Mummy Portraits by Heidi Bedwani

M U M M Y PORTRAITS I N THE J. PAUL G E T T Y MUSEUM

By David L. Thompson

Cat. no. 1. Portrait of a lady 81.AP.42 Encaustic on wood H: 33.6 cm.; W: 17.2 cm. H (of cartonnage): 46.4 cm.; W (of cartonnage): On top: 21.6 cm., On bottom: 36.8 cm. (See pp. 32-33)

Photography

of Getty

Museum

works

The J . Paul Pacific

Getty

Coast

of art by Donald Inc., Los Angeles

and

Penny

Potter

Angeles

Museum

Highway

California

90265

Library of Congress catalogue number ISBN number 0-89236-038-0

Library

Hull

of Congress

Cataloging

Thompson, David L . Mummy portraits

82-81303

in Publication

in the ] . Paul

Getty

Data Museum.

Rev. ed. of: The artists of the mummy portraits. © 1976. With new material added. Catalogue: p. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Mummy portraits—Catalogs. 2. Portraits, Roman—Egypt—Catalogs. 3- Mummy portraits— California—Malibu—Catalogs. 4. J . Paul Getty Museum—Catalogs. I . ] . Paul Getty Museum. II. Title. ND1327.E3T48

1982

757\9'0932074019493

82-81303

The introduction of this book is, in part, a revision of T h e A r t i s t s o f the M u m m y Portraits by David L . Thompson, published in 1976 by the J . Paul Getty Museum. Unless otherwise stated, that own the objects.

the figures

are reproduced

from

photographs

supplied

by the

museums

TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface

Introduction

Recovery and provenience

T e c h n i c a l aspects

Use o f the p o r t r a i t s

Chronology

T h e art m a r k e t

Preservation and conservation

Portraits?

T h e painters

Other paintings

Conclusion

Notes

C a t a l o g u e : M u m m y P o r t r a i t s i n t h e J. Paul G e t t y M u s e u m

Supplementary information

A b b r e v i a t e d titles a n d s e l e c t e d b i b l i o g r a p h y

I n d e x b y accession n u m b e r s

iii

PREFACE J. Paul G e t t y l i k e d " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s . " T h e y p r e s e n t e d h i m w i t h a d i r e c t c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n G r e e k a n d R o m a n p o r t r a i t s a n d later p o r t r a i t art, e s p e c i a l l y o f t h e Renaissance. T h u s , c a r e f u l l y a v o i d i n g t h e w o r d " m u m m y " because o f his a v o w e d i n t e n t i o n n o t t o b u y E g y p t i a n art, s i x pieces w e r e a s s e m b l e d d u r i n g his l i f e t i m e , o n e o f w h i c h is a u n i q u e l y i m p o r t a n t d o c u m e n t (catalogue n o . 8). T h e n , thanks t o the farsightedness o f the trustees, first f i v e m o r e w e r e a d d e d a n d t h e n , last year, t w o m o r e t h a t are m a s t e r p i e c e s (catalogue n o s . 1 a n d 9). A l r e a d y i n 1975 t h e G e t t y M u s e u m c a l l e d o n D a v i d L . T h o m p s o n , w h o s e P h . D . w o r k w a s d i r e c t e d at t h e artists o f t h e p o r t r a i t s a n d w h o h a d l e c t u r e d v e r y successfully a b o u t o u r F a y u m p o r t r a i t s a n d later also a b o u t associated m o n u m e n t s , t o p r e p a r e t h e first e d i t i o n o f this b o o k , c a l l e d The Artists

of the Mummy

Portraits.

I t s o l d e x t r e m e l y w e l l a n d s o o n w e n t o u t o f p r i n t . A s e c o n d e d i t i o n w a s a clear necessity, a n d i t w a s d e c i d e d t o i n c l u d e i n i t a c a t a l o g u e o f a l l t h i r t e e n pieces. T h e r e s u l t is t h e t h i r d v o l u m e o f a series o f studies o n a n c i e n t p o r t r a i t u r e based o n t h e w o r k s i n t h e G e t t y M u s e u m c o l l e c t i o n s . I t w a s p a r t i c u l a r l y d i f f i c u l t f o r t h e a u t h o r t o a d d all t h e necessary d e t a i l a b o u t t h e n e w e s t pieces; thus, Sandra K n u d s e n M o r g a n r e v i s e d his basic text for the catalogue a n d a d d e d a f o u r t e e n t h e n t r y about a recently a c q u i r e d fine stucco R o m a n m u m m y m a s k . W e w e r e also v e r y f o r t u n a t e that A n d r e a s R o t h e , w h o s e c o n s e r v a t i o n e n h a n c e d t h e spectacular latest acquisition, most generously

revised the c o n d i t i o n a n d technical reports

for all the panel

portraits. J.F.

fig .1

Fig. A.

Figure A.

Map of Egypt with

spots of portraits indicated

find

outside the

in black. After K.

IINTRODUCTION

Fayum Parlasca,

Mumienportrats u n d verwandte

I n B o o k 35 o f his Naturalis

Denkmaler (Wiesbaden

sian, t h e elder P l i n y l a m e n t s the d e c a d e n c e o f w a l l p a i n t i n g at R o m e a n d goes o n t o say: " E v e n the p a i n t i n g

1966)

38 Karte B. Courtesy Franz

Steiner

Historia,

w r i t t e n i n the first c e n t u r y A . D . d u r i n g t h e r e i g n o f t h e e m p e r o r Vespa

o f p o r t r a i t s , b y w h i c h t h e closest p o s s i b l e likenesses o f deceased p e r s o n s w e r e h a n d e d d o w n f r o m age t o 1

Verlag.

age, has d i e d o u t c o m p l e t e l y . " T h e e x p l a n a t i o n f o r this, he c o n t i n u e s , is v e r y s i m p l e : " T h e y d i s p l a y t h r o u g h

n o o n e cares a n y l o n g e r a b o u t h o n o r o r fame, o r , t h e r e f o r e , a b o u t b e i n g r e m e m b e r e d b y f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s

o u t t h e i r b e d r o o m s , a n d c a r r y a r o u n d w i t h t h e m , p o r t r a i t s o f E p i c u r u s . " I n o t h e r w o r d s , P l i n y is s a y i n g that During

the Roman period

Egypt, portraits regularly

on wood

were wrapped in

mummies

over the head of the deceased, the part of the painting subject's recovered Flinders

at Hawara Petrie,

b e e n e s p e c i a l l y p o p u l a r i n e a r l y I m p e r i a l R o m e , at least i n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h s c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t u r e . B u t t h e

exposed

art o f t h e E m p i r e o b v i o u s l y was m o r e t h a n that o f the c a p i t a l c i t y alone, a n d e l s e w h e r e — a c r o s s s o m e 1200

by Sir W.M.

second century A. D. Boston, 11.2891.

P l i n y speaks m a i n l y a b o u t t h e artistic s i t u a t i o n at R o m e itself. W h i l e his s t a t e m e n t is far t o o s i m p l i s t i c t o b e t a k e n v e r y seriously, o r as a c o m p l e t e e x p l a n a t i o n , i t does seem that p a i n t e d p o r t r a i t u r e m a y n o t h a v e

the

mummy,

dates from

of Fine Arts, inv.

with

showing

head and neck left

to view. This complete

in painted portraits.

panels

the late Museum

m i l e s o f the M e d i t e r r a n e a n a n d t h e n s o m e 2 0 0 m i l e s u p t h e N i l e , i n the oasis r e g i o n o f E g y p t c a l l e d the F a y u m — p a i n t e d p o r t r a i t u r e was f l o u r i s h i n g , b e g i n n i n g i n P l i n y ' s o w n l i f e t i m e a n d c o n t i n u i n g f o r m o r e t h a n three centuries (fig. A). Less t h a n a c e n t u r y after E g y p t h a d f a l l e n i n t o R o m a n h a n d s as a result o f t h e Battle o f A c t i u m i n 31 B . C . , t h e r e a p p e a r e d the first e x a m p l e s o f w h a t was t o be a l o n g series o f p a n e l p o r t r a i t s that w e r e i n s e r t e d i n t h e w r a p p i n g s o f m u m m i e s o v e r the h e a d (fig. 1). T h e n a t i v e E g y p t i a n s p r e v i o u s l y h a d p r e s e r v e d t h e i r d e a d , e n c l o s i n g t h e m u m m i e s i n w o o d o r plaster c o f f i n s that g e n e r a l l y t e r m i n a t e d i n s c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t masks. T h e a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n a i m w a s t o create a p h y s i c a l d u p l i c a t e o f the deceased, o n e n o t subject t o t h e n o r m a l forces o f b o d i l y decay, a n d t h e r e f o r e a suitable a b o d e in perpetuum

f o r t h e s o u l . T h i s idea, h o w e v e r , was

essentially a l i e n t o t h e G r a e c o - R o m a n m e t a p h y s i c ; a n d w h i l e the G r a e c o - R o m a n s i n E g y p t a d o p t e d the c o n c e p t o f the f u n e r a r y p o r t r a i t , t h e y m a y h a v e h a d at first o n l y a l i m i t e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f its n a t i v e r e l i g i o u s basis. S c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t masks c o n t i n u e d t o be p r o d u c e d i n s o m e areas t h r o u g h o u t t h e R o m a n p e r i o d a n d i n t o t h e C o p t i c era ( f i g . 2), b u t p a n e l p o r t r a i t s c a m e t o be p r e f e r r e d , e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e F a y u m .

fig. 2

fig. 3

RECOVERYAND PROVENIENCE

Also during

the Roman

but less commonly,

period,

sculptured

masks covered the heads of

stucco mummies

M u s e u m s a n d c o l l e c t o r s t h r o u g h o u t the w o r l d t o d a y possess m o r e t h a n 7 0 0 " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s . " T h e r e are

(see also catalogue

s o m e 130 e x a m p l e s i n N o r t h A m e r i c a , i n c l u d i n g large a n d n o t e w o r t h y c o l l e c t i o n s at B e r k e l e y , N e w Y o r k ,

as an art form

T o r o n t o , a n d B o s t o n , as w e l l as a g r o u p o f i m p o r t a n t p o r t r a i t s a c q u i r e d i n r e c e n t years b y t h e J. Paul G e t t y

originated

Museum.

very ancient

times and continued

he produced

through the

Less t h a n t w o d o z e n p o r t r a i t s h a d b e e n r e c o v e r e d b e f o r e 1887, a n d these f e w h a d a t t r a c t e d l i t t l e atten足

Although mask

in native Egyptian

t i o n , b e i n g d e e m e d m o r e n o t e w o r t h y as a r c h a e o l o g i c a l c u r i o s i t i e s t h a n as s i g n i f i c a n t w o r k s o f art. T h e first

period,

k n o w n g r o u p h a d b e e n c o l l e c t e d i n 1615 at Sakkara b y P i e t r o della Valle, w h o b r o u g h t several

era were the first

complete

no. 14).

the mummy

examples from to

art of to

Ptolemaic

the

Roman

approximate

m u m m i e s b a c k t o E u r o p e i n that year. A large g r o u p was g a t h e r e d i n the early 1800's b y H e n r y Salt, the

naturalistic

B r i t i s h v i c e - c o n s u l i n E g y p t ; these p o r t r a i t s are t o d a y m o s t l y i n the L o u v r e (fig. 3). V a r i o u s o t h e r pieces f o u n d

first century A.D. New York, The

representation.

t h e i r w a y i n t o E u r o p e a n m u s e u m s o v e r the years, u s u a l l y as s o u v e n i r s o r c u r i o s i t i e s p u r c h a s e d b y travelers

Metropolitan

t o E g y p t ; o n e s u c h p o r t r a i t , f o r e x a m p l e , n o w at F l o r e n c e (fig. 4), h a d b e e n b o u g h t i n E g y p t b y an I t a l i a n

19-2.6, Rogers Fund,

Museum

Late

of Art,

inv.

1919.

t o u r i s t i n 1829. B u t these e a r l y r e c o v e r i e s t o t a l e d o n l y a h a n d f u l o f " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s . " 3.

One of the earliest

traits" painting British

"Fayum

to have been recovered,

por足 this

was bought in Egypt by a diplomat

in the early

nine足

teenth century. Encaustic

on wood.

Third century A.D. Paris,

Musee du

Louvre,

Departement

Grecques Phot.

et Romaines,

des

Antiquites

inv. P 209.

Chuzeville.

Fig. B.

f i g

Figure B. find

Map of the Fayum

spots of portraits

with

T h e n i n 1887 the Viennese antiquities dealer T h e o d o r G r a f p u r c h a s e d t h r o u g h a n agent at C a i r o a n d b r o u g h t

b a c k t o E u r o p e a v e r y large n u m b e r o f p a n e l p o r t r a i t s that h a d b e e n r e c o v e r e d b y B e d o u i n salt m i n e r s

indicated

black. After K. Parlasca,

Mumien-

w o r k i n g at Er-Rubayat i n the n o r t h e a s t e r n F a y u m , a site that seems t o h a v e s e r v e d as a b u r i a l g r o u n d f o r

portrats u n d verwandte Denkmaler

t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h e a n c i e n t c i t y o f P h i l a d e l p h e i a ( f i g . B). A year o r t w o later a b o u t n i n e t y o f these panels

(Wiesbaden

w e r e p u t o n t r a v e l i n g e x h i b i t i o n , f o r sale, i n b o t h E u r o p e a n d A m e r i c a , w h e n c e a n u m b e r o f p o r t r a i t s passed

1966) 35 Karte A.

Courtesy Franz Steiner

Verlag.

traveler

i n t o N o r t h A m e r i c a n c o l l e c t i o n s ( f i g . 5). T h e r e m a i n d e r o f T h e o d o r Graf's c o l l e c t i o n , i n c l u d i n g at least 2 0 0 m o r e p o r t r a i t s , w a s s o l d at a u c t i o n d u r i n g the 1930's after his d e a t h . O n e o f this latter g r o u p is i n t h e G e t t y

In 1829 an Italian

c o l l e c t i o n (catalogue n o . 12).

brought back from Egypt this fine portrait

of a lady painted

around

A.D. 300. Until Theodor spectacular

acquisition

hundreds

of these paintings

many years

'Fayumportraits"

attracted

scholarly

attention.

wood. Florence, inv. 2411. Phot. Photocolor

Tempera

Museo

after Graf's a c q u i s i t i o n , the great B r i t i s h E g y p t o l o g i s t Sir W . M . F l i n d e r s Petrie b e g a n e x c a v a t i o n s at the site

Grafs of

later, little on

Archeologico,

Alinari/Editorial

Archives.

T h e s u d d e n a p p e a r a n c e i n 1887 o f h u n d r e d s o f these p a i n t e d panels a r o u s e d s o m e s u s p i c i o n . W e r e the p o r t r a i t s authentic? O r was G r a f p e r h a p s a c l e v e r s w i n d l e r , a master o f fakery? B u t early i n 1888, a f e w m o n t h s o f H a w a r a , also i n the F a y u m , w h i c h seems t o h a v e b e e n t h e c e m e t e r y u s e d b y the i m p o r t a n t a n c i e n t t o w n o f Arsinoe. This excavation y i e l d e d about n i n e t y c o m p l e t e m u m m i e s , w i t h portraits, thereby s u p p o r t i n g the a u t h e n t i c i t y o f the G r a f c o l l e c t i o n . I n a s e c o n d season, d u r i n g 1910 a n d 1911, Petrie r e c o v e r e d s o m e s i x t y f i v e m o r e . T o d a y these are m o s t l y i n B r i t i s h m u s e u m s , a l t h o u g h t h e r e are several Petrie p o r t r a i t s i n A m e r i c a n c o l l e c t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e o n e at B o s t o n o f a m a n s t i l l w r a p p e d i n its m u m m y ( f i g . 1).

fig. 5

ffig. 6

T h a t the t e r m " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " is n o t c o m p l e t e l y accurate, h o w e v e r , is i n d i c a t e d b y the d i s c o v e r y o f

Hundreds

of painted

portraits

m u m m y p o r t r a i t s o u t s i d e the F a y u m r e g i o n , at several o t h e r sites i n E g y p t as far u p the N i l e as T h e b e s . B y

from

far the m o s t r e w a r d i n g f i n d s p o t o u t s i d e the F a y u m has b e e n A n t i n o o p o l i s , w h e r e F r e n c h e x c a v a t o r s

Fayum site of Er-Rub ay at were ac

t w e e n 1896 a n d 1912 d i s c o v e r e d at least t h i r t y m u m m y p o r t r a i t s , p e r h a p s i n c l u d i n g a m o n g o t h e r s a m a g n i f i c e n t p i e c e n o w i n the F o g g A r t M u s e u m o f H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y ( f i g . 6 ) .

T h e n u m b e r o f p o r t r a i t s o f k n o w n p r o v e n i e n c e , h o w e v e r — t h a t is, t h o s e w h o s e precise o r i g i n s are d o c u m e n t e d i n a r c h a e o l o g i c a l r e p o r t s — f a l l s far s h o r t o f the e x t a n t t o t a l . T h i s fact e m p h a s i z e s t h e p r i m a r y dif

the Roman, cemetery at the

quired

by the Viennese

antiquities

dealer Theodor Graf in 1887. painting,

datingfrom

This

the late second

century A.D., was among the many

f i c u l t y c o n f r o n t e d b y a n y o n e w h o studies these p o r t r a i t s : a general lack o f e x c a v a t i o n data. A B r i t i s h s c h o l a r

examples

has s u m m a r i z e d t h e p r o b l e m a p t l y : " N e g l e c t a n d n e g l i g e n c e p e r m e a t e the h i s t o r y o f e x c a v a t i o n o f R o m a n

and collectors during the years

sold by Graf to

E g y p t i a n sites." Graf's p o r t r a i t s , f o r e x a m p l e , w e r e s i m p l y r i p p e d f r o m t h e i r m u m m i e s a n d c o l l e c t e d , n o t ex

followed.

cavated, w h i l e the w o r k o f the F r e n c h at A n t i n o o p o l i s has b e e n c a l l e d g r a v e - r o b b i n g m o r e o f t e n t h a n archae

Museum of Fine Arts, inv.

museums

Encaustic on wood.

that

Boston, 93-1450.

o l o g y . T h e e x c e p t i o n t o this u n f o r t u n a t e r u l e was the w o r k o f Petrie at H a w a r a a n d e l s e w h e r e , w h i c h was v e r y w e l l - d o c u m e n t e d , b u t w h i c h , as m e n t i o n e d , y i e l d e d o n l y a small p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e e x t a n t p o r t r a i t s .

