Egyptian and Greek Art

These examples of Roman and Egyptian artworks both say a lot about their respective cultures. The Roman sculpture on the left depicts a young Hercules, the son of the god Zeus and a mortal named Alcmene, who is known for his feats of strength and bravery. It is made of marble and is 8 ft. tall. It portrays the recurring theme of physical beauty and perfection that the Greeks and Romans valued. The relaxed pose, realism, and almost dynamic qualties are also archetypal of art from those two cultures. 

The Egyptian sculpture on the left is a ka statue of the pharaoh Hor which is made of wood. This statue, like many Egyptian artworks, served a religious purpose. Ka statues are meant to house and protect the ka (life force) of a person after death. This statue also displays the typical pose of Egyptian sculptures of pharaohs that represents the strength of the royalty.

While the sculptures look very different and served different purposes, they both show what the people of the ancient empires of Rome and Egypt valued. They both cherished strength and the elegance of the human body.