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Margret E. Short Fine Arts

Margret E. Short Fine Arts

Portland, Oregon artist Margret Short - a modern day master of 17th Century Dutch art using the chiaroscuro technique to create still life and floral paintings.

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Dung Balls and Sun Gods

April 10, 2009 by Margret Short

Scarab pectoral whole image As said before, when delving into a colorful history of any culture, you never know what will be unearthed. This fabulous necklace was found in the tomb of King Tut who reigned in the 18th Dynasty, 1334-1325 BC. The recurring theme in this design is the rising sun-god. The lapis lazuli scarab represents the sun-god, khepri. Scarab beetles lay their eggs which emerge from dung balls, hence the ancient Egyptians thought they came from nowhere. They believe that each day as the sun moved from east to west, the sun itself was pushed like a dung ball by khepri the scarab.

The curved gold shape under the scarab depicts the solar boat which was used for the night journey because khepri was swallowed each evening by the sky goddess. Khepri was reborn each morning. The ancients also believed each night the sun set into the Netherworld. Baboons would then aid the rising sun in its emergence each morning along with bringing up the dead from the Netherworld. 

The other semi-precious gem used besides lapis on this necklace is carnelian the bright reddish-orange shapes of the sun. Gold and turquoise are inlaid throughout. This type of grand elegant body decoration was often designed by artisans of the day for the Pharaohs.

Source: Egypt, History and Civilization

Tagged With: carnelian, Egyptian history, khepri, King Tut, lapis lazuli scarab, Nethrworld

Chiaroscuro Painting

Oil painting with the chiaroscuro technique illuminates the focus area with a strong light. All other areas are painted with less detail, lower values, and intensity of color giving a mysterious appearance. By putting one or two objects in the important focus area, a strong but simple composition will emerge. Combining these oil painting techniques with a selection of superior natural pigments and oil paints result in the beautiful and evocative quality known as Chiaroscuro Painting.

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