6. Antinoopolis, in Middle Egypt, is a site outside the Fayum where many ' Fayum portraits" were dis covered. This magnificent painting, probably datingfrom A.D. 130-150, shows the panel shape peculiar to many portraits known to originate at that site. Encaustic on wood. Cambridge, Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, inv. 1923-60, gift of Dr. Den man W. Ross. k

Fig. C .

fig. 7

Figure C.

Line drawing

of tools possibly painters.

used by

varieties

encaustic

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

After E. Berger, Die Wachs-

malerei des Apelles u n d seiner Zeit

W h e n o n e t h i n k s o f a " F a y u m p o r t r a i t , " an a p p r o x i m a t e l y r e c t a n g u l a r w o o d p a n e l u s u a l l y c o m e s t o m i n d ,

fSammlung maltechnischer Schriften 5;

a n d this is i n fact the t y p i c a l f o r m . T h e artist started w i t h a q u a d r a n g u l a r p l a n k o f cypress, cedar, l i n d e n ,

Munich

1917) 134-35figs.

10 and 11.

l i m e , o r f i g — h a r d w o o d s b e i n g b e t t e r t h a n soft, t o p r e v e n t a b s o r p t i o n o f the p r i m e r a n d p i g m e n t s . T h e surface w a s first p r i m e d , u s u a l l y w i t h gesso, a m i x t u r e o f g y p s u m a n d g l u e . T h e m a i n p u r p o s e o f this was t o seal

The bright highlights

in the face

t h e p o r e s o f the w o o d a n d t h e r e b y t o k e e p the p a i n t f r o m b e i n g a b s o r b e d . I t seems l i k e l y , h o w e v e r ,

that

and neck of the subject of this por

s o m e t i m e s t h e r e was also a n aesthetic p u r p o s e : t h e p r i m e r o f t e n was w h i t e , a n d this c a n g i v e c o l o r s s k i l l f u l l y

trait dating from

a p p l i e d over it a marvelous l u m i n o s i t y (fig. 7 ) , w h i c h must have been sought consciously b y the better art

the early

century A.D. were enhanced white undercoat panel as a primer. Toledo Museum

applied

third by a

to the

Tempera on wood. of Art, inv.

71.130.

ists. O n c e t h e p r i m e r h a d set, the p a i n t was a p p l i e d . Paint, o f c o u r s e , is a t w o f o l d p r o p o s i t i o n . O n t h e o n e h a n d t h e r e are the p i g m e n t s — t h e actual c o l o r s t h e m s e l v e s , usually i n p o w d e r f o r m . R o m a n E g y p t i a n p a i n t e r s o b t a i n e d t h e i r basic c o l o r s f r o m n a t u r a l s o u r c e s — a n i m a l , are e x p l a i n e d b y P l i n y i n the Naturalis

Historia

vegetable, a n d mineral—sources

that s o m e t i m e s

B u t t o m a k e the actual p a i n t u s e d b y the artist, the p i g m e n t s

w e r e m i x e d i n a l i q u i d , the n a t u r e o f w h i c h d e t e r m i n e d the precise p a i n t i n g t e c h n i q u e a n d t o o l s u s e d . T h e earliest a n d best m u m m y p o r t r a i t s w e r e d o n e i n t h e encaustic t e c h n i q u e . T h a t is, the p a i n t was a m i x ture o f pigment and wax—beeswax,

s p e c i f i c a l l y — w h i c h was k e p t g e n t l y h e a t e d (as was t h e p a n e l ) f o r ease

o f a p p l i c a t i o n . T h e basic t o o l s w e r e at least t w o : a b r u s h , p e r h a p s o f c a m e l hair b u t p o s s i b l y o f cat o r s q u i r r e l fur ( h u m a n h a i r also is v e r y g o o d f o r b r u s h e s o f this sort), a n d the cestrum

t o w h i c h P l i n y refers, a m e t a l

ig. 9

fig. 8

i n s t r u m e n t p r o b a b l y o n the o r d e r o f a m o d e r n palette k n i f e (fig. C). I n m o s t cases, e x a m i n a t i o n o f an encaus

tic p o r t r a i t reveals w h i c h areas w e r e w o r k e d w i t h w h i c h i n s t r u m e n t . T h e b a c k g r o u n d a n d b r o a d areas o f

A.D.,

c o l o r g e n e r a l l y w e r e b r u s h e d in—traces o f i n d i v i d u a l b r u s h strands f r e q u e n t l y are v i s i b l e — w h i l e the

caustic as the medium favored

cestrum

was r e g u l a r l y u s e d f o r greater d e t a i l w i t h i n the face a n d especially the hair. A p a n e l p a i n t e d i n encaustic,

Beginning

in the third

the painters

of mummy of a boy,

thanks t o the w a x m e d i u m , c o u l d be h e a t e d a n d r e w o r k e d o v e r a p e r i o d o f t i m e , p e r m i t t i n g the subtle t o u c h e s

'This portrait

seen i n the best e a r l y p o r t r a i t s a n d e x p l a i n i n g the r e m a r k a b l e t h i c k n e s s o f the p a i n t . S o m e o f these e x a m p l e s

the early fourth

m a y h a v e b e e n w o r k e d o n i n t e r m i t t e n t l y for several

trates the strikingly

days.

W h e n the general e c o n o m i c disaster o f the late R o m a n E m p i r e u l t i m a t e l y r e a c h e d the F a y u m , h o w e v e r ,

century

tempera came to replace en

effects obtained

portraits. datingfrom

century A.D., different

in the

a d e c l i n e i n artistic p r o d u c t i o n is e v i d e n t i n less s k i l l e d p o r t r a i t p a i n t i n g a n d i n a w i d e s p r e a d a n d n e a r l y t o t a l

tempera

medium.

shift t o t h e faster, c h e a p e r m e d i u m o f t e m p e r a ( f i g . 8). F o r t e m p e r a p o r t r a i t s , the same p i g m e n t s w e r e u s e d

Museum,

b u t w e r e i n s t e a d m i x e d i n an egg base, a n d t h e b r u s h was u s e d e x c l u s i v e l y . I n c o n t r a s t t o e n c a u s t i c p a i n t ,

Mr. and Mrs. John

illus visual

quick-drying

Saint Louis

Art

inv. 63:1959, gift of Simon.

t e m p e r a dries q u i c k l y a n d p e r m a n e n t l y . T e m p e r a s t r o k e s o n c e a p p l i e d c a n n o t be a l t e r e d , o n l y p a i n t e d o v e r , a n d this e x p l a i n s the c a r t o o n - l i k e a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e g e n e r a l r u n o f late " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " a n d also a c c o u n t s

for at least o n e v i s u a l m o n s t r o s i t y : a t e m p e r a p o r t r a i t last k n o w n i n a p r i v a t e c o l l e c t i o n ( f i g . 9). T h e artist,

trait from

h a v i n g b e g u n his w o r k a n d c o n s i d e r i n g i t unsatisfactory, c o u l d n o t take b a c k his b r u s h s t r o k e s n o r e v e n

has worn away, revealing

that the

c h a n g e t h e m , so r a t h e r t h a n w a s t e a p e r f e c t l y g o o d c h u n k o f w o o d , he e x e c u t e d his s e c o n d a t t e m p t d i r e c t l y

artist had been dissatisfied

with a

o v e r t h e a b o r t i v e first t r y . W i t h t i m e the o r i g i n a l s k e t c h has s h o w n t h r o u g h , p r o d u c i n g a g r o t e s q u e f o u r -

flexible

eyed

wax-based

monster.

The paint of this tempera

earliest

the fourth

effort. Unlike the encaustic

por

century A. D.

medium

mummy portraits,

of the strokes

in tempera paint cannot be changed; thus the artist of this portrait painted Formerly present

over his first in a private whereabouts

simply

attempt. collection; unknown.

fig. 10

fig. D

Figure D .

Line drawing

"Fayum portrait. Museum,

Department

framed British

of Greek

Roman Antiquities, W.M. Flinders

" London, inv. 85.

Petrie,

USE OF THE PORTRAITS

and

After

Hawara,

T h e p o r t r a i t panels seem o f t e n , at least i n the early E m p i r e , t o h a v e b e e n c o m m i s s i o n e d d u r i n g o n e ' s l i f e t i m e a n d t o h a v e h u n g , f r a m e d , i n the h o u s e u n t i l d e a t h . T h e frame r e g u l a r l y was o f the so-called " O x f o r d "

Biahmu, and Arsinoe (London

1889)

pi. 12.

v a r i e t y , as i l l u s t r a t e d b y Petrie ( f i g . D ) . T h i s p a r t i c u l a r p o r t r a i t , n o w i n the B r i t i s h M u s e u m , was f o u n d s t i l l i n its frame, w h i c h e v e n h a d a b e v e l e d g r o o v e f o r i n s e r t i o n o f a glass plate o r s l i d i n g s h u t t e r a n d a c o r d for h a n g i n g still a t t a c h e d . A n o t h e r t y p e o f frame, less c o m m o n , was o f g i l t s t u c c o ( f i g . E), an e x a m p l e o f

10.

"Fayumportraits"

been commissioned ject's lifetime until death.

may

during

the sub足

and hung in the house This elegant

of a lady, painted

depiction

in encaustic

dating from the early second A.D.,

have

comes from Hawara.

the frame

century

m y c o l l e c t i o n , e i t h e r u n t i l U n c l e C l a u d i u s b e c a m e t o t a l l y i g n o r e d o r u n t i l his m u m m y b e c a m e t o o b a t t e r e d

in the

it is displayed the typical

"Fayum portrait.

University frame

appearance

University

Museum,

of Pennsylvania,

16214 (formerly

with with it

to illustrate

inv. E

E 462). Shown

(not belonging),

r e p r e s e n t s t h e v i e w o f Petrie, w h o d i s c o v e r e d several m u m m i e s that h a d b e e n b e a t e n u p a n d d e f a c e d a r o u n d t h e feet, a p p a r e n t l y b y R o m a n E g y p t i a n c h i l d r e n c r a w l i n g a r o u n d t h e h o u s e . As b i z a r r e as t h e w h o l e t h e o r y

Although

of a framed Philadelphia,

t o be r e s p e c t a b l e . I n e i t h e r case, o b l i v i o n o r damage, the m u m m y u l t i m a t e l y w o u l d be a c c o r d e d b u r i a l . T h i s

frame

was not discovered

this painting,

I n t h e case o f a g i l t s t u c c o frame, i t n o r m a l l y was w r a p p e d i n t h e m u m m y a l o n g w i t h the p o r t r a i t . T h e n , it seems, the c o m p l e t e d m u m m y m a y h a v e b e e n k e p t a r o u n d t h e h o u s e f o r a w h i l e as p a r t o f a f a m i l y m u m 足

It is

mummy with the portrait.

After d e a t h , t h e f r a m e d p o r t r a i t was t a k e n d o w n f r o m t h e w a l l a n d , i n the case o f an " O x f o r d " frame, the p a n e l was r e m o v e d a n d c u t d o w n at the u p p e r c o r n e r s f o r a b e t t e r f i t w i t h i n t h e m u m m y w r a p p i n g s .

and

shown in a type of gilt stucco that often was wrapped

w h i c h is d i s p l a y e d h o l d i n g a p o r t r a i t i n t h e U n i v e r s i t y M u s e u m , P h i l a d e l p h i a ( f i g . 10).

with

inv. E 16215.

s o u n d s , t h e r e is p o s s i b l y at least s o m e t r u t h i n i t .

Fig. E.

fig- 11

1 2

Figure E. frame.

Line drawing

of stucco

After W.M. Flinders

Petrie,

Hawara, Biahmu, and Arsinoe O c c a s i o n a l l y a p o r t r a i t was e n r i c h e d b e f o r e b e i n g i n s e r t e d i n the m u m m y . T h e g o l d - l e a f p e c t o r a l d e c o r a 足 t i o n o f a w e l l - k n o w n p o r t r a i t i n the L o u v r e (fig. 26) has b e e n f o u n d t h r o u g h X - r a y analysis t o h a v e b e e n a later a d d i t i o n t o an o t h e r w i s e f a i r l y p l a i n p o r t r a i t w i t h o u t the g i l d i n g Similar l a s t - m i n u t e a d d i t i o n s are the g i l t collars f o u n d o n m a n y p o r t r a i t s , s u c h as o n e i n D e t r o i t (fig. 11), a n d m i s c e l l a n e o u s details s u c h as the g i l d e d lips o n a r e c e n t l y a c q u i r e d e x a m p l e i n C l e v e l a n d ( f i g . 12). E v e n m o r e n o t e w o r t h y is the n e w e s t G e t t y M u s e u m p o r t r a i t (catalogue n o . 1) w h e r e all t h e j e w e l r y was f r e s h l y g i l d e d a n d a g o l d - l e a f f u n e r a r y w r e a t h added o n insertion i n t o the wrappings. 9

(London 11.

1889) pi. 12.

The thick necklace

of gilded

stucco worn by the subject of this painting

is an example

that was added

jewelry

to a portrait

time of its insertion

in the

just prior to burial.

The

at the mummy

pendant

encloses a coin. Encaustic

From Antinoopolis;

A.D.

130-160.

'The Detroit Institute

of Arts, inv.

12.

Not only was painted

jewelry

added

it was wrapped the subject's Encaustic

25.2.

gold

to this portrait

when

in the mummy,

lips also were

wood.

but

gilded.

on wood. Late first or early

second century

A.D. The

Cleveland

M useu m of Art, in v. 71.137, John L . Severance

Fund.

fig- 13

13-

Some Roman-Egyptian

mies had as their final

mum

wrapping

linen shroud on which was a portrait

of the deceased.

subject was shown to as here—seemingly contemporary portraits

f u n e r a r y p o r t r a i t d u r i n g o n e ' s l i f e t i m e does n o t a l w a y s seem t o h a v e b e e n t h e case. T h e latter e s p e c i a l l y

painted

c a n n o t h a v e o c c u r r e d i n the cases o f t h e p o r t r a i t s o f infants o r c h i l d r e n , w h o c o u l d n o t u s u a l l y h a v e l i v e d

bust-length,

in imitation

the

was shown at full

length. This shroud, Antinoopolis,

common)

on wood panels—but

subject sometimes

recovered

dates from

It s h o u l d be n o t e d , first, that n o t all m u m m y p o r t r a i t s w e r e f r a m e d a n d , s e c o n d , that t h e c r e a t i o n o f a

Often the

(and more

fig. 14

the mid-

l o n g e n o u g h t o h a v e a c q u i r e d a p o r t r a i t d u r i n g life. I n these instances at least, the p o r t r a i t s m u s t h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d post

mortem.

A n alternate t y p e o f b u r i a l p o r t r a i t , w h i c h was c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h , b u t m u c h less p o p u l a r t h a n , the w o o d p a n e l was the l i n e n s h r o u d . T h i s c o u l d be p a i n t e d i n e i t h e r encaustic o r t e m p e r a a n d , e s p e c i a l l y at A n t i n o o 10

polis (fig. 13), was w r a p p e d a r o u n d the m u m m y for b u r i a l . T h e m i x e d origins o f funerary p o r t r a i t u r e i n R o m a n E g y p t are m o s t e v i d e n t o n the m a n y s h r o u d s that s h o w a s t r i k i n g c o m b i n a t i o n o f E g y p t i a n d e c o r a t i v e elements w i t h a naturalistic G r a e c o - R o m a n p o r t r a i t . O c c a s i o n a l l y , t o o , as a c o m b i n a t i o n o f types, p o r t r a i t s w e r e p a i n t e d o n canvas that t h e n was a f f i x e d t o w o o d .

third century A.D. and shows the typical combination

of a

Roman-style

flanked

portrait

pictorial

vignettes painted

Egyptian

style. Encaustic

Paris,

Musee du Louvre,

ment des Antiquites

Graecoin

by native

on linen. Departe-

Egyptiennes,

CHRONOLOGY

inv. AF 6490. 14. Cloth fragments clinging to this portrait of a man have been dated by radiocarbon analysis to A.D. 175 ± 60, providing a firm index of its date. Few such points of absolute chronology have been obtained for mummy portraits. Encaustic on ivood. Pretoria, National Cultural History and Open-Air Museum, inv. 68/68. 10

W h e n first d i s c o v e r e d , the p o r t r a i t s w e r e t h o u g h t b y s o m e t o be p r e - R o m a n , that is, P t o l e m a i c , i n date; b u t it is n o w b e l i e v e d that t h e i r c h r o n o l o g i c a l range e x t e n d s f r o m J u l i o - C l a u d i a n days, p e r h a p s the 30's A . D . , t h r o u g h the t i m e o f C o n s t a n t i n e . L o c a l spurts o f a c t i v i t y , at least i n the F a y u m p r o p e r , e x t e n d e d i n t o t h e m i d - f o u r t h c e n t u r y b u t n o t m u c h b e y o n d . T h e o d o s i u s seems t o h a v e p r o h i b i t e d the e m b a l m i n g o f b o d i e s i n A . D . 3 9 2 , t h u s also e n d i n g t h e c u s t o m o f p a i n t e d m u m m y p o r t r a i t s .

fig- 15

W i t h i n the m o r e t h a n t h r e e c e n t u r i e s t h u s d e f i n e d , s h a r p e r c h r o n o l o g i c a l d i s t i n c t i o n s are p o s s i b l e o n t w o

15.

The boy in this portrait

bases. A b s o l u t e c h r o n o l o g y is the w e a k e r m e t h o d , a l t h o u g h s o m e exact p o i n t s i n t i m e can be d e t e r m i n e d .

identified

by the inscription

First a n d f o r e m o s t a m o n g these dates is the f o u n d a t i o n o f A n t i n o o p o l i s i n A . D . 130. O b v i o u s l y , n o p o r t r a i t s

Eutycbes. freedman

w e r e p a i n t e d t h e r e b e f o r e that year. M o r e o v e r , i n t h o s e f e w cases o f p o r t r a i t s w h o s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f r e c o v

Heracleides.

e r y are d o c u m e n t e d , p r e c i s e l y d a t a b l e i t e m s s u c h as p a p y r i o c c a s i o n a l l y h a v e t u r n e d u p i n the same archae

taken this Greek name on

manu

o l o g i c a l c o n t e x t . Finally, a n d m o s t r e c e n t l y , r a d i o c a r b o n analysis has d a t e d t o A . D . 175 ± 6 0 c l o t h samples

mission and so was himself

not

f r o m the m u m m y o f a p o o r l y p r e s e r v e d p o r t r a i t i n S o u t h A f r i c a ( f i g . 14).

