Winckelman, Millin, and Fea have thought it possible to distin guish different periods, or epochs, in the history of Egyptian sculpture ; but they have not agreed in their classification. This is not to be wondered at, when the general resemblance of style that pervades all Egyptian design is considered. In the course of ages, and especially under seine of the more ambitious and enlightened of their kings, a grander style of form and greater variety of composition were indulged in. 'Still, the very alight variations that were made (for, considering the space of time over which the history of Egypt, as a flourishing nation, extends, they may truly be called slight) render any attempt at a satisfactory classification, or reduction of changes to chronological periods, almost hopeless. The only division of epochs of art in Egypt which is not open to dispute is, first, that of an original and pre served standard which, with slight variations and modifications, existed from the earliest data of art in the country down to the time of the arrival of the 31acedatlicus Greeks in Egypt, that is, till about 330 n.e. The Greek dominion in Egypt constitutes the second period ; and the style of art may perhaps not inappropriately be called Grteco-Egyptian, as it certainly was influenced by the taste introduced by that people. The next and last period may be termed the pseudo-Egyptian, or imitative period; and dates from the time of Hadrian, or about A.D. 130, when the Romans adopted many of the superstitions of the Egyptians, and added some of their divinities to their own extensive mythological calendar. This love of novelty, or subserviency to the caprices of their emperor, filled the cities and villas of Italy with statues of Isis, Osiris, and other personages and objects of Egyptian worship. No advantage, however, was gained by Egyptian art in con sequence of the springing up of this fashion in Rome. The great endeavour was rather to give all design an Egyptian character, than to elevate the character of Egyptian art by the introduction of a superior taste either in form or composition. The most favourable specimen of the mixed style is the fine statue of the Egyptian Antinous, as it is called ; but, founded on caprice and false principles, the Roman or pseudo-Egyptian manner soon fell into disuse, and has never been resumed. It will be remarked that in all the changes of circumstances to which we have referred, and by which the political condition of Egypt was materially affected, no sufficient alterations occurred to destroy the peculiar and distinctive character of Egyptian art, which exists in all its force, whether the works be of the most remote archaic period and of the whole range of time to Alexander the Great, of the time of the Ptolemies, or even the still more modern period of Hadrian.
It is indeed matter of surprise that a nation so celebrated as the Egyptians for superior intelligence, and of such long experience in the practice of the arta, should have made so little progress in them ; and the phenomenon would be quite inexplicable if we were not acquainted with the nature of their institutions, and the check which was thus opposed to their advancement beyond a certain limit. The common speculations that have been offered with the view of accounting for the acknowledged inferiority of the Egyptians to the Greeks are altogether unsatisfactory, even if the facts upon which they are founded could be admitted. Some have supposed the absence of grace and the stiff uniformity of action in Egyptian design to be owing to the want of beauty in the natives of Egypt. Others have imagined that the artists' want of knowledge of anatomy, and there being no public games in which they could study the human figure, are sufficient to account for this inferiority ; attributing to physical causes alone that which was effected by very different influences. The art of sculpture especially seems to have been employed exclusively for religious purposes. The priests, an hereditary body, systematically enforced the pre servation of ancient usages, and confirmed their hold upon the re spect, obedience, and veneration of the people by not suffering any innovation upon old established forms. The whole population was divided into castes, and a calling or profession was exercised from generation to generation. The sons were all obliged to follow the steps of the father. The order of these castes is variously stated by different writers. The sacerdotal, of course, ranked first. Accord ing to Synesius, the profession of an artist was net exercised by common or illiterate persons, lest they should attempt anything con trary to the laws and regulations regarding the figures of the gods ; and Plato, in his second book of Laws, says, "they never suffered any painters or statuaries to innovate anything in their art, or to' invent any new subjects or any new habits. Hence the art remains
the same ; the rules of it the same." Here, then, we see the real cause of the duration through a series of years of one unchanged of art. The origin of the form preserved through so many ages is' declared by its extreme simplicity. The earliest attempt at repre senting the human figure would be marked by the absence of action ; and this is the characteristic of all Egyptian statues. The figure is upright, or kneeling, or sitting. The legs are close together, and the arms are attached to tho body. This, then, became the established type; and though some slight movement was occasionally allowed, as in advancing one foot before the other, it hardly can be said to relieve the so improved figure from the stiffness of the more primitive stan dard. That there was a capability in the artists for mechanical excel lence is amply proved by the more elegant forms that sometimes are met with even in Egyptian statues, but more especially iu those works where they could without impropriety indulge their fancy. The heads of divine personages occasionally beam with majesty and grace; and in the examples in the British Museum of Egyptian monuments, whether in the head of the so-called Young Memnon, or in the Prudhoe Lions and other representations of animals, or in some of the compositions portraying scenes of active life, the student will perceive that some other cause than want of feeling or skill must have operated to pre vent the sculptor of Egypt from arriving at the same eminence in art, that was attained by the artists of Greece. The stiff and limited action of Egyptian statues has already been noticed. To this must be added, that the figures of men are usually naked, excepting that a sort of apron is folded across the loins ; while those of women are repre sented dressed in a long and simple garment fitted close to the body. This covering has no folds in it, and can only he distinguished from the figure by a slightly raised border at the neck and feet. The form of the breasts is sometimes indicated on the dress by their natural pro jection being circumscribed by an indented line. One of the most interesting specimens of Egyptian sculpture is now in this country. It is generally known as the head of the Young 3Iemuon, though it has no claim to that title, which was givsn it from a mistake made by Norden, the traveller, who visited Egypt in 1737. This bust is formed of a single block of fine-grained granite, containing two strata of colour, one portion being of a red, the other of a gray (or blue) cast. Though it possesses all the characteristics which so eminently distinguish Egyptian sculpture,—the flat eyebrows, projecting eyeballs, the nose, thick lips, and the ears placed high up, this head claims admiration for beauty of outline and the peculiar sweetness of its exprtaaion. It offers a remarkable exception to the general rule of Egyptian design, and shows, what has before been hinted at, that there was the power of representing beauty both of form and sentiment, if room had been allowed for its exercise. In working basso-rilievo (and pictures) the Egyptian artists decidedly ventured beyond the limita tions to which they seem to have been confined in representing insulated figures. Almost all the temples and tombs that have been explored are richly decorated with sculptures in the peculiar style of rilievo to which allusion has been made in the introductory part of this article; and although they do not materially differ in the general style and character of art, they are sufficiently varied in the mode of treatment to warrant this distinct notice of them. The most striking difference from the insulated figures consists in the superiority, as well as extent, of design and composition. This is particularly observable in the Theban remains, to which attention, has been directed by Wilkinson, Rosellini, and others who have illustrated the history, arts, and cus toms of the ancient Egyptians. Wilkinson, speaking of Luxor and Karnak, observes as to the decorations of the temple, "The principal historical sculptures are on the exterior of the great hall. The upper compartment represents the king attacking a fortified town situated on a rock, whieli is surrounded by a wood, and lies in the immediate vicinity of the- mountains." In another compartment the king is again the hero; tied is represented slaying the chief of the enemy with his sword, having first' wounded him with his spear, and ' entangled him with his bowstring. The author observes here that the drawing of these figures is remarkably spirited. After other aeries or compartments, .in which the Egyptian monarch is seen scattering death among his enemies, is a representation of his return, and the presentation, by him, of captives and spoils to the deities of Thebes.