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| Semester | spring semester 2023 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Alexis Den Doncker (alexis.dendoncker@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The Colloquium "'Portaits' - Imaging Identity: Artist - Client - Beholder" is the second edition of a workshop that took place in 2017 at the Reiss-Engelhorn Museen, Mannheim, organised by Dr. Gabriele Pieke. The aim of this workshop is to gather experts in ancient Egyptian art history and foster in-depth discussions on various topics related to the study of ancient Egyptian art, somehow outside the traditional boundaries of archaeological vs. philological studies. The participants are invited to present ongoing researches more than definite results with a view to stimulating encounters and thorough discussions with and among their colleagues. Moreover, they are asked to send specifically long abstracts in advance to prepare their colleagues to the discussions, so that they are already acquainted with the material evidence, etc. This second edition of the workshop will be held at the University of Basel from 8-10 June 2023. Taking into account the relationships that ancient Egyptian art pieces—or objects—share with their original commissioner, creator and beholder (= the topic of the first edition), the discussions will focus on the complex issue of portraits, from two- and three- dimensional representations (tomb decoration, temple reliefs, sculpture, etc.). In this regard, problems related to strategies of self-presentation will be addressed, questioning notions such as type, style, realism vs. idealism, mimetics vs. semiotics. As the concept of portrait is still often tied to realistic and naturalistic depictions (cf. Fayum portraits), one of the possible outcomes of the discussion will be to test how this term can be relevant to Pharaonic art production as it has long been the source of disagreement among the scientific community. |
| Learning objectives | The aim of the course is to introduce the students to real-life scientific discussions among scholars, that is, outside the formal aspect of indirect communication via publications: how theories, notions, concepts, are raised, disputed, supported, ruled out, with or without material evidence, thus according to epistemological denominations, theoretical allegiances, etc. In order to provide the students with sufficient background so as to make them able to follow the discussions and perceive their scientific challenges, two preparatory sessions will be held in class before the Colloquium on 19 April and 3 May 2023. These two sessions will consist of an introduction to questions of typology, style and self-fashioning in Egyptian art. |
| Bibliography | S.-A. ASHTON & D. SPANEL, "Portraiture", in The Oxford encyclopedia of ancient Egypt, Vol. 3, pp. 55-59. Oxford and New York. J. ASSMANN, "Presentation and Preservation of Self in Ancient Egyptian Portraiture", in P. D. MANUELIAN (ed.), Studies in Honor of William Kelly Simpson I, Boston, 1996, pp. 55-81. Rita FREED, "Another look at the sculpture of Amenemhat III", Revue d'Égyptologie 53, pp. 103-136. Fr. JUNGE, "Versuch zu einer Ästhetik der ägyptischen Kunst", in M. EATON-KRAUSS & E. GRAEFE (eds), Studien zur ägyptischen Kunstgeschichte, Hildesheimer Ägyptologische Beiträge 29, pp. 1-38. –––––, "Hem-iunu, Anch-ha-ef und die sog. “Ersatzköpfe”", in Kunst des Alten Reiches: Symposium im Deutschen Archäologischen Institut Kairo am 29. und 30. Oktober 1991, SDAIK 28, Mainz, pp. 103-109. R. KRAUSS, "Les representations de Néfertiti et Akhénaton sont-elles réalistes ?", in M. GABOLDE (ed.), Akhénaton et l’époque amarnienne, Bibliothèque d’Égypte, Afrique & Orient, Paris, pp. 135-144. D. LABOURY, La statuaire de Thoutmosis III. Essai d’interprétation d’un portrait royal dans son contexte historique, AegLeod 5, Liège, 1998. –––––, "Le portrait royal sous Sésostris III et Amenemhat III. Un défi pour les historiens de l’art égyptien", in Égypte, Afrique & Orient 30 (2003), pp. 55-64. –––––, "Réflexions sur le portrait royal et son fonctionnement dans l’Égypte pharaonique", in