T h e s e c o n d m e t h o d o f d a t i n g m u m m y p o r t r a i t s , h o w e v e r , is the m o r e i m p o r t a n t o f the t w o . T h i s is a relative s c h e m e based o n t w o g e n e r a l

former

c e r n e d , f r o m the s u b t l e n a t u r a l i s m o f t h e best e a r l y p o r t r a i t s t o the l i n e a r a n d c a r t o o n - l i k e a b s t r a c t i o n s seen

His

was Greek,

as were—to judge

their names—nearly in

have

of Greek heritage.

mummy portraits

and

2. T h a t the p a i n t i n g arts as a w h o l e , at least i n the F a y u m , e v o l v e d g e n e r a l l y t h r o u g h o u t the p e r i o d c o n

Cassianus

Eutycbes may

master certainly

however,

assumptions:

1. T h a t the j e w e l r y a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e hairstyles o f the v a r i o u s I m p e r i a l families at R o m e w e r e c o p i e d b y R o m a n s i n the h i n t e r l a n d s — E g y p t , Asia M i n o r , o r w h e r e v e r ;

necessarily

from

all subjects of who are

accompanying

idoitified inscriptions.

Although Egypt was owned by Rome, its aristocracy seems to hai >e remained

i n m a n y o f the latest p r o d u c t i o n s . T h i s r e l a t i v e m e t h o d o f d a t i n g has flaws that w a r r a n t c a u t i o n i n its use. F o r e x a m p l e , t h e p o r t r a y e d w e r e i n m a n y cases E g y p t i a n Greeks, as w e s u r m i s e f r o m i n s c r i p t i o n s that o c c a s i o n a l l y appear o n t h e p o r t r a i t s

mainly Greek, thanks to nearly centuries

of rule by the

(fig. 15).' T h e e n t h u s i a s m o f these E g y p t i a n Greeks f o r m i m i c k i n g the f a s h i o n t r e n d s o f R o m a n I t a l y m a y h a v e

just before the Roma)} period.

b e e n s m a l l . A t A n t i n o o p o l i s , f o r e x a m p l e , at s o m e 500 m i l e s u p the N i l e the m o s t d i s t a n t site at w h i c h a

caustic on wood. Probably

s i g n i f i c a n t n u m b e r o f p o r t r a i t s has b e e n r e c o v e r e d a n d o n e o f the m o s t H e l l e n i z e d o f s e t t l e m e n t s i n E g y p t

Antinoopolis;

t h r o u g h o u t t h e R o m a n p e r i o d , the m o s t p o p u l a r w o m e n ' s h a i r s t y l e has n o exact p a r a l l e l i n o f f i c i a l p o r t r a i t

York, The Metropolitan

s c u l p t u r e at R o m e .

Art, inv. 18.9-2, gift of Edward

Still, the r e l a t i v e o r c o m p a r a t i v e m e t h o d o f d a t i n g is e x t r e m e l y v a l u a b l e . After e x a m i n i n g h u n d r e d s o f

Harkness,

three

Ptolemies En

from

A.D. 150-200.

New

Museum

of S.

1918.

o f f i c i a l p o r t r a i t busts f r o m R o m e a n d h u n d r e d s o f p a i n t e d p o r t r a i t s f r o m R o m a n E g y p t , o n e can w i t h s o m e c o n f i d e n c e place v i r t u a l l y a n y m u m m y p o r t r a i t w i t h i n a half- o r e v e n

quarter-century.

fig. 16

16.

Modern forgeries

portraits''

of-Fayum

are not often so

as this bizarre example,

which ap

pears to have been painted

very

recently. Many fakes produced more sophisticated

painters

in this century are difficult Hon. Formerly

I n t e r m s o f t h e a n t i q u i t i e s trade, these p a n e l p o r t r a i t s — l i k e R o m a n s c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t s — a l w a y s seem t o be available f o r a c q u i s i t i o n . A t a n y g i v e n m o m e n t , at least a h a l f - d o z e n u s u a l l y are f o r sale. I f o n e is g o i n g t o

earlier

c o l l e c t m u m m y p o r t r a i t s , h o w e v e r , t h e q u e s t i o n o f forgeries enters t h e p i c t u r e . W h i l e m o s t available pieces

of detec-

are a u t h e n t i c , this has n o t b e e n t h e case w i t h all t h e p o r t r a i t s o f f e r e d f o r sale. A p o p u l a r t r i c k is t o get a

offered in the Euro-

pean art market.

THE ART MARKET

blatant

1 9 0 0 - y e a r - o l d c h u n k o f w o o d , s u c h as is still t o be h a d q u i t e easily i n E g y p t , a n d p a i n t a b o g u s " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " o n i t . W h i l e I c a n n o t agree w i t h alarmists w h o w o u l d h a v e us b e l i e v e that a large p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e e x a m p l e s n o w i n N o r t h A m e r i c a n m u s e u m s are m o d e r n p r o d u c t i o n s , y e t t h e p r o b l e m o f fakes c e r t a i n l y exists. S o m e artists o f t h e m u m m y p o r t r a i t s are alive a n d w e l l a n d w o r k i n g i n m a j o r cities. Several years ago a p e c u l i a r p i e c e was b e i n g o f f e r e d b y a E u r o p e a n dealer (fig. 16). T h i s is o n e o f t h e m o s t b l a t a n t " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " forgeries ever t o appear o n t h e art m a r k e t . I t does n o t take an e x p e r t t o f e e l — e v e n f r o m a p h o t o g r a p h — t h a t all is n o t w e l l w i t h this p a i n t i n g , that its style is m o r e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y t h a n s e c o n d o r t h i r d . B u t since " s t y l e " is so i n t a n g i b l e , o n e is o n f i r m e r g r o u n d c o n v i c t i n g t h e p i e c e f o r t e c h n i c a l reasons. O n e m a j o r d e t a i l m i s s e d b y its c r e a t o r is t h e p r i m e r . A l m o s t w i t h o u t e x c e p t i o n a n c i e n t pieces h a v e it, b u t this o n e does n o t . M o r e c o n d e m n i n g still is t h e a p p a r e n t l y m o d e r n w o o d ; w e r e i t a n c i e n t , t h e g r a i n lines w o u l d h a v e f a d e d a n d b e c o m e v i r t u a l l y i n v i s i b l e . T h e g a r m e n t s c h e m e is q u i t e w r o n g , a n d t h e list o f s u c h details goes o n , o n l y a d d i n g t o an i m p r e s s i o n o f m o d e r n o r i g i n a n d c a l l i n g t o m i n d t h e e x c e l l e n t a d v i c e caveat

emptor.

fig. 17

fig- 18

17.

PRESERVATION A N D CONSERVATION

This elegant portrait

A.D.,

was recovered

T h e d r y c l i m a t e o f E g y p t , o f c o u r s e , is r e s p o n s i b l e for the f i n e state o f p r e s e r v a t i o n o f m a n y o f the m u m m y

Flinders

coat of wax, probably

y e s t e r d a y r a t h e r t h a n c e n t u r i e s ago. W h i l e a f e w o f t h e m m a y i n d e e d h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d yesterday, as m e n

excavator

t i o n e d , the a u t h e n t i c p o r t r a i t s o w e t h e i r p h y s i c a l i n t e g r i t y t o the h o t , d r y sands o f E g y p t . W h i l e I d o n o t

surface,

has discolored

c l a i m a n y f i r s t h a n d e x p e r i e n c e w i t h the r e s t o r a t i o n a n d c o n s e r v a t i o n o f " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s , " I m i g h t m e n t i o n

obscures

the portrait's

o n e f r e q u e n t p r o b l e m : the h e a v y coats o f v a r n i s h o r a d d i t i o n a l w a x s o m e t i m e s a p p l i e d b y w e l l - i n t e n t i o n e d

brightness.

e x c a v a t o r s o r c o l l e c t o r s . T h e o r i g i n a l b r i g h t n e s s o f a f i n e p o r t r a i t i n T o r o n t o ( f i g . 17), f o r e x a m p l e ,

Toronto,

1 3

today

that o v e r the years has t u r n e d f r o m

inv.

century

by Sir W.M.

p o r t r a i t s . T h e c o l o r s o f t e n are b r i g h t a n d fresh a n d g i v e the i m p r e s s i o n that t h e y c o u l d h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d

is o b s c u r e d b y a t h i c k " p r o t e c t i v e " coat o f v a r n i s h o r ( p r o b a b l y ) w a x ,

of a lady,

dating from the early second Petrie at Hawara. to protect

modern

applied by the the

Encaustic

painted and

today

original on

Royal Ontario

wood. Museum,

918.20.1.

t r a n s p a r e n t t o a c l o u d e d m u d - b r o w n . A n o t h e r p r o b l e m is that m o s t p o r t r a i t s w h e n first r e c o v e r e d are en c r u s t e d w i t h the d i r t o f the ages, w h i c h s o m e h o w m u s t be r e m o v e d . A p o r t r a i t o f a m a n ( f i g . 18) h u n g f o r

18.

t h i r t y - f i v e years i n the Walters A r t G a l l e r y l o o k i n g v e r y h u m b l e i n d e e d , u n t i l i n 1969 all f i v e o f the g a l l e r y ' s

man, dating from

p o r t r a i t s w e r e s k i l l f u l l y c l e a n e d . T h e same p o r t r a i t n o w is s i m p l y d a z z l i n g ( f i g . 19). T h e agent? T h e k e y t o

century A.D., is shown heavily

this r e m a r k a b l e c l e a n i n g process? N o t a n y e l a b o r a t e c h e m i c a l p r e p a r a t i o n , n o r a set o f special b r u s h e s . T h e

crusted

c l e a n i n g was d o n e v e r y g e n t l y w i t h " Q - T i p s " a n d o r d i n a r y h u m a n saliva.

T h e p o r t r a i t has b e e n s p i t - s h i n e d ,

An encaustic portrait the

of a

mid-second

with sand and dirt.

Balti

more, Walters Art Gallery, inv.

32.6.

so t o speak. 19-

The same portrait

after careful cleaning vator. The original this fine portrait

as in fig. 18, by a conser

appearance

has been

skillfully

restored.

ffig. 20

20.

Some portraits

ing evidence from

present

convinc足

that they were

life. This depiction

painted

fig. 21

PORTRAITS?

of a young

man, found

at Antinoopolis

and

A n a t u r a l q u e s t i o n at this p o i n t is: " A r e these p a i n t i n g s a c t u a l l y p o r t r a i t s ? " T h e a n s w e r is m i x e d . T h e r e are

dating from

the late second

century

a n u m b e r o f e x a m p l e s that seem c e r t a i n l y t o h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d f r o m life. A p o r t r a i t o f a y o u n g m a n n o w

A.D.,

seems related to a sketch on

the panel's Encaustic Louvre,

i n the L o u v r e (fig. 20) has o n its reverse a f u l l - l e n g t h o u t l i n e d r a w i n g (fig. 21) that m a y be a p r e l i m i n a r y s k e t c h m a d e b y the artist i n the p r e s e n c e o f the sitter. A fascinating p a n e l i n B e r k e l e y has, o n o n e side, the f a d e d

Musee du

r e m a i n s o f w h a t m u s t be an u n f i n i s h e d p o r t r a i t a n d , o n the reverse, a hasty s k e t c h ( f i g . 22) w i t h c o l o r n o t e s

Antiquites

s c r a w l e d i n . Gayet, the e x c a v a t o r o f A n t i n o o p o l i s , said that w h e n e v e r he f o u n d a m u m m y p o r t r a i t he a l w a y s

on wood. Paris, Department

Grecques Phot.

reverse. des

et Romaines,

inv. P 213'.

t o o k care t o u n w r a p t h e m u m m y a n d t o c o m p a r e t h e p a i n t e d likeness o n t h e o u t s i d e w i t h t h e actual features o f t h e deceased w i t h i n , a n d he c o n c l u d e d that t h e y w e r e i n d e e d t r u e p o r t r a i t s .

Chuzeville.

E v e n i f o n e takes this o v e r -

e n t h u s i a s t i c s t a t e m e n t w i t h s o m e r e s e r v a t i o n s , the e v i d e n c e seems t o i n d i c a t e at least s o m e t i m e s a n a t t e m p t 21.

This sketch, on the reverse of

the preceding

panel,

may have been

made by the artist in the of the subject. Although ing shows the full figure,

presence the draw足 it may

have been an aid to the painter creating

the bust-length

depiction

on the obverse. After W. de

Grunei-

sen, Le portrait: Traditions hellenistiques et influences orientales 1911) pi. 1.

(Rome

t o c a p t u r e the actual likeness o f the

subject.

B u t t h e r e is c o n f l i c t i n g e v i d e n c e as w e l l . F o r e x a m p l e , a l t h o u g h t h e p o r t r a i t i n S o u t h A f r i c a d a t e d b y r a d i o 足 c a r b o n ( f i g . 14) p l a i n l y s h o w s a b e a r d e d a n d m o u s t a c h i o e d m a n , its m u m m y has b e e n s h o w n t h r o u g h X - r a y t o be that o f a w o m a n .

1 6

Rather t h a n suggest that the deceased w o m a n h a d h a d major p r o b l e m s o f sexual i d e n t i t y ,

ig. 22

fi2

ig. 23

gfig. 24. 24

o r that h e r p a r e n t s a l w a y s h a d w i s h e d she w e r e a s o n , w e m u s t instead a d m i t that this m a y be a clear-cut

22.

case w h e r e the p o r t r a i t a n d its m u m m y are u n r e l a t e d . A t the m a j o r F a y u m site o f Er-Rubayat, m o r e o v e r , the

panel portrait from

art f o r m seems t o h a v e e v o l v e d b y the late t h i r d c e n t u r y i n t o series p r o d u c t i o n . O n e artist, f o r e x a m p l e ,

an artist's sketch, including

p a i n t e d n o t o n l y a p o r t r a i t f o r m e r l y i n an A u s t r i a n p r i v a t e c o l l e c t i o n (fig. 23) b u t also a n e a r - d u p l i c a t e

of color, that plainly

now

The reverse of an

unfinished

Tebtunis

shows notations

indicates

i n t h e P h i l a d e l p h i a M u s e u m o f A r t ( f i g . 24). T h e r e n a t u r a l l y are e x c e p t i o n s t o this p r a c t i c e , b u t m o s t " F a y u m

depiction from life. Third

p o r t r a i t s " d a t i n g f r o m t h e late t h i r d c e n t u r y a n d a f t e r w a r d seem t o be v a r i a t i o n s o n a f e w s i m p l i f i e d t y p e s .

A.D. Berkeley, Lowie Museum

C l e a r l y t h e y bear l i t t l e r e l a t i o n t o the t r u e a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e deceased a n d t h u s are n o t actual likenesses.

Anthropology.

Just as a s c u l p t o r o f m u m m y masks m i g h t h a v e h a d o n h a n d o n l y f o u r o r five m o u l d s o n w h i c h he w o u l d

nia, inv.

century

University

Califor足

to examples

dating

6-21378A.

h a v e based all his m u m m y masks, it w o u l d seem that a late p o r t r a i t i s t w o r k i n g i n the F a y u m m i g h t h a v e h a d o n h a n d several p a r t i a l l y p r e p a i n t e d panels t o w h i c h he w o u l d h a v e a d d e d o n l y specific details r e q u i r e d

23-

In contrast

b y a c u s t o m e r . O n e m i g h t e v e n g o o n e step f u r t h e r a n d suggest that at least s o m e late p o r t r a i t s w e r e ready-

from

the early Empire,

which seem

m a d e , w h o l l y p r e p a i n t e d w h e n d i s p l a y e d f o r sale. T h u s a c u s t o m e r m i g h t s i m p l y h a v e s t r o l l e d i n t o a p o r t r a i t

mainly

s h o p a n d p i c k e d o u t a f i n i s h e d p i e c e f o r e v e n t u a l use i n his o w n m u m m y . I t m i g h t h a v e l o o k e d v a g u e l y

literal likenesses

l i k e h i m , o r as he w a n t e d t o be r e m e m b e r e d . Perhaps the s e l e c t i o n o f a p o r t r a i t was m a d e after death b y

actual and detailed appearance

the s u r v i v i n g f a m i l y . W h a t e v e r the case, the latest " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " w e r e far different f r o m the actual likenesses

specific

o f earlier c e n t u r i e s . M o s t are p o r t r a i t s i n o n l y a s y m b o l i c sense.

to have been intended

individuals,

"Fayumportraits" general facial

tion; present

whereabouts

Nearly a duplicate

250-

collec足 unknown.

of the pre足

this depiction

was

by the same artist in a series

of "portraits" facial

A.D.

in a private

ceding example,

were based on

types. Tempera

275- Formerly

painted

the

many late

wood. From Er-Rubayat;

24.

reproducing

based on a general

type. Tempera on wood.

Er-Rubayat;

A.D. 250-275.

phia Museum of Art, inv. Louis E. Stern

From

Philadel足 63-181-263,

Collection. 15

fig 25

25. among

This likeness probably the first portraits

Antinoopolis

after its foundation

A.D. 130. The depiction cratic among portraits for the placement

THE PAINTERS

idiosyn足

subject's

levels and for

pattern

from that site

of the

eyes at different distinctive

was

painted

fig 26

the

of the lips. En足

I n c o n s i d e r i n g t h e artists w h o p r o d u c e d these f a s c i n a t i n g p o r t r a i t s , the p r o b l e m s are m u c h the same as f o r t h e w a l l p a i n t e r s o f C a m p a n i a , as s u m m a r i z e d b y L . R i c h a r d s o n , j r : " T h e m u s e u m s a n d s t a n d a r d b o o k s o n t h e s u b j e c t bear n o a t t r i b u t i o n s . I t is a l m o s t as i f the q u e s t i o n o f w h o p a i n t e d these p i c t u r e s w e r e n o t o f interest to

scholars."

