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Document Details : Title: Ancient Egyptian Art as a Dynamic, Multi-Dimensional Innovative Information System Subtitle: Egyptological Facts and Fallacies - Pride and Prejudice Author(s): VAN WALSEM, René Journal: Bibliotheca Orientalis Volume: 74 Issue: 3-4 Date: 2017 Pages: 231-274 DOI: 10.2143/BIOR.74.3.3271964 Abstract : Review article of HARTWIG, M.K. (ed.) — A Companion to Ancient Egyptian Art. (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World). Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, 2015. The book under review contains 27 chapters or essays by specialists on particular subjects (each consisting of a main text, followed by a Guide for further reading and concluded by (bibliographical) References), distributed over six 'Parts': Methodological Approaches, Materials and Mediums, Concepts in Art, Interconnections with the Larger World, Reception of Ancient Egyptian Art in the Modern World, and Technology and Interpretation. Only the editor has written two chapters (nos. 3 on Style and 11 on Sculpture). The contributions are preceded by the Table of contents, Notes on contributors, a Foreword (David O’Connor), a Preface (Melinda Hartwig), Acknowledgments, Lists of Abbreviations, Illustrations and Plates (10 colour plates between pp. 273-274), Chronologies of Egyptian kings and Kushite rulers and, finally, three Maps. The book is concluded by an Index (pp. 545-573). The review’s text starts with a systematic and concise discussion and review of each contribution. Reading this texts first will make the reader aware of certain issues, mentioned in the review article’s title, and prepare the way for a better following of the core discussions and arguments in the Miscellaneous remarks and observations, immediately following this survey (cols. 264-271), where an innovative approach of considering art primarily as an information system of several dimensions is advocated. Although there are several leads for this approach in certain chapters, nowhere the consequences are systematically drawn, neither concerning its inherent dynamism and sensitivity for change(s). A certain overlap and/or repetitiveness between these two text parts is unavoidable. |
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