Ktema 2009 –––––, "Royal portrait and ideology: Evolution and signification of the statuary of Thutmose III", in E. Cline & D. O'CONNOR (eds), Thutmose III: A New Biography, Ann Arbor, 2006, pp. 260-291. –––––, "Portrait versus Ideal Image", in UCLA Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Los Angeles, 2010 (online) –––––, “Senwosret III and the Issue of Portraiture in Ancient Egyptian Art”, in CRIPEL 31 (2017), pp. 71-84. –––––, “On Atenist ‘Realism’: Virtual Reality, the Ancient Egyptian Way”, in S. CONNOR & D. LABOURY (eds.), Tutankhamun. Discovering the Forgotten Pharaoh, AegLeod 12, Liège, 2020, pp. 166-169. M. MÜLLER, "Die Königplastik des Mittleren Reiches und ihre Schöpfer. Reden über Statuen—Wenn Statuen reden", in Imago Aegypti 1 (2006), pp. 27-78. F. POLZ, "Die Bildnisse Sesostris’ III. und Amenemhets’ III.: Bemerkungen zur königlichen Rundplastik der späten 12. Dynastie", in MDAIK 51, pp. 227-254. D. SPANEL, Through ancient eyes: Egyptian portraiture: An exhibition organized for the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, Alabama, April 21 - July 31, 1988, Seattle, 1988. H. SOUROUZIAN, "La statue d’Amenhotep fils de Hapou, âgé, un chef d’œuvre de la XVIIIe dynastie", MDAIK 47 (1991), pp. 341-355. R. TEFNIN, La statuaire d’Hatshepsout. Portrait royal et politique sous la 18e dynastie, MonAeg 4, Brussels, 1979. –––––, Art et magie au temps des pyramides. L’énigme des têtes dites de « remplacement », MonAeg 5, Brussels, 1991. –––––, "Les yeux et les oreilles du roi", in M. BROZE & Ph. TALON, Dans l’atelier de l’orfèvre. Mélanges offerts à Ph. Derchain, Leuven, pp. 148-156. Cl. VANDERSLEYEN, « Porträt », in LÄ 4, Wiesbaden, 1982, coll. 1074-1080. D. WILDUNG, Sesostris und Amenemhet: Ägypten im Mittleren Reich, Munich, 1984. |
| Comments | Die Veranstaltung findet im Hörsaal 101 in der Alten Universität statt (8.-10. Juni 2023) Die zwei preparatory sessions finden in Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 statt (19. April und 3. Mai 2023) |
| Course application | The aim of the course is to introduce the students to real-life scientific discussions among scholars, that is, outside the formal aspect of indirect communication via publications: how theories, notions, concepts, are raised, disputed, supported, ruled out, with or without material evidence, thus according to epistemological denominations, theoretical allegiances, etc. In order to provide the students with sufficient background so as to make them able to follow the discussions and perceive their scientific challenges, two preparatory sessions will be held in class before the Colloquium on 19 April and 3 May 2023. These two sessions will consist of an introduction to questions of typology, style and self-fashioning in Egyptian art. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block | See individual dates | ||
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 19.04.2023 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Wednesday 03.05.2023 | 10.15-11.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 08.06.2023 | 09.00-18.00 | Hörsall 101 Alte Universität, -- |
| Friday 09.06.2023 | 09.00-18.00 | Hörsall 101 Alte Universität, -- |
| Saturday 10.06.2023 | 09.00-18.00 | Hörsall 101 Alte Universität, -- |
| Modules |
Modul: Aktuelle Forschung der Ägyptologie (Master's degree program: Archaeology and Archaeological Science) Modul: Aktuelle Forschung der Ägyptologie (Master's degree subject: Egyptology) Modul: Themen der altägyptischen Kulturgeschichte (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Themen der altägyptischen Kulturgeschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Vertiefung altägyptischer Kulturgeschichte (Master's degree program: Archaeology and Archaeological Science) Modul: Vertiefung altägyptischer Kulturgeschichte (Master's degree subject: Egyptology) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | The students will be asked to submit a report after the Colloquium, stressing out what they will have learnt from the discussions with a focus on their theoretical aspects. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Ägyptologie |