T h e r e is, i n fact, l i t t l e p h y s i c a l e v i d e n c e f r o m w h i c h t o w o r k . W h i l e i n C a m p a n i a t h e r e is at least o n e

caustic on wood. Painter A. Musee

artist's signature, t h e m u m m y p o r t r a i t s all are a n o n y m o u s c r e a t i o n s . W h i l e at P o m p e i i i t is p o s s i b l e t o p o i n t

des Beaux-Arts

s p e c i f i c a l l y t o a p a i n t e r ' s trade, w i t h p o t s o f p i g m e n t still l y i n g as t h e y w e r e i n A u g u s t o f A . D . 7 9 , n o s u c h

de Dijon,

inv. GA 1.

e v i d e n c e s u r v i v e s f r o m R o m a n E g y p t . A n d w h i l e t h e e l d e r P l i n y talks a l i t t l e a b o u t w a l l p a i n t i n g , i f m a i n l y 26. Representational pecularities, for example, in the eyes and lips of this portrait also from Antinoopolis, suggest that it was created by the same artist, Painter A. The elaborate gold pectoral has been shown to be decoration added to the portrait at a later date, presumably at the time of burial. Encaustic on wood. A.D. 130-160. Paris, Musee du Louvre, Departement des Antiquites Grecques et Romaines, inv. P 217. Phot. Chuzeville.

t o l a m e n t the g a u d y d e c a d e n c e o f t h e P o m p e i a n F o u r t h Style, n o l i t e r a r y r e f e r e n c e t o m u m m y p o r t r a i t s o r t o t h e i r artists has s u r v i v e d . P l i n y h i m s e l f leads us o f f the scent w h e n he says that the p a i n t i n g o f p o r t r a i t s had died out completely. Yet m u c h s t i l l can b e o b s e r v e d a b o u t the artists, w o r k i n g s o l e l y f r o m the p a i n t i n g s t h e m s e l v e s . D u r i n g t h e past h a l f - c e n t u r y o r so, the w o r k o f R i c h a r d s o n a n d o t h e r s at P o m p e i i , a n d o f Beazley w i t h G r e e k vases, has d e m o n s t r a t e d that t h e lack o f signatures n e e d n o t be d i s c o u r a g i n g . U s i n g the same t e c h n i q u e , that is, b y s t u d y i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l i d i o s y n c r a c y , i t is p o s s i b l e t o g r o u p p a i n t e d p o r t r a i t s i n t o s c h o o l s a n d e v e n sometimes to specify i n d i v i d u a l hands.

fig.28

fig. 27

I n s e e k i n g o u t the i d e n t i t y o f the p a i n t e r s as a g r o u p , w e are also l i m i t e d t o c o n c l u s i o n s d e r i v e d f r o m the

27.

The subject of this

w o r k s themselves, b u t b y e x a m i n i n g the t e c h n i q u e s o f p o r t r a i t p r o d u c t i o n the a n s w e r m a y c o m e m o r e clearly

from

Antinoopolis,

i n t o focus. T h e earliest m u m m y p a i n t i n g s are i n the w a x - b a s e d encaustic m e d i u m , a n d the e l d e r P l i n y talks

caustic on linen, holds a

bouquet

and chalice evidently

funerary

at s o m e l e n g t h a b o u t this t e c h n i q u e .

A u g u s t u s , w e are t o l d , i n s e r t e d i n t o a w a l l o f the C u r i a at R o m e an

portrait

painted

i)i en

encaustic p a n e l b y Nicias, a G r e e k master o f the 330's B.C. P l i n y also c o n s i d e r s the u n c e r t a i n o r i g i n o f encaus

coiuiotaiion.

tic: p e r h a p s i n the f o u r t h c e n t u r y B.C., he says, a l t h o u g h P o l y g n o t u s seems t o h a v e used it b e f o r e t h e n . H e

has been restored extensively

goes o n t o talk a b o u t several p r o m i n e n t masters o f the encaustic m e d i u m , all Greeks, all w o r k i n g i n the f o u r t h

fig. 28), several distinctive

c e n t u r y B.C. B e y o n d Pliny's discussion, the p r e s e r v e d f i f t h - c e n t u r y B.C. b u i l d i n g a c c o u n t s for the E r e c h t h e u m

of the artist s style can be

at A t h e n s list several e x p e n d i t u r e s for the p a i n t e r s i n w a x .

1 9

I n s h o r t , w e f i n d e v i d e n c e o f an e x t e n s i v e t h o u g h

Although

the

portrait (cf. features

identified.

The subject \s lips are large and fleshy,

r a n d o m l y r e c o r d e d t r a d i t i o n o f e n c a u s t i c p a i n t i n g a m o n g the G r e e k artists o f earlier c e n t u r i e s . Because o f

his ears are especially

t h i s , a n d because E g y p t r e m a i n e d v e r y t h o r o u g h l y H e l l e n i z e d i n t o the R o m a n p e r i o d , t h e first p a i n t e r s o f

and a heavy shadow

e n c a u s t i c m u m m y p o r t r a i t s m u s t h a v e b e e n G r e e k s . A l t h o u g h the details escape us, p e r m i t t i n g o n l y conjec

right eye. His big fingers,

prominent, underlies

t u r e , i t m i g h t be s u p p o s e d that these p a i n t e r s w e r e c a r r y i n g o n an e s t a b l i s h e d t r a d i t i o n o f e n c a u s t i c p a i n t i n g

seem to bold unnaturally

b r o u g h t f r o m m a i n l a n d G r e e c e t o E g y p t i n P t o l e m a i c t i m e s . As R o m a n i z a t i o n o f the p r o v i n c e p r o g r e s s e d ,

joifits.

h o w e v e r , a n d as t h e n a t i o n a l d i s t i n c t i o n s a m o n g G r e e k , R o m a n a n d E g y p t i a n b e c a m e less clear, p o r t r a i t

framing

p r o d u c t i o n m a y g r a d u a l l y h a v e c h a n g e d h a n d s . T h e w i d e s p r e a d shift t o t e m p e r a p a i n t i n g i n the F a y u m , f o r

tonic treatment

The artist's

the

moreover, at the

keen sense for

is apparent

in the

of the

architec

background.

e x a m p l e , recalls a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n t e c h n i q u e , w h i l e the gradual t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f the art i n t o a craft m a y repre

Painter

sent the u l t i m a t e R o m a n i z a t i o n o f the g e n r e . B u t o n t o

Musee du Louvre, Depart ement des

personalities.

L; A.D. 225-2.50.

Antiquites

Grecques et

inv. P 215. Phot. 28.

While some

details were altered by most features

Romaines,

Chuzeville.

The same portrait,

restoration.

Paris,

before original repainting,

of the artist's

were reproduced

accurately.

style Phot.

Chuzeville.

fig. 29

29.

Details within

peculiar

the face,

and the strongly this portrait

as another

artist of the preceding Painter

L . Encaustic

Antinoopolis;

fingers,

architectonic

ing of the subject combine

fram足

identify

the e m p e r o r ' s c o m p a n i o n , d r o w n e d i n the Nile. T h e ruins o f A n t i n o o p o l i s w e r e a d m i r a b l y d e s c r i b e d , measured, a n d m a p p e d b y a F r e n c h m a n , J o m a r d , at the t u r n o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y ,

b u t w i t h i n f i f t y years t h e locals

h a d c a r r i e d o f f the remains c o m p l e t e l y . B y the t i m e o f Gayet's first visit i n 1895, all that was left o f this elaborate

depiction,

m e m o r i a l t o the b o y f r o m B i t h y n i a was b e l o w g r o u n d : c e m e t e r i e s t o the n o r t h a n d east o f the city, r a n g i n g

on linen.

From

A.D. 225-250.

Egyptiennes,

T h e c i t y was f o u n d e d late i n A . D . 130 b y H a d r i a n o n his s e c o n d great t o u r , near t h e s p o t w h e r e A n t i n o u s ,

work by the

inv.

i n date t h r o u g h B y z a n t i n e t i m e s .

Paris,

N e a r l y f i f t y m u m m y p o r t r a i t s can be t r a c e d t o A n t i n o o p o l i s . O f this n u m b e r , t h i r t y are k n o w n t o h a v e

des

b e e n r e c o v e r e d b y G a y e t b e t w e e n 1896 a n d 1912; the a d d i t i o n a l e x a m p l e s can be assigned t o t h e site because

Musee du Louvre, Departement Antiquites

A n t i n o o p o l i s affords a g o o d o p p o r t u n i t y t o e x a m i n e the e v o l u t i o n o f a d i s t i n c t l o c a l p o r t r a i t t r a d i t i o n .

the

thick and curving

ig. 30

AF6482.

o f o t h e r e v i d e n c e . First, p o r t r a i t panels f r o m A n t i n o o p o l i s u s u a l l y e x h i b i t a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c l a t e r a l l y s t e p p e d shape (fig. 25), h a v i n g b e e n c u t a w a y at t h e t o p s o f the sides f o r t h e closest p o s s i b l e fit w i t h i n t h e m u m m y

30.

The hands of the subject

in this fragmentary missing. facial

representation, emphasis

Benaki

i n the s t r o n g l y a r c h i t e c t o n i c f r a m i n g o f the p o r t r a i t s e g m e n t . F i n a l l y , o n b o t h panels a n d s h r o u d s t h e r e is and

T h e d e l i b e r a t e f o u n d a t i o n o f A n t i n o o p o l i s i n 130 gives us a l o w e r l i m i t f o r artistic p r o d u c t i o n , w h i l e p o r 足

the

traits d o n o t seem t o h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d t h e r e m u c h i f at all b e y o n d the year 3 0 0 . W i t h i n the i n t e r v a l t h u s

L . Encaustic

to the

two

inv.

examples,

on linen.

A.D. 225-250.

Museum,

a p r e d i l e c t i o n f o r a d d e d o r n a m e n t i n g i l t s t u c c o , f r e q u e n t l y as a t h i c k n e c k l a c e (fig. 11).

however,

can be attributed

Antinoopolis;

w r a p p i n g s . S e c o n d , the earliest p o r t r a i t s h r o u d s f r o m the site ( f i g . 13) p e r p e t u a t e the u n u s u a l p a n e l shape

on framing,

artist of the preceding Painter

shown are

Because of details in the

a similar portrait

portrait

6878.

From Athens,

d e f i n e d , t h r e e g e n e r a l phases m a y be d i s t i n g u i s h e d . First is a p e r i o d o f p a n e l p o r t r a i t s s h o w i n g o n l y h e a d a n d s h o u l d e r s , e x t e n d i n g f r o m t h e date o f f o u n d a t i o n o r s h o r t l y thereafter u n t i l a b o u t the e n d o f the s e c o n d c e n t u r y . N e x t is a t r a n s i t i o n a l p e r i o d o f e i t h e r panels o r s h r o u d s , w i t h t h e figures p a i n t e d t o b u s t - l e n g t h a n d

fig. 31

fig. 32

u s u a l l y w i t h h a n d s s h o w n , e n c o m p a s s i n g a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e first h a l f o f the t h i r d c e n t u r y . A t h i r d a n d final

31.

phase, w h e n f u l l - f i g u r e s h r o u d p o r t r a y a l s w e r e the r u l e , e x t e n d e d n e a r l y t o that c e n t u r y ' s

latest examples from

end.

A m o n g t h e A n t i n o o p o l i t a n p o r t r a i t s it has b e e n p o s s i b l e t h u s far t o d i s t i n g u i s h at least f o u r t e e n separate

/// this painting,

the portrait

one of the Antinoopolis.

area has been

expanded

h a n d s . A t t r i b u t i o n has b e e n based o n s t y l i s t i c c o m p a r i s o n o f the e x a m p l e s , that is, o f the c o n c e p t i o n a n d

to waist-length.

t r e a t m e n t o f a n a t o m i c a l features that are i d i o s y n c r a t i c a n d , i n that sense, an u n i n t e n t i o n a l artist's signature.

beak index finger

W h i l e i t is n o t p o s s i b l e t o p r e s e n t all t h e p a i n t e r s h e r e , t h r e e m a y be c o n s i d e r e d — o n e f r o m each c h r o n o

hand is a stylistic idiosyncracy

l o g i c a l phase.

The peculiar

hawk s-

of the subject's

left of

the artist. Painter P, as are the very

A m o n g t h e earliest p o r t r a i t s f r o m A n t i n o o p o l i s are the t w o e x t a n t p r o d u c t i o n s o f Painter A: a p o r t r a i t o f

heavy lines of shading

between

a m a n i n D i j o n ( f i g . 25) a n d that o f a w o m a n i n the L o u v r e ( f i g . 26) already m e n t i o n e d . B e y o n d the o v e r a l l

eyes and brows. Encaustic

p h y s i c a l r e s e m b l a n c e o f the subjects, the artist's t r e a t m e n t o f t w o areas—the eyes a n d m o u t h — i s p r e c i s e l y

A.D. 250-300.

the same i n each p o r t r a i t . T h e p l a c e m e n t o f the eyes at d i f f e r e n t levels, e v i d e n t i n b o t h e x a m p l e s , is u n

Louvre,

p a r a l l e l e d i n o t h e r p o r t r a i t s f r o m the site. A l s o i d e n t i c a l is the c a r t o o n - l i k e p a t t e r n o f the lips, w h e r e i n each

Egyptienues,

Paris,

Departement

the

on linen.

Musee du des

Autiquites

inv. AE 6484.

case the l i n e o f the m o u t h is n o t i c e a b l y l o n g e r at the e n d s t h a n e i t h e r l i p . P l a c e m e n t i n t i m e o f Painter A is a c o m p l e x m a t t e r . T h e c r e w - c u t o f t h e m a n is the u n o f f i c i a l style w o r n b y v e r y y o u n g m e n at all stages

32.

o f the R o m a n E m p i r e a n d t h e r e f o r e is n o t specifically datable. N o r can the c o i f f u r e o f the w o m a n be p a r a l l e l e d

wrapped

e x a c t l y i n o f f i c i a l p o r t r a i t s c u l p t u r e . B u t t h e s i m p l i c i t y o f her h a i r s t y l e recalls i n s p i r i t t h e styles p r e f e r r e d

the mummy, is painted

b y the e m p r e s s Sabina, w h i l e t h e b a r e l y v i s i b l e s e c o n d tier, a p p a r e n t l y a c o i l e d b r a i d , has A n t o n i n e parallels.

trait that reveals precisely

It t h e r e f o r e is s u g g e s t e d that this h a i r s t y l e falls i n an area e n c o m p a s s i n g the late H a d r i a n i c a n d early A n t o n i n e

tic characteristics

p e r i o d s a n d that the floruit

ing example

o f Painter A s h o u l d b e p l a c e d i n the 130's o r 140's.

This shroud, as a final

here shown

still

covering

around

with a por the stylis

seen in the preced

and is thus

another

work by Painter P. Encaustic linen. From Antinoopolis; 250-300.

Paris,

Departement

Musee du

des Antiquites

A.D. Louvre, Egypti-

ennes, inv. AE 6489.

fig. 34

fig- 33

33•

The Malihu Pa in ter 's t rea t-

ment of certain anatomical especially

details,

in the nose and mouth, is

distinctive.

According

to the evi

dence of the hairstyle,

he must

have

been active at Hawara

around

A.D.

100. Encaustic

on wood. Malibu,

Paul Getty Museum, (see catalogue 34.

73-AP.91.

no. 3)

According

inscription,

inv.

to an

accompanying

this lady was

named

Demos and she died at age 34. The portrait

was found

Petrie. According details, Painter. Egyptian

example,

Encaustic

Malibu

on wood.

Museum,

Cairo,

inv. C. G. 33237.

This expressive

distinctive

artist

the

tempera

por

trait by the St. Louis Painter unusual

representational

it was created by the

of the preceding

35-

at Hawara to

especially for the handling

for the cartoon-like

artist's

of facial

shading,

pattern

lips, and for the subject's

of the extremely

long and slightly askew nose. Er-Rubayat;

ca. A.D. 300.

Louis Art Museum, gift of Mrs. Max A. 20

inv.

From

Saint 128:1951,

Goldstein.

fig. 35

T h e b e s t - r e p r e s e n t e d artist o f the t r a n s i t i o n a l phase is a s h r o u d p o r t r a i t i s t , Painter L, at least t h r e e o f w h o s e w o r k s s u r v i v e . T h e f r a g m e n t a r y p o r t r a i t o f A m m o n i u s , so-called, i n the L o u v r e (fig. 27) o r i g i n a l l y was p a r t o f a larger p a i n t e d s c h e m e s u c h as is b e t t e r p r e s e r v e d o n o t h e r A n t i n o o p o l i t a n s h r o u d s also i n t h e L o u v r e (e.g. figs. 13 a n d 29). W h i l e " A m m o n i u s " has b e e n m u c h r e s t o r e d a n d r e p a i n t e d (cf. his o r i g i n a l c o n d i t i o n i n f i g . 28), a n d i n spite o f t h e m i s p l a c e m e n t o f the r i g h t h a n d t h a t o r i g i n a l l y g r a s p e d t h e b o w l o f t h e c u p r a t h e r t h a n t h e base, o n e n o t e s the t h i c k , u n n a t u r a l fingers, c o r r e c t l y r e s t o r e d , that s e e m t o c u r v e r a t h e r t h a n t o b e n d at t h e j o i n t s . A d d i t i o n a l l y , the face has large fleshy l i p s , s h a r p l y p r o t r u d i n g ears, a n d a p r o n o u n c e d bag u n d e r the r i g h t eye. A n e x c e p t i o n a l l y w e l l - d e f i n e d frame s u r r o u n d s the p o r t r a i t area. These same features—the lips, the fingers, the ears, the bag u n d e r the r i g h t eye, a n d the f r a m e — a p p e a r o n t h e betterp r e s e r v e d s h r o u d i n t h e L o u v r e ( f i g . 29) a l r e a d y m e n t i o n e d . A f r a g m e n t a r y p o r t r a i t i n A t h e n s ( f i g . 30) lacks o n l y t h e h a n d s t h a t w o u l d c l i n c h a t t r i b u t i o n t o this artist. W h e t h e r t h e y f o r m e r l y w e r e p r e s e n t o n a p o r t i o n o f t h e s h r o u d n o l o n g e r p r e s e r v e d o r w h e t h e r Painter L s i m p l y h a d g i v e n u p e v e n t r y i n g t o p a i n t h a n d s , w e d o n o t k n o w . B u t t h e same fleshy lips are p r e s e n t , as is t h e f a m i l i a r s h a d o w u n d e r the r i g h t eye, a n d t h e s t r o n g l y a r c h i t e c t o n i c f r a m i n g . Painter L p r o b a b l y w o r k e d d u r i n g t h e s e c o n d q u a r t e r o f the t h i r d cen t u r y , since the s h o r t h a i r s t y l e s o f all t h r e e subjects fall w i t h i n the c r e w - c u t era o f o f f i c i a l p o r t r a i t u r e first e v i d e n t a m o n g s c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t s o f a d u l t s d u r i n g the t i m e o f Severus A l e x a n d e r .

fig. 36

fig. 37

T h e b e g i n n i n g o f the final p e r i o d o f m u m m y p o r t r a i t u r e at A n t i n o o p o l i s seems t o h a v e c o i n c i d e d w i t h an i n f l u x o f g a r m e n t styles, materials, a n d d e c o r a t i v e m o t i f s e m a n a t i n g f r o m the east, w h i c h has b e e n d a t e d convincingly to around A.D. 250.

