Description:

Ancient Egypt, Beni Suef (Heracleopolis Magna), Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. This small mummy mask is carved from cedar wood and coated with a layer of white gesso, then painted with opaque pigments. It features a distinctive rectangular headdress, and wide eyes outlined in black, a characteristic style of the period. Originally, this visage would have been attached to a larger coffin lid. Death masks like this were created to help the soul recognize and return to the body and were often carved in the likeness of the deceased. Artisans used various materials over time, with earlier masks typically made from wood. The ancient city and necropolis of Heracleopolis Magna, several miles from modern day Beni Suef, is known for mortuary centers that produced burial sites with elaborate tombs, mummy masks, and coffins. Size of mask: 8.25" L x 3.2" W (21 cm x 8.1 cm); acrylic panel: 13" L x 7.5" W (33 cm x 19 cm)

Provenance: ex-Austin, Texas, USA collection acquired at auction in the 1980s

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#188851

  • Condition: Losses to pigment as shown, with abrasions and chips throughout. Mounted to an opaque acrylic panel.

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September 13, 2024 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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