egyptian rulers and their gods

The relationship between Egyptian rulers and their gods were ever present in many examples of Egyptian art throughout the many changes in leadership. The depictions of these relationships, however, were not always consistent from ruler to ruler, dynasty to dynasty. The Palette of Narmer, Seated Statue of Khafre, and Akenaten and Nefertit and their Children are three prime examples of the differences in depiction from one period to another. The Palette of Narmer, done around 3000 …

…and the only god recognized by Akhenaten, is depicted as a pure circular shape unlike all previous depictions of gods in human or animal form; But like previous gods, Aten plays a similar as a protector of the ruler. These three works show relatively well how the depiction of Egyptian rulers, their gods, and their relationships with their gods has developed through the different rulers and periods. Bibliography Adams, Laurie. Art Across Time. Vol 1. McGraw-Hill 1999.