T h e p o r t r a i t n o w has b e e n e x p a n d e d f r o m the r e s e r v e d z o n e at the t o p

o f the transitional s h r o u d to full-length. O n a p o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n i n the L o u v r e ( f i g . 31) o n e n o t e s especially the p r o m i n e n t d a r k lines i n d i c a t i n g

36.

Both in general style and

vidual detail, this painting sponds exactly to the example

preceding

and was executed

same artist.

The lines of

t h e j u n c t u r e o f the u p p e r e y e l i d s w i t h the areas b e l o w the b r o w s , these lines v i r t u a l l y p a r a l l e l i n g the b r o w s

that emphasize

a n d p l a c e d w e l l b e l o w t h e m , a n d the t h i c k - f i n g e r e d hands w i t h a strange h a w k ' s - b e a k i n d e x finger. T h e same

the structure

the cheekbones

of the iieck

distinguish

the graphic,

grammatic

style of the St.

o f the t h i r d c e n t u r y a n d w h e r e the e n c a u s t i c m e d i u m was u s e d t h r o u g h o u t , series p r o d u c t i o n a n d t e m p e r a

Painter.

and

particularly

lines b e l o w t h e b r o w s . T o g e t h e r these s h r o u d p o r t r a i t s d e f i n e Painter P, w h o p r o b a b l y w o r k e d d u r i n g the I n c o n t r a s t t o A n t i n o o p o l i s , w h e r e q u a l i t y p r o d u c t i o n appears t o h a v e b e e n m a i n t a i n e d t h r o u g h the e n d

by the hatching

c u r i o u s f i n g e r also appears o n a L o u v r e s h r o u d that carries the p o r t r a i t o f a m a n ( f i g . 32), as d o t h e d a r k last h a l f o f the t h i r d c e n t u r y .

indi

corre

almost

dia

Louis

Tempera on wood. Ca.

A.D. 300. Moscow, Pushkin Arts Museum,

Fine

in v. 5783.

p a i n t w e r e t o b e c o m e the rule i n the F a y u m . T h o u g h the painters w o r k i n g at F a y u m sites are far m o r e n u m e r o u s a n d s t y l i s t i c a l l y d i v e r s e t h a n at A n t i n o o p o l i s a n d h a v e b e e n l i t t l e s t u d i e d , several o f t h e m m a y be c o n s i d e r e d

37.

i n passing.

obvious similarities

While shou'ing a number

ing portraits, somewhat shading

this depiction

in the more

differs

restrained

that conveys a softer

for the flesh.

feel

The eyes, too, are not

so starkly emphasized. other portraits

to the preced

A number

by the St. Louis Painter

and

to each other by these

differences,

suggesting

are related to those

a school of portrait

active at Fr-Rubayat

around

300. Tempera on wood. Fogg Art Museum,

Harvard

some artists A.D.

Cambridge, Univer

sity, inv. 1939.111, gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller

Jr. 21

fig- 38

38.

Another

painters

school of

working

though slightly later, included Brooklyn

Painter,

is illustrated

whose

the

round,

usu

smiling

faces and often hold a wreath chalice evidently notation.

of funerary

and con

A certain naivete of ana

tomical structure areas actually

in the

non-facial

seems to heighten

exuberant

freshness

Painter's

productions.

of the

wood. From Er-Rubayat;

the

Brooklyn

Tempera

A.D.

325-

375. Brooklyn

Museum,

inv.

Charles Edwin

Wilbour

Fund.

sive s c h o o l o f p o r t r a i t p a i n t e r s d u r i n g the first a n d s e c o n d c e n t u r i e s . O n e o f t h e m , the M a l i b u Painter, exe

namepiece

here. His subjects

ally have somewhat

A t H a w a r a ( o r at A r s i n o e , t h e t o w n w h i c h H a w a r a seems t o h a v e s e r v e d as a c e m e t e r y ) , t h e r e w a s a n e x t e n

portrait

Er-Rubayat,

41.848,

c u t e d n o t o n l y his n a m e p i e c e ( f i g . 33 a n d catalogue n o . 3) b u t also, a m o n g o t h e r s , the v e r y s i m i l a r p o r t r a i t o f D e m o s i n the E g y p t i a n M u s e u m , C a i r o ( f i g . 34). T h e hairstyles o f these p u d g y ladies are n e a r l y i d e n t i c a l , late F l a v i a n i n c h a r a c t e r . T h e M a l i b u Painter m u s t h a v e l i v e d a n d w o r k e d a r o u n d A . D . 100. T h e m o s t s t r i k i n g feature o f the style o f the St. L o u i s Painter ( f i g . 35), w h o w o r k e d at Er-Rubayat ( o r at P h i l a d e l p h e i a ) p r o b a b l y w i t h i n a decade o f A . D . 3 0 0 , is his d i s t i n c t i v e use o f lines o f h a t c h i n g . T h e s e are a g r a p h i c s h o r t h a n d t o suggest s h a d i n g a n d are a p p l i e d freely o v e r an initial t r e a t m e n t o f m o r e b r o a d l y p a i n t e d strokes. T h e same h a l l m a r k is especially e v i d e n t o n a n o t h e r late p o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n , i n M o s c o w ( f i g . 36), a n d w h e n o n e adds a list o f a n a t o m i c a l s i m i l a r i t i e s ( s u c h as t h e i n o r d i n a t e l y l o n g nose t h a t t h e artist r e a l l y d o e s n o t k n o w h o w t o e n d ) , the artist o f the St. L o u i s p a n e l is p l a i n l y r e c o g n i z a b l e . A n o t h e r q u a i n t p o r t r a i t , i n the F o g g A r t M u s e u m ( f i g . 37), w a s also e x e c u t e d b y t h e St. L o u i s Painter, o r at least w i t h i n w h a t m a y h a v e b e e n an e x t e n s i v e s c h o o l r e l a t e d t o h i m .

ig. 39

fig. 40a

Still i n the F a y u m , w e m i g h t m e n t i o n the n a i v e b u t q u i t e c h a r m i n g p o r t r a i t s b y the B r o o k l y n P a i n t e r

fig. 40b

(fig. 38), w h o seems t o h a v e w o r k e d at Er-Rubayat near the m i d d l e o f the f o u r t h c e n t u r y . His style is par

39.

Except for the difference

age, the man in this portrait

might

t i c u l a r l y i d i o s y n c r a t i c a n d can be i d e n t i f i e d i n several p a i n t i n g s , i n c l u d i n g o n e i n the G e t t y M u s e u m (fig.

be a twin to the subject of the pre

39 a n d c a t a l o g u e n o . 11).

ceding example.

Perhaps a f i t t i n g c o n c l u s i o n f o r a s u r v e y o f the artists is the w o r k o f the A m p h o r a Painter, w h o was r e s p o n

As was the case

with the St. Louis Painter,

sible f o r p a i n t i n g t w o g r o t e s q u e e x a m p l e s n o w i n T o r o n t o (fig. 40). H i s w o r k , p r o b a b l y f r o m near the e n d

number

o f t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y , m o r e p r o p e r l y is d e s c r i b e d as " f o l k art," h o v e r i n g b e t w e e n t h e realms o f art a n d craft.

overall similarities

P r o b a b l y m o r e n a t i v e E g y p t i a n t h a n G r e e k o r R o m a n , a n d d e f i n i t e l y l a c k i n g m u c h f o r m a l t r a i n i n g , the A m

Brooklyn

p h o r a Painter ( w h o s e subjects, i n c i d e n t a l l y , a c t u a l l y appear t o be h o l d i n g canthari)

school of portrait

h a d e v i d e n t l y seen a

a large

of extant portraits

bear

to works by the

Painter and suggest a

m u m m y p o r t r a i t o r t w o a n d h a d d e c i d e d that he, t o o , c o u l d successfully p a i n t s o m e . W e l l , i f the A m p h o r a

ing, however,

artists.

This

by the Brooklyn

was

P a i n t e r ' s w o r k w e r e an accurate i n d e x o f the state o f the art at that t i m e , o n e m i g h t say it was just as w e l l

executed

that T h e o d o s i u s p r o h i b i t e d m u m m i f i c a t i o n , e f f e c t i v e l y e n d i n g the p r o d u c t i o n o f " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s . " B u t i n

himself. Tempera on wood.

fact the A m p h o r a Painter seems t o h a v e b e e n an i s o l a t e d p h e n o m e n o n a n d , f o r t u n a t e l y for the h i s t o r y o f

32 5-3^5.

Malibu,

art, he s p a w n e d n o s c h o o l a n d c a n be p l a c e d i n a class b y h i m s e l f .

Museum,

inv. 79.AP. 142 (see

catalogue

no. 11).

40.

The Amphora

Painter A.D.

The J . Paul

Painter

these hasty depictions fourth

paint

unquestionably

Getty

created

late in the

century A.D. 'Though it is

uncertain wrapped

whether they actually in mummies, in the

of true "Fayum. portraits, evidently

were imitations

paintings.

The subjects

hold not amphorae drinking

" they of such probably

but canthari/

cups often are held by

subjects of late "Fayum

portraits."

Tempera on wood. Toronto, Ontario

were manner

Museum,

Royal

inv. 918.20.3

and

918.20.4. 23

fig. 42

fig. 41

41-43. formed

Together these three

panels

a triptych intended for

dis

play in the home, evidently memorating family

a departed

member.

stylistically executed A.D.

portraits

in the early third

The depictions

Serapis

century

of Is is and

on the side panels

copy well-known time, perhaps portant

paintings

74.AP.20 (central

74.AP.22 no. 8).

inv.

(Serapis)

(see

p r i s i n g n u m b e r w e r e m e a n t f o r p u r p o s e s n o t p r i m a r i l y c o n n e c t e d w i t h b u r i a l . M a n y o f these n o n - f u n e r a r y p a i n t i n g s w e r e e x e c u t e d b y artists w h o s e usual s t o c k - i n - t r a d e w a s t h e s t a n d a r d " F a y u m p o r t r a i t . " T h u s t h e y p r o v i d e v a l u a b l e e v i d e n c e f o r u n d e r s t a n d i n g m o r e f u l l y t h e artistic a c t i v i t y o f these p a i n t e r s . N e a r l y all s u c h p a i n t i n g s t h u s far r e c o v e r e d fall i n t w o categories: s o m e w e r e f r a m e d a n d h u n g o n t h e w a l l s o f p r i v a t e houses, w h i l e o t h e r s u t i l i z e d an a r c h i t e c t u r a l f r a m e w o r k , o f t e n an aedicula

arrangement w i t h

t h e p a i n t i n g itself i n t o n d o shape, a n d m u s t h a v e b e e n free-standing. D i v i n i t i e s appear i n p a i n t i n g s m e a n t

of the

f o r d o m e s t i c w o r s h i p , m o r t a l s i n t h o s e associated w i t h t h e c u s t o m o f a n c e s t o r v e n e r a t i o n . A l t h o u g h s o m e

cult center of Roman

Paul Getty Museum,

W h i l e t h e vast m a j o r i t y o f p a n e l p a i n t i n g s that s u r v i v e f r o m R o m a n E g y p t are t r u e m u m m y p o r t r a i t s , a sur

probably

on display at an im

Tempera on wood. Malibu, (Isis),

compared

to mummy

OTHER PAINTINGS

com

ancestor

The subject of the

central panel can be

fig. 43

Egypt. The J.

74.AP.21 panel), catalogue

o f these panels w e r e e x c a v a t e d i n p r i v a t e houses, t h e s u p e r b p r e s e r v a t i o n o f t h e m a n y o t h e r s w h o s e p r o v e n i e n c e is n o t d o c u m e n t e d suggests that t h e y w e r e r e c o v e r e d f r o m t o m b s a n d that t h e y m a y h a v e b e e n converted f r o m domestic to funerary

purpose.

A set o f t h r e e p a i n t i n g s a c q u i r e d i n 1974 b y t h e G e t t y M u s e u m (figs. 4 1 - 4 3 a n d catalogue n o . 8) reveals a u n i q u e a n d especially i n t e r e s t i n g c o m b i n a t i o n o f t h e m o r t a l a n d d i v i n e e l e m e n t s o f c u l t p r a c t i c e i n R o m a n E g y p t . T h e c e n t r a l p a n e l l o o k s v e r y m u c h l i k e a s t a n d a r d " F a y u m p o r t r a i t , " b u t i f i t ever h a d b e e n i n s e r t e d i n m u m m y w r a p p i n g s the t o p corners p r o b a b l y w o u l d have been l o p p e d o f f or otherwise m o d i f i e d to insure a satisfactory fit w i t h i n t h e c a r t o n n a g e . T h e p o r t r a i t seems t o h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d d u r i n g t h e early t h i r d cen t u r y A . D . T h e f l a n k i n g panels d e p i c t n o t m o r t a l s b u t t h e d i v i n i t i e s Isis a n d Serapis. I n spite o f t h e i r i d e a l i z e d

fig. 44

fig. 45

a s p e c t s — n o r m a l f o r r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f d e i t i e s — d e t a i l s o f the facial p o r t r a y a l s m a k e i t seem m o s t l i k e l y that t h e y w e r e p a i n t e d b y an artist w h o n o r m a l l y p r o d u c e d m u m m y panels. I n fact, t h e y w e r e p a i n t e d b y the artist o f t h e t r i p t y c h ' s c e n t r a l p a n e l , w h o m a y h a v e b e e n c o p y i n g w e l l - k n o w n m a s t e r p i e c e s o f the t i m e . A n e q u e s t r i a n p a i n t i n g o f F a y u m p r o v e n i e n c e is i n the W a d s w o r t h A t h e n e u m , H a r t f o r d ( f i g . 4 4 ) .

It, too,

l o o k s at first l i k e a k i n d o f m u m m y p o r t r a i t , b u t f o r t w o reasons i t is n o t . First, as w i t h t h e c e n t r a l p a n e l o f t h e M a l i b u t r i p t y c h , t h e t o p c o r n e r s are p r e s e r v e d . S e c o n d , the f u l l - f i g u r e e q u e s t r i a n m o t i f is u n p a r a l l e l e d a m o n g m u m m y p a i n t i n g s . F u n e r a r y s h r o u d s m a y s h o w the deceased at f u l l l e n g t h b u t a l w a y s s i m p l y stand i n g , w h i l e the panels all are h e a d - a n d - s h o u l d e r s o r b u s t - l e n g t h r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s . T h i s p a i n t i n g n e v e r was m e a n t f o r f u n e r a r y use b u t r a t h e r was a f r a m e d v o t i v e p a n e l . T h e p o r t r a y a l d e f i n i t e l y is that o f a d i v i n i t y . Specif ically, w e see h e r e the a m a l g a m a t i o n o f t w o g o d s w h o appear t o g e t h e r f r e q u e n t l y i n the art o f R o m a n E g y p t : o n e is the T h r a c i a n c a v a l i e r - g o d H e r o n , w h i l e the o t h e r c a n n o t be p r e c i s e l y i d e n t i f i e d . I n s t e a d o f the v e r y

44. Also not a true "Fayumportrait" but instead an object of veneration or commemoration displayed in the home, this equestrian painting is unusual in showing the subject as a deity. He probably is the Roman emperor Caracalla. Tempera on wood. Ca. A.D. 215. Hartford, Wadsworth Atheneum, inv. 1934.6, Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sunnier Collection.

g e n e r a l a n d i d e a l i z e d faces that o n e e x p e c t s i n p a i n t i n g s o f deities, h o w e v e r , a n d w h i c h i n fact appear o n t h e side panels o f t h e M a l i b u t r i p t y c h , the facial features o f the H a r t f o r d h o r s e m a n ( f i g . 45) reveal a h i g h l y

4 5.

p e r s o n a l i z e d d e p i c t i o n , that is, a p o r t r a i t o f a specific i n d i v i d u a l . R o m a n e m p e r o r s o f t e n a s s u m e d d i v i n e i d e n

in the preceding

panel, seen here in

tities i n s c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t s , a n d , o n e suspects, i n p a i n t i n g s as w e l l , a n d i t is u n t h i n k a b l e that a n y o n e o t h e r

detail, compare

closely to those in

t h a n an e m p e r o r w o u l d h a v e b e e n t h u s p o r t r a y e d . T h e n a i v e style a n d e x c l u s i v e use o f t e m p e r a p a i n t p o i n t

sculptured

t o the t h i r d c e n t u r y , so that i f the subject is i n d e e d an e m p e r o r , he m u s t h a v e r u l e d d u r i n g the 200's. A c c o r d

Since the emperor

The facial features

i n g t o the v i s u a l clues w i t h i n t h e p a i n t i n g , he m u s t be M a r c u s A u r e l i u s A n t o n i n u s , n i c k n a m e d Caracalla, w h o

attributes

r u l e d as e m p e r o r f r o m 211 t o 217. A n e x a m i n a t i o n o f the s c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t s o f the e m p e r o r , m a n y o f w h i c h

possible

s u r v i v e , c o n f i r m s the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n .

displayed

portraits

of the man

Caracalla.

is shown with the

of a soldier-god, that the painting

it seems was

in the home of one of the

many veterans

who were settled by

Rome in the Fayum region their completion

of military

upon service.

fig. 46

46.

