Portrait of a thin-faced, bearded man
Unknown Artist
A.D. 160–180
Medium
Encaustic on limewood
Dimensions
H. 38.1 x W. 21.6 cm (15 x 8 1/2 in.)
Classification
Panel painting, thin-faced, bearded man
Period
Roman Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1909
Accession Number
09.181.1
Tags
About this artwork
This mummy portrait depicts a thin-faced, bearded man with large, penetrating eyes, created between 160 and 180 AD during the Roman occupation of Egypt. The portrait shows a middle-aged man with a full beard and abundant dark curly hair, his eyes emphasized with dark violet shading on the eyelids and below, with a dark line on the upper lid that may represent kohl. The background is painted in a dark blue hue, creating contrast with the figure. The work belongs to the tradition of Fayum mummy po...
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of ancient Romano-Egyptian portraiture with this striking *Portrait of a Thin-Faced Bearded Man*, created between A.D. 160 and 180 during Rome's occupation of Egypt. Painted on a limewood panel measuring 38.1 x 21.6 cm, it captures a middle-aged man with a sharp face, full beard, abundant dark curly hair, and large, eyes enhanced by violet shading possible kohl liner. The dark blue background heightens the figure's intense gaze, drawing viewers into a direct, psychological encounter preserved for nearly two millennia. This artwork belongs to the renowned Fayum mummy portra...