V hlavní nebo vedlejší roli Egypt

Abstract

Mapping and subsequently classifying encounters with ancient Egypt, one is faced with a large task. In the Western world, where a substantial appropriation of Egypt was developing during past two centuries and Egypt was integrated into local cultural memories, one sees an almost uninterrupted track of Egyptianising forms, especially in European art. However, most art representations of this sort have a background of ideas and concepts. Egypt as a backdrop to the stories of the Bible is one such concept. The renewed intensity of presence of classical antiquity in European culture from 14th century onwards did inevitably bring a renewal of Egyptian themes, given the intense presence of Egypt in the Greek and Roman worlds–presence physical, political, as well as religious and imaginary. The development from the 16th to the 21st century has been defined as “five centuries” of Egyptomania. It should, however, not be taken for granted that Europe and later Northern America were the only scenes who staged Egypt in one or more roles, either as meaningful, or monumental, or decorative and lustful or a mix of these. Ancient Egypt has not been lost to the cultural memory of the Islamic world either. In the 19th century, the reinterpretations of ancient Egypt took another turn. They were adopted, much in the way other histories have been adopted, as arguments for or against a cultural identity of modern nations. In addition, Egypt takes part in those alternative worlds which look into the future or a mythical past–it is a frequent presence in science fiction and fantasy, as a source of ideologies, concepts or visualisations.An ancient culture with all its manifestations was made into an actor, or rather a puppet, in many shows, also because the appearance of its typical motifs is easily recognizable visually; it is physically expressive, suggestive and whetting the imagination, while its elements can be used to express emotions and to imitate and emulate ideas and concepts well beyond their original purpose.