Nebmertouf,priest, archivist and royal scribe having the rank of minister. Aménophis III, its sovereign, he granted the badge favour to be represented at its sides on the walls of the temple of Soleb. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Scribe Nebmertouf and god Thot Hands wisely posed on the knees, a monkey baboon is perched on a small base. It would be sacrilege to confuse it with a familiar animal.

This monkey is one of the shapes of the Thot god, owner of the scribes.
It is what points out to us the table of offering placed at the bottom of its pedestal and the attitude of the scribe, humbly sitted with its feet.
It unrolls a papyrus registered on its knees and curve the head as a sign of devotion; the inscription which runs all around this small group consists of invocations with Thot, “Main of the divine words”, for the benefit of the scribe, whose titles are enumerated. It is a very high-ranking person, named Nebmertouf,priest, archivist and royal scribe having the rank of minister. Aménophis III, its sovereign, he granted the badge favour to be represented at its sides on the walls of the temple of Soleb. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5858/cat-of-the-godness-bastet.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5858/cat-of-the-godness-bastet.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:39:43 +0000 The cat-godness Bastet was the object of a widespread cult in Ancient Egypt. A domesticated version of the ferocious lion-goddess Sekhmet, she was represented in two forms:

- as a cat-headed woman holding a small basket in one hand, a sistrum in the other, and an aegis under her breast

- as a seated she-cat, with her tail wrapped around her front right paw, her ears pricked up and adorned with golden earrings, and a beetle on her head. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Cat of the Godness Bastet The cat-godness Bastet was the object of a widespread cult in Ancient Egypt. A domesticated version of the ferocious lion-goddess Sekhmet, she was represented in two forms:

- as a cat-headed woman holding a small basket in one hand, a sistrum in the other, and an aegis under her breast

- as a seated she-cat, with her tail wrapped around her front right paw, her ears pricked up and adorned with golden earrings, and a beetle on her head. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5857/bennebensekhauf-s-pyramidion.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5857/bennebensekhauf-s-pyramidion.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:39:28 +0000 The pyramidion, originally placed on the top of the small pyramid over the tomb of the owner, was an important feature of the funerary cult practiced by ancient Egyptians.

The four faces of this example are engraved with prayers to permit the deceased to share the fate of the sun, that is to say eternal renaissance, in the next world.

This particular pyramidion comes from the tomb of an important member of the Theban clergy during the 21st Dynasty, around 1000 BC. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Bennebensekhauf's pyramidion The pyramidion, originally placed on the top of the small pyramid over the tomb of the owner, was an important feature of the funerary cult practiced by ancient Egyptians.

The four faces of this example are engraved with prayers to permit the deceased to share the fate of the sun, that is to say eternal renaissance, in the next world.

This particular pyramidion comes from the tomb of an important member of the Theban clergy during the 21st Dynasty, around 1000 BC. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5856/nefertiti-s-daughter.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5856/nefertiti-s-daughter.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:39:07 +0000 This head of a princess, sculpted in limestone, has a youthful attraction and smiling grace.
Her very fine face is framed by a short wig, from which hangs a heavy ponytail.

The perfect contours of this head indicate that it probably belongs to the end of the reign of Amenophis IV (Akhenaton), from 1370 to 1352 B.C. ]]> Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Nefertiti's daughter This head of a princess, sculpted in limestone, has a youthful attraction and smiling grace.
Her very fine face is framed by a short wig, from which hangs a heavy ponytail.

The perfect contours of this head indicate that it probably belongs to the end of the reign of Amenophis IV (Akhenaton), from 1370 to 1352 B.C. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum Egyptian Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5837/motherhood.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5837/motherhood.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:05:00 +0000 Maternity comes at the very beginning of the career of sculptress Chana Orloff (1888-1968).

Arriving in Paris from her native Ukraine in 1910, she created her first major works by 1912, with the stylized forms, fluid line, and simplified volumes that were to be her signature style.
This mother figure, with its infinite tenderness, elevates the joy of motherhood to a universal symbol. ]]> European Arts - XIXth Motherhood Maternity comes at the very beginning of the career of sculptress Chana Orloff (1888-1968).

Arriving in Paris from her native Ukraine in 1910, she created her first major works by 1912, with the stylized forms, fluid line, and simplified volumes that were to be her signature style.
This mother figure, with its infinite tenderness, elevates the joy of motherhood to a universal symbol. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum European Arts - XIXth http://en.artquid.com/objet/5836/captive-negress-carpeaux.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5836/captive-negress-carpeaux.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:04:43 +0000 In 1867, while Carpeaux had finished decorating the Pavillon de Flore at the Louvre and creating at the Opera his masterwork, The Dance, he was commissioned by the city of Paris to design the fountain of the Observatoire.
The given theme, the four cardinal points, did not inspire him very much for he did not care to repeat one more time a configuration of back to back caryatids supporting a globe.

