In this blog post, we will examine how the principle of frontality used in New Kingdom Egyptian wall paintings expressed the aspiration for eternal life.
‘New Kingdom Egyptian wall paintings’ are completely different from Greek art. Figures depicted in Egyptian murals and paintings typically have their heads turned to the side, their upper bodies facing forward, and their feet turned to the side. Scholars refer to this unique style of depiction as the “principle of frontality.” What is the purpose of this principle? It aims to convey the form of an object as completely as possible by depicting it from the angle that most clearly reveals its characteristics. This was not merely a method of artistic expression but was closely linked to the worldview of the ancient Egyptians.
For instance, just as a human face reveals its features most clearly when viewed from the side, a pond reveals its form most completely when viewed from above, and a fish when viewed lying on its side. Egyptian art was imbued with the intention of expressing the essence of objects by combining these diverse perspectives. Their paintings did not merely seek to reproduce reality but aimed to express the essential. This stands in contrast to the naturalistic approach of Greek art. While Greek art sought to reflect reality as it is, Egyptian art pursued something beyond that.
Viewed in this light, it appears that the Egyptians were more concerned with depicting the essential characteristics of objects in a way that best revealed them, rather than simply drawing them “as they appear” to the eye. To them, the accidental and fleeting movements or postures of a figure held little significance; what mattered was presenting the figure’s essential and unchanging form. What makes Egyptian art even more fascinating is that, in the process of expressing this essence, it offers profound insights into how they actually perceived the world. Their artistic choices were not merely aesthetic decisions but the result of a philosophical and religious worldview.
In that sense, their art can be considered a form of visual abstraction. In abstract paintings, the figure represents not a specific individual but the human being in general. An Egyptian mural depicting the birth of Queen Hatshepsut portrays the newborn queen as a boy. This is because gender is not the essence of a monarch. Just as the concept of a “dog” does not distinguish between my family’s puppy and the neighbor’s Doberman. And just as a specific dog may die but the “concept” of a dog never dies, Egyptian figures seem immortal; they appear to soar toward that eternal world beyond life and death.
Why did the Egyptians choose this mode of depiction? Boringer explains it this way. In a blessed land like Greece, a happy pantheistic affinity develops between humans and nature. In such a context, people develop an “impulse to empathize,” resulting in the development of organic and naturalistic styles, as seen in Greek art. However, in places with a harsh natural environment, such as Egypt, the vast external world constantly instills a sense of inner anxiety in humans. To overcome this anxiety, people develop an “impulse toward abstraction,” resulting in the development of abstract and geometric styles. Along with these environmental factors, the Egyptians chose this style to express their belief systems and religious values. Their art was not merely a reflection of their environment, but a product of inner anxiety and religious faith.
The reason the Egyptians developed abstract styles may not have been solely due to environmental factors. They believed in the resurrection of the soul and thought that for the soul to be resurrected, the body in which it resided must be preserved. That is why they sought to preserve the bodies of the dead as mummies.
For the Egyptians, mummification held a meaning far beyond the mere preservation of a corpse. It symbolized the belief that life continued after death and was regarded as a resting place for the soul in the afterlife. However, since mummies were prone to damage, they were replaced with statues or paintings. At this time, the principle of frontality was adopted as a representational method to preserve the deceased’s body in its complete form within these sculptures or paintings. After all, if one arm were hidden by the torso, that person would have to live forever with only one arm.
Ultimately, in Egyptian art, the principle of frontality was not merely an aesthetic rule, but the result of profound philosophical reflection that mirrored the Egyptians’ religious beliefs and views on life and death. For them, art was not merely for beauty’s sake, but an important tool to ensure eternal life and the continuity of existence. In this context, Egyptian art can be understood as an attempt to express eternal truths that transcend life and death, going beyond mere sculptural activity.
