Hounds from Nubia, Tomb of Rekhmire 1479 BC

Editor: Here we have "Hounds from Nubia, Tomb of Rekhmire" created around 1479 BC. The artist is Nina de Garis Davies, and the work is located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What immediately strikes me is how linear and stylized the dogs are; they're not exactly realistic, but that gives them a real graphic power. What do you see in this piece from a formal perspective? Curator: Indeed. Focus first on the visual vocabulary deployed. Notice the sinuous lines that define the contours of each hound. Observe, too, how the artist eschews naturalistic representation for a more schematic approach. What is the effect of the superimposition? Editor: The effect is…well, I see how they’re all individual dogs, but the overlapping makes them almost flatten into one another, like a pattern. The use of similar colors also adds to that effect. Is it just about the formal relations between shapes? Curator: Precisely! Consider the restricted palette – earth tones, ochre, with sparing use of red. How does the color impact the visual reading of the artwork? The subdued color choices and how that relates to the implied texture contribute to the artifact's overall impact. Editor: The color, especially with the linear rendering, definitely contributes to the flattened, decorative quality, a real emphasis on surface. The medium also appears old and weathered. Curator: A keen observation. The texture further removes any naturalistic qualities. The overall composition has rhythmic structure in its patterns and use of repeating forms. Now, what are your final thoughts? Editor: I was initially just responding to its look, but now I'm realizing how much of the visual impact comes from those design decisions about line and color that you highlighted. Curator: Precisely! The artist created a decorative pattern by choosing lines, hues, and an unorthodox overlapping method for portraying canines.