«The land that is now Egypt nurtured an extraordinary pioneering civilization — one of the oldest, most powerful, long-lasting and technically accomplished cultures the world has ever known. Over the millennia its achievements have never lost their power to amaze — and justly so, for the Egyptian architects and craftsmen produced some of the greatest masterpieces of world art. This book presents a carefully chosen selection of the finest works of art and architecture produced over a period of some 4000 years, from about 4000 BC, when the first sophisticated works of art began to be made, to 200 AD, when Egypt was a province of the Roman Empire and the old traditions had all but died out. Egyptian art is usually instantly recognizable and its basic formulas remained unchanged for thousands of years, yet at the same time it was remarkably varied in size, medium, subject-matter and type of object, ranging in size from the monumental pyramids and temples to the tiniest and most delicate pieces of jewellery, and embracing painting, sculpture, metalwork, woodwork, textiles and ceramics. At whatever scale, the art has an immediate appeal for its beauty and consummate craftsmanship, and the works illustrated in this book, all of the highest quality, can be enjoyed for their aesthetic qualities alone. They are also products of a culture very different from ours, and in his concise introduction Jaromir Malek provides the essential background for understanding why Egyptian art took the forms it did. The explanations continue in the informative captions to each illustration, and the chronological chart, map, bibliography and index provide quick reference. The works illustrated in «Egypt: 4000 Years of Art» are all masterpieces that can be enjoyed in their own right. Presented in strict chronological order, they also form a succinct history of the subject that will be a valuable resource for students and teachers. For all readers it will provide a fresh and beautiful introduction to some of the most remarkable art ever produced.»

Ancient Egyptian art has an enduring fascination. From the geometrical precision of the great pyramids at Giza to the golden treasures found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, the products of the Egyptian civilization attract and intrigue. Far from being art work in the modern sense, they represent the concrete expression of a profound belief in the primacy of the Egyptian way of life and the continuation of the spirit in the afterlife. This comprehensive book traces Egyptian art from its origins in prehistoric times through the supreme achievements of the pharaohs to the Roman period. Placing the works of art in their historical, geographical and spiritual context, Jaromir Malek seeks to create a more complete and realistic view of this fascinating culture. Beyond the period of ancient Egyptian art itself, Malek traces the history of Egyptology and looks at the influence of Egypt on modern art, a topic which has so far been almost completely ignored. Through its wealth of illustrations, this book reveals the immense variety and superb quality of the objects and buildings that have survived from ancient Egypt.