Egyptian Art - Did they really walk like that?
Egyptian
art is unique in its approach to visual representation. It follows
a set of canons or strict rules that cover a span of 3500 years.
Ancient Egyptians knew nothing about mathematical perspective, but
then again, no one else did. Perspective in art is a Renaissance
discovery.
Ancient Egyptian art had to do more than just please the eye of the beholder. It had to be informative. Few people could actually read or write, so images had to convey information about a character's importance and activities. For example, pharaohs and gods were always the largest figures in the composition. Their postures were also much more formal and angular to show their social status. Their expression was also emotionless for the same reason. This approach to representing a character's importance in society is called hieratism.
