The Stormy Reign of Akhenaton and his Queen
He was often referred to as the "Heretic King." Akhenaton the Pharaoh was very likely the first ruler of any culture to embrace monotheism. As coregent with his father the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Akhenaton showed no tendency towards a desire to change the religion of Egypt. It was only after his marriage to his Queen Nefertiti that his views towards religion changed and he began to worship the sun disk guide Aten to the exclusion of the Egyptian pantheon. It was then that he renounced his ruling name, Amenhotep, taking the moniker Akhenaten which translates to "He Who Serves Aten." Nefertiti also changed her name to Nefer-Nefru-Aten which means "Beautiful is the Beauty of Aten."
The priests of Thebes were furious with the pharaoh's heresy, so Akhenaton distanced himself by setting up a new court in what is now the modern city of Amarna. The king's power could not be questioned although his monotheistic philosophy was questioned by many. This did not stop the people from following Akhenaten and nearly 20,000 made their home in Akhenaten el-Armana, a tremendous urban city dominated by amazing art and architecture.
Akhenaten's celebration of the Sun God Aten, prompted changes in Egyptian art. For the first time, Egyptian artists were compelled to craft art centered on the celebration of life rather than death. Stelae – these stone tablet wall reliefs were common forms of art in ancient Egypt. They were decorated with paintings and text and often intended to commemorate an historic event. They were crafted both for artistic and religious purposes.
although Akhenaton ruled for more than 17 years, little remains of his reign. The priests of Thebes did all within their power to destroy any trace of the 'heretic Pharaohs' monotheistic legacy. Very few artifacts from the. Of his reign remains intact. One such piece is the Akhenaten and Family wall relief that sits in the Altes Museum in Berlin. The artifact is significant because it demonstrates a shift in artistic style from traditional ‘staged’ poses to a more naturalistic scence.
hieroglyphics within the wall relief suggest that the change in style was at Akhenaton's direction. In the scene he is is seen kissing one of his daughters. Nefertiti sits across from him, another daughter playing with her earring. However, not all conventions of Egyptian art are completely abandoned. Although the daughters would have been nearly full grown at the time, they are depicted as much smaller than their parents. This is symbolic of their lesser stature to the King and Queen.
