It’s difficult to sum up America’s fascination with Ancient Egypt. Rather, I’m having difficulty understanding it. It doesn’t seem terribly defined. There has been a long history of interactions between various countries and the ancient land, particularly with Napoleon’s invasions beginning in the very late 1700s and the interior and furniture designs by Thomas Hope. America has been influenced by the culture, but evidence of this seems to be only through tiny, intermittent glimpses -- manifested either through lessons in history or physical characteristics in architecture, furniture and decorative arts. So how much are we really interested?
The most pronounced symbolism of Ancient Egypt is impressed on some of our biggest icons:
The most pronounced symbolism of Ancient Egypt is impressed on some of our biggest icons:
Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool. The obelisk is a symbol of power and erected to commemorate George Washington.
The back of a dollar bill.Does anyone remember years ago looking for hidden visual symbols as signs pointing to devil worshiping? For example, the groups KISS supposedly stood for Knights in Satan’s Service. The band members ate bloody raw meat and stomped on baby kittens while performing on stage in their big, scary spiky boots. I happened to like stake tartar as a kid, my parents allowed me to take nibbles before they threw yet another one of their many cocktail parties. Then they sent my brother and I upstairs not to be seen or make a peep. My classmates told me on the playground that because I ate stake tartar I would turn into a raw meat eating devil worshipper like Gene Simmons and only devil worshipers stomped on baby kittens.
Did RUSH really stand for Ruler’s Under Satan’s Hands? What about the moon and stars logo on the tube of Crest toothpaste? Did that mean everyone at Proctor & Gamble was a devil worshipper? And the eyeball within the triangle on the back of the dollar bill meant the devil was present. We learned in grade school in one of our history classes what it really meant. But I am ashamed to say I can’t remember. All I recall is trying not to make eye contact with the eyeball on the back of a dollar bill because a classmate of mine told me that if I did, the devil would come to me in my sleep and yank me down into the fiery depths of hell.
I remember being sort of relieved when Van Halen’s Runnin’ with the Devil came out because I felt someone was finally coming clean. David Lee Roth wasn’t hiding anything like embedding hidden symbols on a Mr. Clean bottle. He stood up and sang it loud. And in tight pants that I didn’t understand at age ten and I still do not understand it now. I didn’t fully understand what Van Halen was talking about, but I sang along as I rode my blue Schwinn bike with the pink daisy printed banana seat up and down the streets of my neighborhood. I named my bike after another song from the 70s. I also named my guinea pig after a Foreigner song. I didn’t know what the title meant.
This post is about Egyptomania, not Van Halen or even the Black Sabbath album Heaven and Hell -- I was mesmerized by that album cover of the angels smoking and gambling with cards. I almost went on another tangent.
America’s fascination with Ancient Egypt infused the aesthetics of the American elite. Crazy for all things Egyptian hit a peak in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Mark Twain wrote about it. The decorative arts embraced it.
Our American version of the Art Deco style entwined many decorative elements derived from ancient Egyptian architecture. Nefertiti and her graceful long swan-like neck became an ideal of feminine beauty after her painted limestone bust was unearthed in 1912. Then about ten years later, the unspoiled tomb of Tutankhamen was opened. Architecture, furniture, silver, clocks, jewelry, clothing… all were stylistically influenced. It made a huge impact in America.
Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" (1956), starring Charlton Heston and Yul Bryneer, and "Cleopatra" (1963), starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were big hits. The Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas and the pyramid of glass and steel of the Louvre were inspired by Ancient Egypt.
But what about today? Ancient Egypt seems to be the perfect scenario for artistic imagery, especially through our busy, overwhelmed, over medicated, bleary and irritated eyes. It was a remote and vast desert land. Scarcely populated by exotic people amidst powerful monumental structures at the banks of a mystical river whose source offered answers to the unknown. What isn’t to love? Why don’t we see more of an influence?
Would anyone care to include any of these items in their own homes?
This post is about Egyptomania, not Van Halen or even the Black Sabbath album Heaven and Hell -- I was mesmerized by that album cover of the angels smoking and gambling with cards. I almost went on another tangent.
America’s fascination with Ancient Egypt infused the aesthetics of the American elite. Crazy for all things Egyptian hit a peak in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Mark Twain wrote about it. The decorative arts embraced it.
Our American version of the Art Deco style entwined many decorative elements derived from ancient Egyptian architecture. Nefertiti and her graceful long swan-like neck became an ideal of feminine beauty after her painted limestone bust was unearthed in 1912. Then about ten years later, the unspoiled tomb of Tutankhamen was opened. Architecture, furniture, silver, clocks, jewelry, clothing… all were stylistically influenced. It made a huge impact in America.
Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" (1956), starring Charlton Heston and Yul Bryneer, and "Cleopatra" (1963), starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were big hits. The Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas and the pyramid of glass and steel of the Louvre were inspired by Ancient Egypt.
But what about today? Ancient Egypt seems to be the perfect scenario for artistic imagery, especially through our busy, overwhelmed, over medicated, bleary and irritated eyes. It was a remote and vast desert land. Scarcely populated by exotic people amidst powerful monumental structures at the banks of a mystical river whose source offered answers to the unknown. What isn’t to love? Why don’t we see more of an influence?
Would anyone care to include any of these items in their own homes?
This circa 1930 parcel gilt with ivory-inlaid rosewood daybed in your living room, perhaps? It sold a while back, 2003, at Northeast auctions for quite a bit...
An Egyptian revival bone inlaid vanity bench from James D. Julia Auctions, January 2004, at the end of a bed?
This French clock garniture on top of a fireplace mantel? It has brass sphinxes and matching pair of obelisks. The set sold at the September 2008 auction of Wiederseim Associates Inc.
With these English Aesthetic brass andirons below? Pharaoh head finials, beaded, rosette shafts, arched reeded legs, curved brass covered iron billet bars with log stops -- would this work with a simple, bold fireplace with a stained concrete surround? No one wanted them as they didn’t sell at the December 2008 Neal Auction company.
A nineteenth century Egyptian Revival armchair with a carved winged figure, pierced skirt and light rose upholstery, from David Rago sold in December 2007. What about this for an entryway? If the upholstery was changed?
Sotheby’s failed to sell this pair of gilt, patinated lead and marble tazza circa 1830, possibly Italian, in October 2007. For your sun room? Foyer? Too much?
Are we even interested?
Are we even interested?