This roundel, or

also from Roman emperor fulia

Septimius

Domna,

tondoportrait,

Egypt, shows the Severus, his wife

his son

Caracalla,

L o o k i n g m o r e c l o s e l y at this p a n e l , o n e is s t r u c k b y a strange gap i n a b i l i t y w i t h i n the artist's e x e c u t i o n . H i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e h o r s e a n d r i d e r is c l u m s y , i l l - p r o p o r t i o n e d , a n d n a i v e ( i f q u a i n t l y c h a r m i n g ) , b u t t h e subject's face is a serious a t t e m p t at a n a t u r a l i s t i c p o r t r a i t . T h i s leaves l i t t l e d o u b t that its p a i n t e r

was

a n artist w h o s e o r d i n a r y s t o c k - i n - t r a d e was t h e s t a n d a r d " F a y u m p o r t r a i t . " T h e first m u m m y p o r t r a i t s t o i n 足

and an erasure in place of his other

c l u d e d e p i c t i o n o f a subject's h a n d s , p a i n t e d at a b o u t this t i m e , s h o w that the t r a i n i n g o f a p o r t r a i t p a i n t e r

son Geta. The painting,

c o n c e n t r a t e d a l m o s t e x c l u s i v e l y o n h e a d - a n d - s h o u l d e r s p o r t r a y a l . I t is a b u n d a n t l y clear that t h e p a i n t e r o f

executed

by an artist whose

commissions portraits,

were standard

may have

the visit to Egypt by the family

probably

the H a r t f o r d p a n e l was just s u c h an artist. H e was m o s t l y at a loss w h e n he h a d f i n i s h e d the subject's face,

mummy

f o r this was the l i m i t o f his f o r m a l t r a i n i n g .

commemorated Imperial

in A.D. 199- Tempera

wood. Ca. A.D. 200. Berlin, liche Museen, Antikenmuseum, 31329.

normal

T h e artistic s h o r t c o m i n g s o f the H a r t f o r d e q u e s t r i a n p a i n t i n g , h o w e v e r , are offset b y its great d o c u m e n 足 t a r y v a l u e . N o t o n l y is i t a f i r m l y d a t e d p a i n t i n g t o w h i c h m u m m y p o r t r a i t s c a n be c o m p a r e d , b u t also, l i k e

the side panels o f the M a l i b u t r i p t y c h , it s h o w s us w h a t s o m e F a y u m p o r t r a i t i s t s w e r e d o i n g w h e n

Staat-

painting m u m m y portraits.

inv.

not

T h e H a r t f o r d p a n e l is t h e s e c o n d p a i n t e d p o r t r a i t o f an e m p e r o r t o h a v e s u r v i v e d . T h e first, c o i n c i d e n t a l l y , is also o f Severan date, also p a i n t e d i n t e m p e r a , also f r o m the F a y u m , a n d i n c l u d e s Caracalla, t h o u g h as a y o u t h . T h i s is the w e l l - k n o w n t o n d o p o r t r a i t i n B e r l i n ( f i g . 46) s h o w i n g the f a m i l y o f S e p t i m i u s Severus. U n l i k e the H a r t f o r d p a n e l , the B e r l i n t o n d o is o f h i g h artistic q u a l i t y a n d was e x e c u t e d b y a p a i n t e r o f c o n 足 s i d e r a b l e s k i l l . I t c a n h a r d l y h a v e b e e n f o r f u n e r a r y p u r p o s e o r i n t e n d e d f o r d o m e s t i c display, b u t m u s t h a v e a d o r n e d a p u b l i c b u i l d i n g i n a F a y u m t o w n . T h e best guess is that t h e t o n d o was p a i n t e d t o c e l e b r a t e t h e E g y p t i a n v i s i t b y t h e e m p e r o r a n d his f a m i l y i n A . D . 199. Because i t c a n be d a t e d so closely, it is a n o t h e r rare a n d v a l u a b l e p o i n t o f c h r o n o l o g i c a l r e f e r e n c e f o r " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s . " T h e s k i l l o f i n d i v i d u a l p o r t r a y a l e v i d e n t i n t h e p a i n t i n g leaves l i t t l e d o u b t that its artist, t o o , was also, o r p e r h a p s p r i m a r i l y , a p a i n t e r o f m u m m y portraits.

CONCLUSION P o s s i b l y n o n e o f t h e p o r t r a i t p a i n t e r s o f t h e F a y u m w i l l c o m e t o be c o u n t e d a m o n g t h e greatest artists o f a n t i q u i t y . B u t t h e m a i n i m p o r t a n c e o f these p o r t r a i t i s t s d o e s n o t lie i n a c o n s i s t e n t l y h i g h l e v e l o f artistic p r o d u c t i o n . Rather, w h i l e o n l y a f e w o f t h e s u r v i v i n g e x a m p l e s c a n lay c l a i m t o great aesthetic m e r i t , these c u r i o u s a n d fascinating d o c u m e n t s t o g e t h e r c o m p r i s e a l m o s t o u r o n l y e v i d e n c e f o r R o m a n p a i n t e d p o r t r a i t u r e a n d , m o r e g e n e r a l l y , f o r a n c i e n t p a n e l p a i n t i n g as a w h o l e . A n y s t u d y o f t h e m u m m y p o r t r a i t s f r o m R o m a n E g y p t necessarily raises m o r e q u e s t i o n s t h a n it can a n s w e r a n d e n d s w h e r e o n e r e a l l y w o u l d p r e f e r t o b e g i n . T h e e x a m p l e s c o n s i d e r e d h e r e are t y p i c a l o f t h i s s i t u a t i o n . I n m o s t cases a l l w e h a v e is t h e bare o b j e c t , t h e p o r t r a i t itself, a n d i n e v e r y case this is all w e are l i k e l y e v e r t o h a v e . B u t i n spite o f that, it o f t e n is p o s s i b l e t o g r o u p the p o r t r a i t s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; b y date, b y t y p e , e v e n b y a r t i s t i c h a n d â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a n d t o p o i n t t o s o m e r e l a t e d o b j e c t s , a n d t h e r e b y t o start s o l v i n g t h e p u z z l e a n d c o m e t o k n o w s o m e w h a t b e t t e r t h o s e a n o n y m o u s p a i n t e r s , t h e artists o f t h e m u m m y p o r t r a i t s .

NOTES 1. N.H. 3 5 . 2 . 4 : Imaginum

quidempictura,

qua maximesimiles

in aevumpropagabanturfigurae,

totum

exolevit. 2. Ibid.

3 5 . 2 . 5 : Epicuri

voltus

per

cubicula

gestant

ac circumferunt

secum.

3. For these, as w e l l as f o r the m o s t c o m p l e t e discussion o f the r e c o v e r y o f p o r t r a i t s after 1887, see K . Parlasca, Mumienportrdts

und

verwandte

Denkmdler

( W i e s b a d e n 1966; hereafter, Mumienportrats)

C h . 1, 18-58.

4 . T h e p o r t r a i t s f r o m A n t i n o o p o l i s a n d t h e i r r e c o v e r y are c o n s i d e r e d i n t h e w r i t e r ' s u n p u b l i s h e d disserta足 t i o n , The Classes and Hands of Painted Funerary Portraits from Antinoopolis ( C h a p e l H i l l 1972). 5. A . F . Shore, R e v i e w o f Parlasca, Mumienportrats, 6. See, f o r e x a m p l e , N.H.

35.12.30ff.

7. Shore suggests p a l m f i b r e f o r t h e b r u s h {Portrait hereafter, Portrait ( q . v . N.H.

Painting

JEA 56 (1970) 2 3 2 .

] 23) a n d prefers cauterium

Painting

from

Roman

Egypt

[Rev. ed.; L o n d o n 1972;

(used b y later Latin authors, e.g. T e r t u l l i a n ) t o

8. Petrie suggests {Roman

Portraits

and

Memphis

(IV) [ L o n d o n 1911] 2) that t h e m u m m i e s w e r e k e p t i n

t h e a t r i u m , w h e r e c h i l d r e n w o u l d h a v e t a k e n t h e i r w r i t i n g lessons. As Shore p o i n t s o u t , h o w e v e r 2

Painting

cestrum

35.40.147).

27), t h e r e is " n o l i t e r a r y e v i d e n c e f o r t h e k e e p i n g o f m u m m i e s i n t h e h o u s e " ( w h i c h

{Portrait evidence

w e m i g h t e x p e c t , g i v e n t h e u n u s u a l n a t u r e o f this c u s t o m ) n o r a n y a r c h a e o l o g i c a l e v i d e n c e f o r t h e I t a l i c style a t r i u m - h o u s e i n R o m a n E g y p t . 9. E. C o c h e de la Ferte, " L a p e i n t u r e de p o r t r a i t s r o m a n o - e g y p t i e n s au Musee d u L o u v r e , " Bulletin de la Societe

Francaise

d'Egyptologie

13 (1953) 73-76.

10. F o r a c o m p l e t e d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e s h r o u d s , see Parlasca, Mumienportrats

C h . 5, 152-92.

(trimestriel)

11. J.C. V o g e l a n d M . Marais, " P r e t o r i a R a d i o c a r b o n Dates I , " Radiocarbon 12.

Parlasca, Mumienportrdts

13 (1971) 3 9 0 - 9 1 .

78-84.

13- T h e p o r t r a i t was e x c a v a t e d b y Petrie a n d o n e recalls his r e m a r k s , f o r e x a m p l e , i n Seventy Years in Archaeology ( L o n d o n n . d . ) 8 4 : " . . . b y p u t t i n g a coat o f fresh b e e s w a x o v e r [ t h e p o r t r a i t s ] , t h e o l d c o l o u r was r e v i v e d a n d safely f i x e d . . . . I n later years, p a r a f f i n w a x was used f o r this p u r p o s e . " 14. T. D r a y m a n , " C l e a n i n g Reveals Q u a l i t y : M u m m y P o r t r a i t s , " Bulletin

of the Walters

Art Gallery

22 N o .

8 ( M a y 1970) 3-4. 15-

"Les p o r t r a i t s d ' A n t i n o e , " GBA 3 r d ser. 3 9 (1908) 130.

16.

I t m u s t be o b s e r v e d , h o w e v e r , that r a d i o l o g i s t s o f t e n h a v e b e e n i n a c c u r a t e i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e g e n d e r

o f an u n w r a p p e d m u m m y . F o r a r e c e n t e x a m p l e , see E. C o c k b u r n , " A u t o p s y T e a m Seeks a M u m m y ' s M e d i c a l Secrets...," Smithsonian 17. Pompeii:

The Casa

4 N o . 8 ( N o v e m b e r 1973) 8 2 . dei Dioscuri

18. F o r t h e f o l l o w i n g : N.H. 19- TG.

and

its Painters

(MAAR

35.10.27, 35.39.122ff.

I 3 7 4 ; cf. J.J. P o l l i t t , The Art of Greece:

1400-31

20.

" D e s c r i p t i o n d ' A n t i n o e , " V o l . 4 C h . 15 of Description

21.

E. Pfister, "Les d e b u t s d u v e t e m e n t c o p t e , " Etudes

memoire

de Raymonde

23; R o m e 1955) 1 1 1 .

Linossier

B.C.

( E n g l e w o o d Cliffs, N.J. 1965) 120.

de VEgypte d'orientalisme

( 2 n d ed.; Paris publiees

par

1820-1830).

le Musee

Guimet

a la

2 (Paris 1932) 4 3 3 - 5 9 .

22.

Parlasca's d e s i g n a t i o n : Mumienportrdts

23.

F o r a m o r e c o m p l e t e d i s c u s s i o n o f this panel a n d the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Caracalla, see " A n E q u e s t r i a n Panel

P a i n t i n g f r o m R o m a n E g y p t , " Bulletin

25.

of the Wadsworth

Atheneum

8 N o . 2 (1972) 50-59.

CATALOGUE: M U M M Y PORTRAITS I N THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM A m o n g s o m e 130 p a i n t e d m u m m y p o r t r a i t s f r o m R o m a n E g y p t n o w i n N o r t h A m e r i c a n c o l l e c t i o n s , large a n d i m p o r t a n t g r o u p s are t o be f o u n d i n s u c h l o n g - e s t a b l i s h e d m a j o r m u s e u m s as t h e M e t r o p o l i t a n M u s e u m o f A r t , N e w Y o r k , t h e M u s e u m o f F i n e A r t s , B o s t o n , a n d t h e R o y a l O n t a r i o M u s e u m , T o r o n t o . Each o f these g r o u p s was c o l l e c t e d p r i m a r i l y i n t h e decades t h a t f o l l o w e d t h e first m a j o r f i n d s o f " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " i n t h e late n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y â&#x20AC;&#x201D; b y T h e o d o r G r a f at Er-Rubayat, a n d b y Sir W . M . F l i n d e r s Petrie at H a w a r a â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a t a t i m e w h e n s u c h pieces w e r e r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e f o r a c q u i s i t i o n . B u t m u m m y p o r t r a i t s w e r e n o t d i s c o v e r e d i n q u a n t i t y at a n y site after a b o u t 1911-1912, w h e n Petrie u n d e r t o o k his f i n a l c a m p a i g n at H a w a r a a n d w h e n A l b e r t G a y e t c o n c l u d e d his e x c a v a t i o n s at A n t i n o o p o l i s . Since t h e 1930's, w h e n t h e r e m a i n d e r o f Graf's vast c o l l e c t i o n w a s a u c t i o n e d f o l l o w i n g his d e a t h , q u a l i t y e x a m p l e s o f this art f o r m h a v e b e c o m e a v a i l a b l e o n l y sporadically. I t is t h u s a l l t h e m o r e r e m a r k a b l e that d u r i n g t h e past t e n years t h e J. Paul G e t t y M u s e u m has s u c c e e d e d i n g a t h e r i n g a large c o l l e c t i o n o f p a i n t i n g s t h a t r a n k i n aesthetic m e r i t w i t h t h e finest m u m m y p o r t r a i t s n o w s u r v i v i n g . T h e e n s e m b l e at M a l i b u is t o d a y u n p a r a l l e l e d i n N o r t h A m e r i c a f o r t h e v a r i e t y , t h e q u a l i t y , a n d t h e a r c h a e o l o g i c a l i n t e r e s t o f its e x a m p l e s . A t t h e t i m e t h e o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n o f t h e p r e c e d i n g I n t r o d u c t i o n w a s p r e p a r e d , i n 1976, f i v e p o r t r a i t s p l u s t h e t r i p t y c h a l r e a d y h a d e n t e r e d t h e G e t t y c o l l e c t i o n . Since t h e n , h o w e v e r , several v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g p o r t r a i t s h a v e b e e n a d d e d . S o m e o f t h e o b s e r v a t i o n s t h a t f o l l o w a p p e a r e d p r e v i o u s l y , i n p r e l i m i n a r y studies o f t h e earlier accessions. I t n o w seems best t o a d d t o those o b s e r v a t i o n s s o m e c o m m e n t s o n the e x t r a o r d i n a r y " n e w " portraits not previously e x a m i n e d i n detail.

Fig. F.

Figure F.

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the car tonnage of 8 LAP. 42.

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Perhaps t h e earliest a n d a r t i s t i c a l l y s u r e l y t h e best " F a y u m

p o r t r a i t " i n t h e G e t t y M u s e u m is also t h e m o s t r e c e n t l y a c q u i r e d . F r o m a q u a l i t a t i v e s t a n d p o i n t , t h i s is a m a g n i f i c e n t p o r t r a i t , s u p e r b l y p r e s e r v e d , w h i c h c o m p a r e s f a v o r a b l y w i t h a n y e x a m p l e that has s u r v i v e d . T h e p r e s e r v a t i o n o f a g o o d p o r t i o n o f t h e m u m m y case, o r c a r t o n n a g e , h e i g h t e n s t h e p o r t r a i t ' s v i s u a l i n terest, f o r it s h o w s p l a i n l y h o w a classic e a r l y " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " o n w o o d a c t u a l l y l o o k e d w h e n w r a p p e d i n t h e m u m m y . A s h o r t i n s c r i p t i o n , a p p a r e n t l y o f o n e w o r d ( f i g . F), appears o n t h e c a r t o n n a g e t o t h e sub ject's r i g h t ; i t m a y i d e n t i f y t h e s u b j e c t b y n a m e — I s i d o r a — a c c o r d i n g t o Jean-Yves E m m a n u e l . T h e subject is a w o m a n o f m i d d l e age w h o s e r e f i n e d features suggest t h e M e d i t e r r a n e a n a r i s t o c r a c y t h a t c a m e t o c o n t r o l E g y p t i n G r a e c o - R o m a n t i m e s . H e r elegant h a i r s t y l e features a large c o i l e d b r a i d t o w a r d t h e b a c k o f t h e h e a d , h e l d i n place b y a large g o l d p i n , a n d c u r l e d l o c k s h a n g i n g b e f o r e t h e ears. T h i s p r e c i s e t y p e o f c o i f f u r e a c h i e v e d great c u r r e n c y i n t h e late first a n d , especially, early s e c o n d c e n t u r y . H e r j e w e l r y i n c l u d e s a set o f earrings o f a w e l l - k n o w n a n d e v i d e n t l y p o p u l a r t y p e — f o u r pearls s u s p e n d e d o n f o u r g o l d b a n d s f r o m a h o r i z o n t a l bar set i n t h e e a r l o b e w i t h a p e a r l fastener. She w e a r s t h r e e necklaces t h a t are, i n t o t a l , a n o r g y o f g o l d a n d e m e r a l d s , t h e l o w e s t o n e o f w h i c h also s u p p o r t s a large g e m i n a h e a v y g o l d set t i n g . T h e o r i g i n a l g o l d was r e g i l d e d w i t h g o l d leaf, a l o n g w i t h the w r e a t h i n t h e hair a n d o r n a m e n t a t i o n a r o u n d t h e edge o f t h e c a r t o n n a g e , at t h e t i m e o f i n s e r t i o n o r b u r i a l . T h i s w r e a t h features a c u r i o u s m o t i f that f i n d s p r e c i s e p a r a l l e l o n an early p o r t r a i t f r o m H a w a r a , n o w i n B a l t i m o r e , b u t t h e precise m e a n i n g , i f any, o f this s y m b o l remains mysterious. T h e flesh t e x t u r e s , as w e l l as t h e effects o f l i g h t a n d s h a d o w , are r e n d e r e d w i t h all t h e c o n v i n c i n g n a t u r a l i s m that is p o s s i b l e i n t h e v e r y f l e x i b l e encaustic m e d i u m . I t is e v i d e n t that t h e p a i n t e r was a s k i l l e d master o f the wax-based paint. P a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t i n g h e r e is t h e d e c o r a t i o n o n the s u r v i v i n g p o r t i o n o f t h e m u m m y case, p a i n t e d a r o u n d t h e e x p o s e d s e c t i o n o f t h e p o r t r a i t p a n e l . G i l t d e c o r a t i o n o f t e n w a s a d d e d t o t h e p o r t r a i t s t h e m s e l v e s at t h e t i m e o f b u r i a l , as a w r e a t h o r d i a d e m o r n e c k j e w e l r y . H e r e w e h a v e an e x a m p l e w h e r e t h e c a r t o n n a g e o f t h e m u m m y also was g i v e n r i c h d e c o r a t i o n . T h e e x p o s e d p o r t r a i t is f r a m e d b y g o l d p a i n t e d d i a m o n d s . A l s o , p r e s u m a b l y r e p r o d u c i n g t h e p a r t o f t h e subject's g a r m e n t s h o w n o n sections o f t h e p a n e l h i d d e n b e n e a t h t h e m u m m y w r a p p i n g s , t h e v i o l e t t u n i c , w i t h g i l t - e d g e d b l a c k clavi,

is p a i n t e d o u t o n t o t h e c a r t o n n a g e . T h i s

p r a c t i c e seems n o t t o h a v e b e e n p a r t i c u l a r l y u n c o m m o n , b u t i t is m o s t u n u s u a l t o f i n d a n e x a m p l e t o d a y that illustrates these d e c o r a t i v e p r o c e d u r e s so w e l l . Features i n the p o s e a n d g a r m e n t s c h e m e f i n d precise parallels w i t h t h o s e i n p o r t r a i t s r e c o v e r e d at H a w a r a , t h e c e m e t e r y o f A r s i n o e . J. Frel p l a u s i b l y a t t r i b u t e s t o t h e I s i d o r a Master a f r a g m e n t a r y p o r t r a i t o f a y o u n g m a n i n C a i r o ( i n v . C . G . 3 3 2 3 2 ) that shares a n u m b e r o f s t y l i s t i c f e a t u r e s — i n t h e lips, eyes, a n d n o s e — a n d a s i m i l a r palette.

