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Mask

Romano-Egyptian, 2nd century AD
Stucco, textile, gold, glass; ochre, black, blue and pink colour.
H 21 cm

A very expressive cartonnage mask representing the youthful face of a woman. The face and the ears with hooped earrings, which are strung with two beads each, are gilded. The gilding was applied on a ground of ochre. The pupils are inlaid with black glass; the eyebrows and eyelids were originally indicated with dark blue colour. The hair is braided into plaits on the forehead. A wreath of originally pink but now faded rosebuds is placed on top. On her head there was a veil of which painted remains are preserved.

At the back head secured from the inside. Gilding partly missing; colour faded.

Apart from the mummy portraits, which were painted on wooden panels and wrapped in the mummy wrapping, there were also round portrait masks made of stucco and provided with a breast plate. On them the contemporary costume was depicted. Unfortunately, the breast plate is no longer preserved here.

Published

Auction catalogue François de Ricqlès – Archéologie, Paris, 25 and 26 September 1998, lot 790

Provenance

Swiss private collection C. S.-C., acquired 1999 on the German art market.

Price
on request
Item
7301