Referring to the rotation of the earth, he thought up of figures pivoting upon themselves, an idea which led him to evoke the world's many different ethnic peoples.
The abolition of slavery in 1848 had prompted great enthusiasm.
The sculptor Charles Cordier exhibited at the 1848 Salon the superb bust of black man, that was followed by many others : in 1861 for example, his bust entitled «Capresse des Colonies» was presented at the Louvre and acquired by Napoleon III.
It is believed that the same model was to pose for Carpeaux some nine years later. Upon studying for the fountain project, he created the bust-portraits of «The Negress», «The Chinese Lady» and «The European Lady». The marble bust of the «Captive Negress», exhibited at the Salon in 1869, was purchased by the Emperor and put in the Château de Saint-Cloud.
Carpeaux maintained the ownership of the model which he edited many times, in various materials (marble, bronze, terracotta, plaster).
The Sèvres Manufactory put out an unglazed porcelain version of the bust.
The celebrity of the work was due to the beauty of the expression.
Carpeaux put his knowledge of movement at the service of his imagination. Tied up, she remains motionless except for the neck, the face and the hair which manage to break away from her captivity. The diagonal torsion implies the inner revolt contained in the simple question : Why be born a slave ? ]]> European Arts - XIXth Captive Negress Carpeaux In 1867, while Carpeaux had finished decorating the Pavillon de Flore at the Louvre and creating at the Opera his masterwork, The Dance, he was commissioned by the city of Paris to design the fountain of the Observatoire.
The given theme, the four cardinal points, did not inspire him very much for he did not care to repeat one more time a configuration of back to back caryatids supporting a globe.

Referring to the rotation of the earth, he thought up of figures pivoting upon themselves, an idea which led him to evoke the world's many different ethnic peoples.
The abolition of slavery in 1848 had prompted great enthusiasm.
The sculptor Charles Cordier exhibited at the 1848 Salon the superb bust of black man, that was followed by many others : in 1861 for example, his bust entitled «Capresse des Colonies» was presented at the Louvre and acquired by Napoleon III.
It is believed that the same model was to pose for Carpeaux some nine years later. Upon studying for the fountain project, he created the bust-portraits of «The Negress», «The Chinese Lady» and «The European Lady». The marble bust of the «Captive Negress», exhibited at the Salon in 1869, was purchased by the Emperor and put in the Château de Saint-Cloud.
Carpeaux maintained the ownership of the model which he edited many times, in various materials (marble, bronze, terracotta, plaster).
The Sèvres Manufactory put out an unglazed porcelain version of the bust.
The celebrity of the work was due to the beauty of the expression.
Carpeaux put his knowledge of movement at the service of his imagination. Tied up, she remains motionless except for the neck, the face and the hair which manage to break away from her captivity. The diagonal torsion implies the inner revolt contained in the simple question : Why be born a slave ? ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum European Arts - XIXth http://en.artquid.com/objet/5835/virgin-from-valmont.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5835/virgin-from-valmont.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:04:28 +0000 This reproduction made of resin is inspired by a statue from the Abbaye de Valmont. ]]> European Arts - Middle-Ages (V-XVth) Virgin from Valmont This reproduction made of resin is inspired by a statue from the Abbaye de Valmont. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum European Arts - Middle-Ages (V-XVth) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5834/venus-from-lespugue.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5834/venus-from-lespugue.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:48:36 +0000 This is the reproduction of a statuette of a woman in mammoth ivory discovered in 1922 by R. and S. de Saint-Périer in the Grotte des Rideaux, at Lespugue in the Haute-Garonne.
Measuring 147 mm, it was broken at the time of discovery.

It comes from an Upper Perigordian level, the age of which can be estimated at approximately 21000 B.C. This object is part of the collection belonging to the Musée de l'Homme. ]]> European Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) Venus from Lespugue This is the reproduction of a statuette of a woman in mammoth ivory discovered in 1922 by R. and S. de Saint-Périer in the Grotte des Rideaux, at Lespugue in the Haute-Garonne.
Measuring 147 mm, it was broken at the time of discovery.

It comes from an Upper Perigordian level, the age of which can be estimated at approximately 21000 B.C. This object is part of the collection belonging to the Musée de l'Homme. ]]> The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum European Arts - Antiquity (Vth before JC-Vth after JC) http://en.artquid.com/objet/5833/study-of-a-hand.html http://en.artquid.com/objet/5833/study-of-a-hand.html www@artquid.com (The Casting Workshop at the Louvre Museum) Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:46:43 +0000 Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) was constantly modeling clay in his studio. He thus gave form to hundreds of bodies, arms, busts, or hands, assembling a vast reserve of shapes for works to come. This hand with its delicate and nervous fingers, was one of them. ]]> European Arts - XIXth Study of a hand Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) was constantly modeling clay in his studio. He thus gave form to hundreds of bodies, arms, busts, or hands, assembling a vast reserve of shapes for works to come. This hand with its delicate and nervous fingers, was one of them. ]]>