About the lot N° 23
Title : Egyptian Polychrome Mask With Glass Eyes, Period : Roman Period, 30 BC-
Size : 4.3 kg, 33cm including stand (13)
Provenance : Property of an Israeli gentleman, acquired from Aaron gallery, Berkeley Square, London W1, in 2011, formerly in the Issa collection, early 1980s.
Literature : See discussion in Taylor, J.H. Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, London, 2001, chapter 7.
Notes : Masks depicting the dead have been found in elite Egyptian burials dating as early as the First Intermediate period (2134-2040 BC). A mask placed over a mummys head both protected and identified the deceased. The traditional use of burial masks continued when Egypt was controlled by the Greeks and the Romans and still incorporated traditional styles and deities. As well as plaster masks portraits were also painted onto panels of wood and are known as Faiyum portraits.These masks incorporate Graeco-Roman realistic portraiture into the older Egyptian practice of burial masks. The realism of these portraits allows us to date them by comparing the hairstyles and jewellery to known trends depicted in coin and sculptural portraits. These masks were often modelled to sit slightly above the body so as to give the impression that the deceased has been resurrected.
Condition report : Fine condition, restored, some repainting.