P o r t r a i t o f a m a n , encaustic

on wood.

T h i s was t h e first " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " a c q u i r e d b y t h e G e t t y

Museum. T h e t e x t u r e o f t h e p a i n t reveals the t w o m e t h o d s o f a p p l i c a t i o n t y p i c a l o f " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " : t h e b r u s h w a s u s e d f o r b r o a d areas o f c o l o r — i . e . b a c k g r o u n d a n d g a r m e n t — w h i l e the cestrum,

o r cauterium,

a metal

i n s t r u m e n t s i m i l a r t o a m o d e r n palette k n i f e , was u s e d f o r greater d e t a i l a n d t h i c k e r p a i n t w i t h i n t h e face, n e c k , a n d hair. T h e c o l o r s c h e m e is d o m i n a t e d b y t h e s w a r t h y s k i n t o n e s o f t h e subject. T h e b a c k g r o u n d is gray; t h e gar m e n t is w h i t e w i t h shades o f b r o w n a n d g r a y a n d a m a r o o n claims,

b u t t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e p a l e t t e is based

o n t h e m a n ' s d a r k c o m p l e x i o n . H i s s k i n is d a r k b r o w n , w i t h b r i c k - r e d h i g h l i g h t s ; t h e eyes are b r o w n , t h e b r o w s , b l a c k . T h e p r o m i n e n t crease o f t h e u p p e r e y e l i d is r i c h l y m o d e l e d i n d a r k b r o w n , a n d t h e lashes are a l i g h t c h o c o l a t e t o n e . T h e l i p s a n d i n n e r c o r n e r s o f the eyes are r u b y - r e d ; flesh t o n e s appear as h i g h l i g h t i n g o n t h e r i d g e o f t h e n o s e a n d w i t h i n t h e eyes. As is n o t e d i n t h e m u s e u m catalogue b y C.C. V e r m e u l e a n d N . N e u e r b u r g , t h e p o r t r a i t is f a i r l y p l a i n , c o n t a i n i n g n o s y m b o l s o f r a n k o r p r o f e s s i o n . T h e a q u i l i n e nose, d a r k s k i n , a n d l o n g , n a r r o w eyes o f t h e subject suggest a racial m i x t u r e . I n t e r m a r r i a g e o f n a t i v e Egyptians w i t h first t h e i r G r e e k a n d t h e n their R o m a n masters, a n d b l o o d a d d i t i o n s f r o m A f r i c a n a n d Near Eastern n e i g h b o r s , p r o d u c e d t h e r a c i a l l y c o m p l i c a t e d t y p e s seen in many "Fayum portraits." A l t h o u g h t h e artist o f this p o r t r a i t c a n n o t be i d e n t i f i e d w i t h c o m p l e t e c e r t a i n t y i n o t h e r s u r v i v i n g pieces, it is e v i d e n t that he w o r k e d at H a w a r a o r at A r s i n o e , t h e t o w n H a w a r a seems t o h a v e s e r v e d as a c e m e t e r y . T h e subject's t u r n t o w a r d t h e v i e w e r , t h e m a n n e r i n w h i c h t h e g a r m e n t is d r a p e d o v e r t h e left s h o u l d e r a n d y e t is p a r t i a l l y v i s i b l e b e h i n d his r i g h t , t h e w i d t h a n d p o s i t i o n o f t h e clavus—all

these features f i n d precise

parallels i n a large n u m b e r o f p o r t r a i t s o f d o c u m e n t e d H a w a r a n o r i g i n . A l t h o u g h i t is b y n o m e a n s a c e r t a i n i n d e x o f p r o v e n i e n c e , m o r e o v e r , t h e n e a r l y r o u n d e d t o p o f t h e p a n e l also suggests t h e shape o f m a n y p a n e l p o r t r a i t s r e c o v e r e d at H a w a r a . A l t h o u g h t h e m o u s t a c h e first b e c a m e an a c c e p t e d e l e m e n t o f f a s h i o n u n d e r H a d r i a n , t h e s h o r t c u t o f t h e subject's h a i r suggests t h e styles m a d e p o p u l a r b y Trajan. T h i s , c o m b i n e d w i t h t h e i n t e n s i t y o f p o r t r a y a l , suggests a date e a r l y i n t h e first q u a r t e r o f t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y A . D .

353

P o r t r a i t o f a F l a v i a n m a t r o n , encaustic

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T h e p o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n a c q u i r e d i n 1973 is o n e

o f the most colorful Getty paintings. T h e o v e r a l l a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e p o r t r a i t is v e r y b r i g h t , e n h a n c e d b y t h e artist's l i v e l y sense o f c o l o r . T h e flesh a n d s a l m o n tones o f the subject's face s t a n d o u t s h a r p l y against the m e d i u m gray b a c k g r o u n d a n d against t h e r i c h p u r p l e s a n d reds o f t h e g a r m e n t s a n d t h e b l a c k o f t h e clavi.

H i g h l i g h t a n d s h a d o w are a c h i e v e d

w i t h i n the face i n tones o f m a r o o n a n d beige, w i t h i n the g a r m e n t i n gray a n d black. A t r i p l e necklace is p a i n t e d w i t h an i n n e r s t r a n d o f w h i t e beads t o suggest pearls, a m i d d l e s t r a n d o f g o l d beads, a n d an o u t e r s t r a n d o f g r e e n beads t o r e p r e s e n t t h e f a v o r e d e m e r a l d s o r s e m i p r e c i o u s stones, t h e g r e e n l a i d o v e r w h i t e i m p a s t o f o r greater b r i l l i a n c e . Y e l l o w p a i n t represents t h e settings f o r t w o h o o p earrings w i t h t h e same " e m e r a l d s . " T h e r o u n d e d shape o f t h e p a n e l at t h e t o p h i n t s at an H a w a r a n o r i g i n , w h i c h is c o n f i r m e d b y c o m p a r i s o n w i t h e x a m p l e s o f d o c u m e n t e d p r o v e n i e n c e . T h e artist c a n be i d e n t i f i e d f u r t h e r as t h e p a i n t e r o f at least t w o o t h e r panels, a p o o r l y p r e s e r v e d p o r t r a i t o f a b o y a n d a p a n e l r e c o v e r e d w i t h i t d e p i c t i n g a y o u n g w o m a n (fig. 34), b o t h e x c a v a t e d at H a w a r a b y Petrie a n d n o w i n C a i r o . T h e G e t t y p o r t r a i t is t h e finest o f t h e t h r e e e x a m p l e s , a n d w e m i g h t t h e r e f o r e call this artist the M a l i b u Painter. M o r e o v e r , this precise pose a n d h a i r s t y l e , as w e l l as a n o v e r a l l " f a m i l y r e s e m b l a n c e " appear o n at least a d o z e n o r so o t h e r p o r t r a i t s o f s i m i l a r p r o 足 v e n i e n c e b u t d i f f e r e n t artistic hands, suggesting a s c h o o l o r c i r c l e o f artists t o w h i c h t h e M a l i b u Painter b e l o n g e d . T h e hairstyles o f all the w o m e n p o r t r a y e d are e x t r e m e l y s i m i l a r , late F l a v i a n i n style, so this s c h o o l o f p o r t r a i t i s t s m u s t have w o r k e d at H a w a r a (or at A r s i n o e ) late i n the first a n d early i n t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y A . D . T h a t this e x a m p l e seems t o c o m e f r o m H a w a r a raises an i n t e r e s t i n g p o i n t . T h o u g h m o s t e x t a n t " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " o f d o c u m e n t e d p r o v e n i e n c e o r i g i n a t e at Er-Rubayat, m a n y o f t h o s e that h a v e a p p e a r e d o n t h e art m a r k e t i n r e c e n t years h a v e b e e n f r o m H a w a r a . T h e o d o r G r a f was a c l e v e r b u s i n e s s m a n , a n d he seems t o h a v e e x p l o i t e d t h e n e c r o p o l i s at Er-Rubayat r a t h e r f u l l y a n d i n a r e l a t i v e l y s h o r t t i m e . H e , his agents, a n d his w o r k m e n c l e a n e d t h e site o f p o r t r a i t s q u i c k l y a n d e f f i c i e n t l y (albeit w i t h n o r e g a r d f o r m a t t e r s archaeo足 l o g i c a l ) , a n d m o s t Er-Rubayat p o r t r a i t s c o m e t o us t h r o u g h t h e G r a f c o l l e c t i o n . Petrie, h o w e v e r , was d r i v e n b y s c i e n t i f i c r a t h e r t h a n b y p r o f i t m o t i v e s a n d e x c a v a t e d H a w a r a w i t h s o m e d e l i b e r a t i o n . I n a d d i t i o n , his w o r k t h e r e w a s i n t e r r u p t e d b y e x c a v a t i o n c o m m i t m e n t s at several o t h e r sites. D u r i n g Petrie's absences, as he h i m s e l f relates, a large n u m b e r o f p o r t r a i t s s l i p p e d a w a y f r o m H a w a r a i n t h e h a n d s o f o t h e r s . T h e e x a m 足 ples d o c u m e n t e d i n Petrie's r e p o r t s m a y r e p r e s e n t o n l y a s m a l l p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e e x t a n t p o r t r a i t s f r o m t h e site. T h u s i t is n o s u r p r i s e t o f i n d " n e w " ( p r e v i o u s l y u n k n o w n ) H a w a r a n p o r t r a i t s i n s o m e

abundance.

P o r t r a i t o f a b e a r d e d m a n , encaustic

on wood.

T h i s h i r s u t e g e n t l e m a n was a c q u i r e d d u r i n g 1973.

T h e c o l o r s c h e m e is s i m p l e , s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d , a n d v e r y s t r i k i n g . T h e subject's c o m p l e x i o n is s o m e w h a t pale a n d c h a l k y , r e n d e r e d i n c o m b i n a t i o n s o f beige, flesh t o n e s , a n d w h i t e ; t h e b a c k g r o u n d also is w h i t e . I n s h a r p c o n t r a s t , t h e l i p s are r i c h r e d w i t h s a l m o n h i g h l i g h t s , w h i l e t h e hair, b e a r d , a n d eyes are b l a c k , o c c a s i o n a l l y e n r i c h e d w i t h beige a n d l i g h t b r o w n . T h o u g h subjects o f " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " r e g u l a r l y are s h o w n c l o t h e d , n o g a r m e n t is v i s i b l e h e r e ; i t appears l i k e l y that n o n e was p a i n t e d . I n its e x t r e m e s i m p l i c i t y , t h e p o r t r a y a l c o n t a i n s o n l y h i n t s o f the artist's i d e n t i t y , b u t it is l i k e l y that h e also p a i n t e d a w e l l - k n o w n p o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n f r o m Er-Rubayat, n o w i n West B e r l i n ( i n v . 31161/7). T h e subject's l u x u r i a n t h a i r a n d b e a r d a n d t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f b r o o d i n g i n t e n s i t y are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f A n t o n i n e s c u l p t u r e d p o r t r a i t s , so a date i n t h e m i d - s e c o n d c e n t u r y is m o s t l i k e l y .

P o r t r a i t o f a b o y , encaustic

on wood.

A " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " o n a w o o d p a n e l , at least i n t h e first a n d

s e c o n d centuries A . D . , seems n o r m a l l y t o have b e e n p a i n t e d d u r i n g a person's l i f e t i m e a n d a d a p t e d t o f u n e r a r y p u r p o s e after d e a t h . E a r l y p o r t r a i t s o f c h i l d r e n m u s t fall i n a d i f f e r e n t c a t e g o r y f r o m t h o s e o f adults, f o r p r e s u m a b l y t h e y w e r e n o t p a i n t e d i n a d v a n c e b u t r a t h e r at t h e t i m e o f p r e m a t u r e d e a t h . T h e y are less c o m m o n t h a n p o r t r a i t s o f a d u l t s , a n d so this e x a m p l e r e c e n t l y a d d e d t o t h e G e t t y c o l l e c t i o n is o f special i n t e r e s t . As is usual, t h e area o f t h e p o r t r a i t that o r i g i n a l l y was left e x p o s e d t o v i e w i n t h e c a r t o n n a g e is o u t l i n e d b y traces o f b i t u m e n . M i n o r r e s t o r a t i o n o f t h e surface is a p p a r e n t as i n p a i n t i n g w h e r e t h e p a n e l d e v e l o p e d several l o n g i t u d i n a l c r a c k s — n o n e o f t h e m m a j o r — b u t t h e p a i n t i n g is m a i n l y o r i g i n a l a n d i n t a c t . T h e subject o f t h e p o r t r a i t is a y o u t h w h o s e h e a d has b e e n s h a v e d e x c e p t f o r t w o s m a l l l o c k s a b o v e t h e f o r e h e a d a n d a b r a i d , fastened w i t h a g o l d p i n , o n t h e r i g h t side o f his h e a d . T h i s h a i r s t y l e , at least t h e b r a i d , w a s c o n s i d e r e d a g o o d - l u c k c h a r m f o r E g y p t i a n y o u n g s t e r s . A s i m i l a r b r a i d appears i n several o t h e r p a i n t ings that d e p i c t y o u t h s , b u t t h e s h a v e d h e a d o f t h e G e t t y y o u n g s t e r makes h i m u n i q u e a m o n g subjects o f "Fayum portraits." T h e b o y w e a r s a p l a i n b l a c k n e c k l a c e , o f u n c e r t a i n m a t e r i a l , f r o m w h i c h a p p a r e n t l y is s u s p e n d e d a g o l d o r g i l t c o n t a i n e r f o r a m u l e t s . H e w e a r s a s t a n d a r d w h i t e t u n i c w i t h n a r r o w p u r p l e clavi, is v i s i b l e because a c l o a k , o r pallium,

only one o f w h i c h

c o v e r s his left s h o u l d e r . A t t h e r i g h t edge o f t h e p a n e l t h e r e appears

a c u r i o u s f o r k e d m o t i f t h a t is seen t o b e t t e r advantage o n G e t t y p o r t r a i t n o . 6 b e l o w , a n d w h i c h appears o n several o t h e r " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " as w e l l . W h i l e this feature is d i f f i c u l t t o e x p l a i n , it p o s s i b l y r e p r e s e n t s d e c o r a t i o n o n t h e pallium

t h a t is d r a p e d o v e r t h e subject a n d c a r r i e d o n his left a r m .

T h e b o y ' s y o u t h f u l features are w e l l - r e n d e r e d b y t h e p o r t r a i t p a i n t e r : t h e u n f o r m e d nose a n d m o u t h , especially, are those o f a c h i l d , as is the s m o o t h , matte t o n e o f the flesh. T h e eyes contrast r e m a r k a b l y , h o w e v e r , f o r i n t h e i r h e a v y d a r k s h a d i n g t h e y appear m o r e l i k e t h e eyes o f an a d u l t . T h i s serves t o recall that p o r t r a i t p a i n t e r s i n t h e F a y u m w e r e a c c u s t o m e d , a n d n o d o u b t t r a i n e d , t o p a i n t adults. T h e s e eyes, m o r e o v e r , are g i v e n p a r t i c u l a r emphasis i n an o t h e r w i s e s i m p l e p o r t r a y a l , a feature that m i g h t be said a b o v e all t o characterize m u m m y p o r t r a i t s i n g e n e r a l . Eyes w e r e c o n s i d e r e d n o t o n l y a c r u c i a l feature i n j u d g m e n t s u p o n b e a u t y i n t h e a n c i e n t Near East b u t also as w i n d o w s o n t h e s o u l . T h u s it is n o s u r p r i s e t o f i n d t h e m e m p h a s i z e d , a n d e v e n exaggerated, i n " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s , " since i n a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n b e l i e f t h e m u m m y w a s t h o u g h t t o be a permanent abode for the soul. I n several artistic details this p o r t r a i t resembles n o . 6 b e l o w , b u t a n u m b e r o f e l e m e n t s — t h e shape o f t h e h e a d a n d its r e l a t i o n t o t h e n e c k , the t e x t u r e o f t h e g a r m e n t a n d t h e n a t u r e o f its f o l d s , e t c . — i d e n t i f y its artist as d i s t i n c t f r o m , a n d s o m e w h a t less s o p h i s t i c a t e d t h a n , his n e a r - c o n t e m p o r a r y , t h e s o - c a l l e d M o n t r e a l Painter. Still, t h e r e are e n o u g h close s i m i l a r i t i e s t o suggest that b o t h p a i n t e r s s h a r e d a c o m m o n artistic t r a d i t i o n . T h e p o r t r a i t m u s t h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d d u r i n g t h e later s e c o n d c e n t u r y A . D .

