Of all the pharaohs who ruled ancient Egypt, there is one in particular that stands out from the rest. Over the course of his 17-year reign (1353-1336 BCE), Akhenaten spearheaded a cultural, religious, and artistic revolution that rattled the country, throwing thousands of years of tradition out the window and imposing a new world order. After his death his name was omitted from the king lists, his images desecrated and destroyed. From the surviving fragments of evidence, Egyptologists have pieced together the story of his life and reign, a period of spiritual upheaval and experimentation unlike any other in Egyptian history. Under his supervision, Egyptian art underwent a monumental transformation, with centuries of rigid convention abandoned in favor of a new, highly stylized artistic approach imbued with divine meaning.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1110/the-art-of-the-amarna-period/.
Join the Conversation
- Why do you think Akhenaten wanted art to show him in such a different way?
- Do you think the Amarna art style was more about religion or politics?
- How do you think ordinary Egyptians felt when the old gods were replaced by the royal family?
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