"Hathor and Sety" vs. "Hairdressing"

Hathor and Sety, detail of a pillar from the tomb of Sety I. Egypt, c. 1300 B.C.E. Painted plaster on limestone, height 7'5". Musee du Louvre, Paris.

Kitagawa Utamaro. Hairdressing, from Twelve Types of Women's Handicrafts. c. 1798-99. Polychrome woodblock print, 12 1/2 X 10 1/2". Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.

Art can come in many different forms, such as: sculptures, paintings, music, architecture, and photographs. It also comes in many styles. Styles are usually particular to a certain culture, sometimes even to an individual artist. Hathor and Sety is very recognizably Egyptian, just like Hairdressing is very recognizably Japanese. This is due to their stylized nature. Both paintings also keep the color palettes true to the styles. 

Hathor and Sety is a narrative piece located in the tomb of Sety. It is not intended to deviate from social norms like Picasso. Nor does it attempt to serve the purpose of evoking pleasure. It is meant to tell a story and was most likely worked on by numerous individuals. However they were instructed to draw certain things a certain way and the resulting product is the Egyptian hieroglyphs and portraits we are accustomed to. Certain colors fill certain shapes. Certain lines point in certain directions. Everything follows a pattern. Everything is done as it has always been done in that culture.

Similarly Hairdressing is uniquely accustomed to the culture. Japan being a series of islands was a bit isolated and as a result is rather traditional. The methods Utamaro used to draw the hair and the manner in which the facial features are applied are all part of the style. The colors, clothing type, and combs are all reminiscent of the Japanese culture.