Mummy portrait of a man

Summary

The portrait of a man is painted in encaustic on a wooden panel with a white background. Only the middle part of the panel has been preserved. Originally, the panel was fastened on the face of a mummy. The hair, eyebrows, and beard of the man is painted in black. His skin is painted in colours of brown, pink and yellow and the garments are rendered in white.

Description of object

The portrait of a man is painted in encaustic on a wooden panel with a white background. Only the middle part of the panel has been preserved. Originally, the panel was fastened on the face of a mummy. The man is represented in a three-quarter view. He has black, curly hair with a slightly receding hairline. A vertical furrow is indicated in his forehead as well as two more between his eyes. His wide eyebrows are also painted in black. His eyes are almond-shaped and painted in dark brown – he is gazing towards his right side. His nose is prominent and he has full beard, which is rendered in black. His mouth is painted red and the lips are full. His neck is long and his skin is painted in colours of brown, pink and yellow. The man is also wearing a white chiton and a mantle, which is placed across his left shoulder.

Choice of methods

Technical imaging

• UV
• VIL
• IR

Bibliography

(1892) Katalog zu Theodor Graf’s Gallerie antiker Porträts aus hellenistischer Zeit, Leipzig, 33, no. 84b.

V. Schmidt (1908), Den ægyptiske Samling, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Kjøbenhavn, E 531.

M. Mogensen (1930), Den ægyptiske Samling, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, København, A 596.

K. Parlasca (1966), Mümienporträts und verwandte Denkmäler , Deutsches Archäologisches Instituts, Wiesbaden, 246, no. 84, 268.

K. Parlasca (1977), Repertorio Repertorio d’arte dell’Egitto greco-romano, a cura di A. Adriani, serie B, vol. II, Klaus Parlasca, Rittratti di mumie, tavole 61-120, numeri 247-496, Palermo, 56, no. 351, Tav. 85 (4).

B. Borg (1996), Mumienporträts, Chronologie und kulturelle Kontext, Deutsches Archäologisches Instituts, Mainz, 222.

M. Jørgensen (2001), Egypt III, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, 340-341, cat. no. 39.