Final answer:
Around 1350 BCE, significant changes occurred in Egyptian art as society moved from centralized to regional control, leading to the cessation of monumental buildings and the rise of an elite class commissioning royal-inspired goods. Power redistribution and the influences of other cultures subsequently led to an evolution in Egyptian art.
Step-by-step explanation:
Around 1350 BCE, a significant transition occurred in Egyptian art, marking a departure from the long-standing traditions that had characterized it for nearly 1700 years. Egyptian art, known for its consistency and highly stylized and symbolic nature, began to experience changes in the quality of observation and execution. This period saw a shift from the creation of monumental structures like the pyramids, as power dynamics moved from centralized to regional control. Monumental building ceased, and a new elite class started to commission royal-inspired goods, thus supporting emerging craftspeople and diversifying the Egyptian economy. Additionally, this era was characterized by a redistribution of power, with royal officials inheriting titles and power becoming more decentralized.
The change in Egyptian art did not necessarily result from a decline but rather a reallocation of societal structures and emerging new artistic conventions that were more individualized and diversified than the previous canonical forms. Cultural and political influences such as encounters with Greek art and the eventual Greek rule under Alexander the Great further influenced and transformed Egyptian art during later periods, leading to a blend of local and foreign artistic styles that would influence the direction of Egyptian creativity.