Mesopotamia
Cities, gods and rulers create new forms of public image.
Key ideas
The art of Mesopotamia is associated with different cultures: Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian. Cylinder seals transferred images onto clay and participated in economic life. Temple complexes, steles and palace reliefs made power visible.
Looking deeper
Rows of figures and repetition of motifs organize the story. In Assyrian reliefs, hunting and campaigning represented royal power. The inscription and the image complemented each other. It is important to distinguish between eras and functions: the small seal and the monument at the palace did not address the viewer in the same way.
Stele of Hammurabi; Assyrian palace reliefs.
Find the work in the museum's official catalog and start with a description of the visible details.Compare how a small object and a monumental relief communicate power.
External educational material or museum catalogue. The above review is not a literal translation of the source.