Ancient Egyptian Design

Ancient Egyptian design is made up of all the art works produced by the civilisation of Ancient Egypt that lived between 5000 BCE to 300 AD.  Ancient Egyptian design was both stylised and symbolic as most of the art from this period that has been discovered came from tombs.  The most common furniture piece the Egyptians had in their homes was the four-legged stool covered in leather or wool.

Throne of Tutankhamun.

There was little outside influence to Ancient Egyptian design.

The throne of Heterpheres.

Ancient Egyptian culture was one which was obsessed with the afterlife.  Wealthy egyptians would commission had crafted pieces to accompany them when they died.  These furniture pieces included basic stools, chairs, tables, storage chests and beds.

Storage chests were also very common.  The chests of the wealthy families were very decorative and were made of expensive materials like wood and  ivory.

Characteristics of Ancient Egyptian design:

- Straight backs.
- Raised feet on pedestals.
- Animal feet pointed in the same direction.
- Wood imported from the Mediterranean, North African countries and West Asian countries.
- Gold was also used.
- Highly decorated.
- Embellished with religious or mythological symbols.

Ancient Egyptian design influenced Greek and Roman design greatly.  Today we also can see the Ancient Egyptian influences.

Klismos Chair 

This is a chair from the Ancient Greek period found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  The back of the chair is now slightly inclined unlike those chairs of the Ancient Egyptian period.  However, the chair is highly decorated, and made out of wood like those found in the Ancient Egyptian period.

Christian Dior Show

Badgley Mischka Show