Aegean Art

I’ve chosen to compare the “Mask of Agamemnon” from the Mycenaean period and the “Head of Senusret III” from the Middle Kingdom of the Ancient Egypt. Heinrich Schliemann discovered the “Mask of Agamemnon” in a shaft grave in Mycenae in 1876. The solid gold mask was placed over the face of a body thought to be the legendary Agamemnon. Agamemnon is popularly known as the commander that united the Greek to fight in the Trojan War. His wife, Clytemnestra, had taken a lover by the name of Aegisthus whom later killed Agamemnon when he returned from war. Some other versions of the story are that Clytemnestra herself killed Agamemnon. The mask found on the body was dubbed the Funerary mask of Agamemnon reach the height of 12 inches. The “Head of Senusret III” in our art book rests in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. There have been multiple copies and statues of the Heads of Senusret III. Khakhaure Senusret III was a pharaoh of Egypt ruling from 1878 BC to 1839 BC. He was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth Dynasty. Senusret was a “dynamic king and successful general who led four military expeditions into Nubia,” He helped regain control over the country’s increasingly independent nobles’.

            There are a significant amount of things that are similar and different between the two pieces of art. The first and obvious similarity is that fact that they are both faces of an important war authority. Both men led great armies through war and combat. Being so old and so worn, Senusret has missing attributes to his face such as nose, ears, and lips and Agamemnon is beat up and worn down. The head of Senusret III was not used as a funeral mask but a piece to show, or a portrait of their leader. The Mask of Agamemnon was used a funeral piece for the body that was discovered by Schliemann.

            The Mask of Agamemnon was made entirely out of gold with the height of 12 inches. It was normally mixed with other metals to make the entire piece stronger. The Head of Senusret III that is currently located in Kansas City, Missouri is made out of yellow quartzite with a height of approximately 18 inches by 14 inches by 17 inches. The pieces, or portraits, of Senusret III are mostly made as busts or full three-dimensional objects whereas the Mask of Agamemnon is a flat two-dimensional piece of metal. Both show distinct facial features that depict strong and noble men of their era and place. Even with the wear and tear of the Mask of Agamemnon and the broken and missing pieces of the Head of Senusret III we still get a great sense of importance and dignity theses two men shown in their lifetime.

            The Head of Senusret III is a really distinguishable piece of Egyptian art. From the headpiece to the recognizable facial features and style we can tell this person is of Egyptian decent AND most likely a person of great importance. The Mask of Agamemnon is a little harder to distinguish its origin to the Aegean period.

I believe that the embellished facial features of the eyebrows and mustache really give of the sense of that time period. We even see the detailed hair on the bottom of the mask. I feel that this piece is really a treasure all on its own.