ROMAN PERIOD, CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.

Details

AN EGYPTIAN PAINTED WOOD MUMMY PORTRAIT OF A MAN
ROMAN PERIOD, CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.
Painted in the encaustic technique, depicting a bearded man with a solemn countenance, with thick curly black hair and arching eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes with visible lashes, and pursed lips, wearing a white tunic with clavus, a thick folded mantle over his left shoulder, on cream background
14 3/8 x 10 1/8 in. (36.4 x 25.8 cm.)

Provenance

Dikran G. Kelekian (1868-1951), New York, prior to 1941.
with L'Ibis Gallery Ltd, New York, from whom acquired by the present owner in November 1977.

Exhibited

Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig and Muse´e Rath, Egypte: Moments d'e´ternite´: Art e´gyptien dans les collections prive´es, Basel, 18 March-13 July 1997, Geneva, 25 September 1997 -11 January 1998.
Muse´e de l'Elyse´e, Le corps évanoui: Les images subites, Lausanne, 19 November 1999-23 January 2000.
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva, 2004-2014.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Sale room notice

Please note that the estimate for this lot should read £100,000-150,000.

Brought to you by

Georgiana Aitken

Check the condition report or get in touch for additional information about this

gaitken@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3002

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

View condition report

Lot Essay

PUBLISHED:
D. Kelekian, Additional Documents of Coptic Art in the Collection of Dikran G. Kelekian, New York, 1941, p. 1, no. 3.
K. Parlasca, Repertorio d'Arte dell'Egitto Greco-Romano, Serie B, vol. 1, 1969, p. 212, pl. 52-4.
M. Page-Gasser, Egypte: Moments d'e´ternite´: Art e´gyptien dans les collections prive´es, exhibition catalogue, Mainz, 1997, p. 318, no. 221.
V. Mauron and C. de Ribaupierre, Le corps évanoui: Les images subites, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 1999, p. 31.
K. Parlasca, Mumienporträts und ägyptische Grabkunst aus römischer Zeit, Frankfurt, 1999, p. 233, no. 140.

Produced in Egypt for a relatively short time during the Roman period, from the mid-1st Century A.D. to the 3rd Century A.D., mummy portraits present us with hauntingly life-like portraits, thought to be depicting the deceased at the age of their death. The panel would have been positioned over the head of the mummy and wrapped in place with linen bands. These are found throughout Egypt, however the most celebrated group are from the Fayum, thus lending to the entire group the popular nomenclature ‘Fayum portraits’.

More from Antiquities

View All