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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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Ready for the Afterlife

June 27, 2009 by Margret Short

Linen played an important role in mummification and the process was diverse, changing throughout the centuries. After the body and its important parts were prepared, it was wrapped with many layers of linen in varying ways. In the early period each limb, finger, and toe was wrapped individually, coated in resin, and moulded in plaster. During the final steps, lifelike colors were painted over the face. As many as 40 layers of linen have been found on some mummies.

The innards were preserved separately and were an important part of the process. Each organ was carefully dried in salt, wrapped in linen, and placed inside canopic jars then finally canopic chests.

These jars are available all over the markets in Egypt today and are a popular tourist commodity. There are 4 designs each representing animal heads which are the 4 sons of Horus, the Hawk headed god of order.

4 Sons of Horus Canopic Jars

Image Source – Wikipedia – Apepch7

Because the sole purpose of mummification is to preserve the person for eternal afterlife, each canopic jar protects a specific body part. The intestines are protected by the falcon head, the stomach by the jackal, the ape protects the lungs, and the human head the liver.

One thing of note the modern jars found in the markets today are void of any important contents, at least I did not see any.

Other sources: Ancient Egyptians for Dummies by Charlotte Booth

Tagged With: Ancient Egyptians for Dummies, ape, canopic jars, Egypt, falcon head, Hawk headed god, Horus, jackal, linen, mummies, mummification, plaster, resin, salt

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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