P o r t r a i t o f a b e a r d e d m a n , encaustic

on wood.

T h i s p o r t r a i t , a c q u i r e d i n 1974, is p e r h a p s the m o s t

v i v i d p o r t r a y a l o f an i n d i v i d u a l a m o n g the e x a m p l e s i n the G e t t y M u s e u m . T h e p a i n t e d surface a n d the p a n e l as a w h o l e are i n e x c e l l e n t c o n d i t i o n . T h e subject is r a c i a l l y s t r i k i n g . His sharp a n d p i e r c i n g a l m o n d - s h a p e d eyes, a l m o s t n e g r o i d lips, w i r y c u r l e d hair, a n d d a r k s k i n all suggest a m i x e d heritage. T h e b a c k g r o u n d is n e u t r a l g r a y i s h w h i t e o v e r a d a r k p r i m e r . B r o w n s d o m i n a t e t h e - r u d d y c o m p l e x i o n . T h e subject's l i p s are d e e p b r o w n - r e d , a n d his eyes are a n u n u s u a l o l i v e - b r o w n , d e l i c a t e l y o u t l i n e d i n b l a c k . T h e g a r m e n t is t h e usual w h i t e , w i t h a n e x t r e m e l y n a r r o w

clavus

p a i n t e d i n r a s p b e r r y - r e d . T h e artist's m a s t e r y o f the e n c a u s t i c m e d i u m is e v i d e n t i n the v i g o r a n d care ac足 c o r d e d t h e face, w h i l e the t h i c k b l a c k c u r l s o f the hair also reveal especially s k i l l f u l use o f the T h e n a r r o w clavus

cestrum.

is a feature that c o m m o n l y appears o n p o r t r a i t s f r o m the G r a f c o l l e c t i o n , s u g g e s t i n g

a n o r i g i n at Er-Rubayat f o r o u r e x a m p l e . Precisely i d e n t i c a l g a r m e n t schemes, a n d t h e same s h a d i n g at t h e n e c k l i n e , appear o n at least t w o o t h e r p o r t r a i t s : that o f a b o y n o w i n t h e N o r t o n S i m o n M u s e u m , Pasadena, a n d o n e o f a b e a r d e d m a l e , h e a v i l y r e s t o r e d , i n M o n t r e a l . W h e n w e a d d a list o f a n a t o m i c a l s i m i l a r i t i e s (lips, nose, eye s h a d i n g a n d lashes, the m o u s t a c h e a n d b e a r d p a t t e r n s o f the t w o b e a r d e d subjects), i t b e c o m e s e v i d e n t that the three p o r t r a i t s are the w o r k o f the same h a n d . W e m i g h t call h i m the M o n t r e a l Painter, a l t h o u g h t h e G e t t y p o r t r a i t is t h e finest a n d m o s t careful o f the t h r e e . Since t h e M o n t r e a l p o r t r a i t is k n o w n t o h a v e c o m e f r o m the G r a f c o l l e c t i o n , i t is clear that the M o n t r e a l Painter w o r k e d at Er-Rubayat ( o r at P h i l a d e l p h e i a ) . W h i l e t h e b e a r d a n d h a i r s t y l e r e c a l l A n t o n i n e c o u r t f a s h i o n , t h e style o f p a i n t i n g also c o u l d a l l o w f o r an e a r l y Severan date.

P o r t r a i t o f a m a n , encaustic

on wood.

T h o u g h its state o f p r e s e r v a t i o n is n o t e x c e l l e n t , t h i s p o r t r a i t

is o f v e r y h i g h q u a l i t y a n d d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t t a l e n t e d encaustic p a i n t e r s w e r e w o r k i n g w e l l i n t o t h e t h i r d century A.D. T h e p a i n t i n g e v i d e n t l y is p r e s e r v e d t o its f u l l o r i g i n a l h e i g h t . T h i s is m o s t u n u s u a l , since p o r t r a i t s o n w o o d that w e r e w r a p p e d i n m u m m i e s n o r m a l l y w e r e cut d o w n , often considerably, before i n s e r t i o n . A l t h o u g h t h e p a n e l has b e e n b r o k e n a w a y r o u g h l y at t h e sides, its h e i g h t still gives a sense o f t h e o r i g i n a l size o f a " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " before reduction. T h e p o r t r a y a l is u n c o m p l i c a t e d . T h e subject is p o s e d against a m e d i u m - g r a y b a c k g r o u n d , c l o t h e d i n a w h i t e t u n i c . T h u s t h e r e is l i t t l e d i s t r a c t i o n f r o m t h e m o s t e v i d e n t t a l e n t o f t h e painter, his h a n d l i n g o f s h a d o w a n d t e x t u r e . T h e artist's d i s c r e e t b l e n d i n g o f w a r m p i n k a n d beige flesh t o n e s i n t h e h e a d a n d n e c k a n d his s u b t l e feel f o r h i g h l i g h t i n g e m p h a s i z e t h e m a n ' s sharp features. A s h a d o w o f c l o s e - c r o p p e d b e a r d a n d m o u s t a c h e f u r t h e r e n h a n c e t h e s t r o n g b o n e s t r u c t u r e . T h e p o r t r a i t is a m i n o r m a s t e r p i e c e o f encaustic p a i n t i n g . T h e subject's h a i r s t y l e w a s f a s h i o n a b l e i n later Severan t i m e s , a n d t h i s p o r t r a i t m u s t h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d i n t h e e a r l y decades o f t h e 200's A . D . A t t h e base o f t h e p o r t r a i t a w r e a t h o f p i n k f l o w e r s a n d a s p r i g o f g r e e n leaves h a v e b e e n i n c l u d e d , p e r h a p s a d d e d later as a f u n e r a r y o r n a m e n t .

45 45

T r i p t y c h , tempera

on wood.

T h e t h r e e p a i n t i n g s t o g e t h e r f o r m a f o l d i n g s h r i n e , Klappbild,

or trip

t y c h . Each is p a i n t e d i n t e m p e r a a n d is r e m a r k a b l y w e l l p r e s e r v e d . A l t h o u g h t h e e x a c t p r o v e n i e n c e is n o t k n o w n , t h e f i n e state o f p r e s e r v a t i o n c e r t a i n l y m e a n s that t h e y c o m e f r o m t h e F a y u m r e g i o n . T h e side panels d e p i c t t h e deities Serapis a n d Isis, w h i l e t h e c e n t r a l p a n e l is a p o r t r a i t o f a b e a r d e d m a n . T h e c e n t r a l p a i n t i n g bears a s t r i k i n g v i s u a l r e s e m b l a n c e t o " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s , " b u t because c o m p o s i t e panels w e r e e x t r e m e l y s u s c e p t i b l e t o s p l i t t i n g at t h e j o i n s , t h e y w e r e n o t e m p l o y e d f o r p a i n t i n g s i n t e n d e d t o b e w r a p p e d i n m u m m y cartonnages. T h e subject is s h o w n against a l i g h t gray b a c k g r o u n d . His face is d o m i n a t e d b y a healthy abundance o f black hair—heavy b r o w s , the short b u t t h i c k cut o n the head, a closely c r o p p e d b e a r d a n d m o u s t a c h e . T h i s h a i r was q u i t e t h i c k l y a n d c a r e f u l l y p a i n t e d b y t h e artist a n d t h u s reveals c o n s i d e r a b l e d e t a i l . T h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e facial features reveals a v a r i e d palette, especially a r o u n d t h e eyes: t h e p u p i l s are f a w n , set o f f b y d a r k e r b r o w n s h a d i n g at t h e l i d s a n d beige lashes. Flashes o f t h e same b e i g e h i g h l i g h t t h e cheeks, a n d t h e r e d l i p s a d d a s t r i k i n g n o t e o f c o l o r t o t h e facial d e p i c t i o n . H e carries a s p r i g o f l i g h t g r e e n leaves i n his r i g h t h a n d a n d h o l d s a m a r o o n w r e a t h i n his left. T h e s e e v i d e n t l y are f u n e r a r y s y m b o l s , suggesting t h a t t h e s u b j e c t is deceased a n d that this p a i n t i n g is a c o m m e m o r a t i v e p o r t r a i t . T h i s c e n t r a l p a n e l c a n b e d a t e d w i t h s o m e p r e c i s i o n , based o n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h o t h e r p a n e l p o r t r a i t s . T h e m a n i n t h e G e t t y t r i p t y c h is v e r y s i m i l a r i n e v e r y respect (style o f hair a n d b e a r d , l e n g t h t o w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t is p o r t r a y e d , presence o f the f u n e r a r y w r e a t h a n d l a u r e l s p r i g , m e d i u m , o v e r a l l artistic style) t o a large n u m b e r o f m u m m y portraits f r o m the m i d d l e o f the t h i r d c e n t u r y A . D . T h e Serapis a n d Isis appear at first glance t o be v e r y s k i l l f u l r e n d e r i n g s , m o r e so t h a n t h e c e n t r a l p o r t r a i t . T h e p a n e l o n t h e r i g h t s h o w s Isis i n t h r e e - q u a r t e r v i e w . T h e g o d d e s s has a pale beige c o m p l e x i o n , m u c h l i g h t e r t h a n that o f Serapis o r o f t h e c e n t r a l p o r t r a i t . T o u c h e s o f p i n k a n d m a r o o n m o d e l h e r cheeks, c h i n , a n d l i p s . H e r eyes are s u c h a d a r k b r o w n that t h e y a l m o s t appear b l a c k a n d are d e e p l y r i m m e d w i t h d a r k b r o w n a n d l o n g , t h i c k eyelashes. H e r l o n g b l a c k h a i r f l o w s i n t i g h t l y c r i m p e d w a v e s o v e r h e r s h o u l d e r s , a d o r n e d w i t h a w r e a t h o f d a r k a n d l i g h t g r a y - g r e e n leaves a n d p i n k f l o w e r s . O n t o p o f h e r h e a d is a f l o w e r l i k e headdress d e p i c t e d i n rust a n d gray w i t h , i n t h e c e n t e r , a c o n e - l i k e uraeus (?). A t r a n s p a r e n t v e i l seems t o be d e p i c t e d o v e r a l l , f a l l i n g t o t h e sides. Isis w e a r s a b l u e t u n i c w i t h a f r i n g e d b r o n z e - c o l o r e d m a n t l e t i e d w i t h t h e Isiac k n o t . A t h i c k w r e a t h o f p i n k f l o w e r s trails o v e r her left s h o u l d e r . She w e a r s t w o necklaces, o n e o f b l a c k beads, t h e o t h e r o f r e d p e n d a n t s o n a w i r e . G o l d d o l p h i n earrings h a n g f r o m h e r ears. A b l a c k w o o d staff w i t h g o l d i n l a i d designs leans against h e r r i g h t s h o u l d e r .

Serapis is s h o w n i n t h r e e - q u a r t e r v i e w w i t h a r u d d y c o m p l e x i o n e n h a n c e d b y t o u c h e s o f beige a n d r e d . T h e eyes, l i k e t h o s e o f Isis, are m o d e l e d w i t h d a r k circles o f b r o w n , the u p p e r lids a n d e y e b r o w s

drawn

s t r o n g l y i n b l a c k . T h e l u x u r i a n t hair f a l l i n g a b o u t his s h o u l d e r s is b l a c k , t h o u g h his b e a r d a n d m o u s t a c h e are m e d i u m b r o w n . O n his h e a d is a g o l d modius,

m o d e l e d w i t h dark red, above a twisted c l o t h diadem

w i t h g o l d h i g h l i g h t s a n d a w r e a t h o f b r o w n leaves. T h e g a r m e n t is r e d - b r o w n . Because o f the a p p a r e n t d i s c r e p a n c y i n artistic q u a l i t y , o n e m i g h t w o n d e r at first w h e t h e r the leaves a n d c e n t r a l p a n e l o f the G e t t y t r i p t y c h w e r e p a i n t e d n o t b y o n e artist b u t b y t w o o f v e r y disparate s k i l l . Closer i n s p e c t i o n , h o w e v e r , reveals that p a i n t e r l y details s u c h as the b r u s h w o r k a n d the palette e m p l o y e d are i d e n 足 tical i n all t h r e e panels. T h e d i s t i n c t i v e use o f a r i c h m a r o o n f o r facial s h a d i n g is p a r t i c u l a r l y n o t e w o r t h y . M o r e o v e r , o n close e x a m i n a t i o n the a p p a r e n t q u a l i t y o f the side panels is n o m o r e t h a n s u p e r f i c i a l ; a d e g r e e o f t e c h n i c a l c o m p e t e n c e is a c h i e v e d , b u t t h e o v e r a l l effect is lifeless a n d f o r m a l w h e n c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e e x u b e r a n t o r i g i n a l i t y o f the c e n t r a l p o r t r a i t . A l t h o u g h the c e n t r a l p a n e l excels i n s p i r i t a n d the side leaves i n e x e c u t i o n , details t h u s c o n f i r m that all t h r e e w e r e d o n e b y the same artist. T h e p o r t r a i t m u s t h a v e b e e n p a i n t e d f r o m life, the Serapis a n d Isis c o p i e d f r o m e x i s t i n g sources. J i n Frel has suggested that t h e side leaves r e p r o d u c e w e l l - k n o w n m a s t e r p i e c e s , w h i c h seems l i k e l y . T h e o r i g i n a l s m u s t h a v e b e e n v e r y s t r i k i n g , a n d i t is t e m p t i n g t o see these c o p i e s as r e f l e c t i o n s o f o n e o r a p a i r o f i m p o r t a n t c u l t p a i n t i n g s i n s t a l l e d i n a m a j o r s h r i n e o f R o m a n E g y p t , p o s s i b l y e v e n at Alexandria. A l t h o u g h the s u p e r b c o n d i t i o n o f the panels suggests that t h e y w e r e r e c o v e r e d f r o m a t o m b , i t is p r o b a b l e that the o r i g i n a l f u n c t i o n o f the t r i p t y c h was d o m e s t i c . W e k n o w that a n c e s t o r v e n e r a t i o n was c o m m o n i n R o m a n E g y p t a n d that, at least s o m e t i m e s , p a i n t e d ancestor p o r t r a i t s w e r e d i s p l a y e d i n p r i v a t e h o m e s . Rather t h a n b e i n g h u n g o n the w a l l , h o w e v e r , the G e t t y t r i p t y c h m u s t h a v e b e e n f r e e s t a n d i n g , set u p o n o r near a d o m e s t i c altar o r p l a c e d i n a w a l l - n i c h e . Klappbilder

o f s i m i l a r f o r m are k n o w n i n R o m a n a n d C a m p a n i a n

w a l l p a i n t i n g , e s p e c i a l l y o f the S e c o n d Style. I t s h o u l d be n o t e d , h o w e v e r , that w h i l e m o s t R o m a n a n d C a m 足 p a n i a n e x a m p l e s are d i s p l a y e d o p e n , n o n e o f t h e m s h o w s a n y t h i n g o n t h e leaves b e y o n d d e c o r a t i v e m o t i f s , a n d t h e i r c e n t r a l p a i n t i n g s a l m o s t i n v a r i a b l y are g e n r e scenes d e v o i d o f r e l i g i o u s o r c o m m e m o r a t i v e i m p l i 足 c a t i o n s . T h u s the t r i p t y c h seems t o h a v e b e e n e m p l o y e d i n R o m a n I t a l y p u r e l y as an o r n a m e n t a l o f i n t e r i o r d e s i g n rather t h a n , as h e r e , t o h a v e b e e n associated w i t h the d o m e s t i c c u l t .

feature

Figure G. Roman

Typical arrangement

Klappbilder. After W. Ehlich,

T h e precise p h y s i c a l p l a c e m e n t o r use o f t h e G e t t y t r i p t y c h is u n c e r t a i n because o f t h e absence o f t h e frame i n w h i c h t h e panels o r i g i n a l l y w e r e m o u n t e d . T h e r e are several f r a m i n g p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r s u c h

Klapp

Bild u n d Rahmen i m Altertum: Die

bilder,

Geschichte des Bilderrahmens (Munich

c o u l d e q u a l l y w e l l h a v e b e e n t h e f r a m e w o r k o f the G e t t y t r i p t y c h , f o r w h i l e t h e c e n t r a l p a n e l is b o r d e r e d

1954) 177fig.

49.

a c c o r d i n g to the examples i n the R o m a n a n d Campanian w a l l paintings (fig. G). T y p e B or type C

b y a n a r r o w u n p a i n t e d s t r i p o r i g i n a l l y c o v e r e d b y its frame, t h e side panels e v i d e n t l y w e r e u n f r a m e d a n d w e r e set w i t h p i n t l e hinges, o n e o f w h i c h s u r v i v e s o n each leaf, i n t o sockets i n t h e c e n t r a l f r a m e . O n t h e basis o f t h e panels' d i m e n s i o n s , t y p e C is m o s t l i k e l y . T h e r e also c o u l d be s o m e i n i t i a l u n c e r t a i n t y a b o u t just h o w t h e panels w e r e set u p . T h e p a i n t e d sides o f t h e leaves m i g h t h a v e b e e n v i s i b l e w i t h t h e t r i p t y c h o p e n — S e r a p i s t o t h e left o f t h e c e n t r a l p o r t r a i t , Isis t o t h e r i g h t — o r t h e d i v i n i t i e s m i g h t h a v e b e e n v i s i b l e o n l y w h e n t h e t r i p t y c h was c l o s e d — I s i s o n t h e left d o o r , Serapis o n t h e r i g h t — a s a p o r t a b l e , f o l d i n g s h r i n e . B u t t h e n a t u r e o f a n c e s t o r v e n e r a t i o n i n R o m a n E g y p t argues against t a k i n g t h e G e t t y Klappbild

as a n o b j e c t m e a n t t o be c a r r i e d f r o m place t o place. M o s t

o f t h e t i m e , at least, t h e t r i p t y c h m u s t h a v e b e e n d i s p l a y e d o p e n i n t h e h o m e . T o h a v e h a d Serapis a n d Isis o n t h e f r o n t s o f the d o o r s w o u l d h a v e b e e n p o i n t l e s s , f o r u n d e r n o r m a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h e y w o u l d h a v e b e e n h i d d e n f r o m v i e w . A l s o , i f these leaves are f o l d e d o u t p e r h a p s t h i r t y degrees, as t h e d o o r s o f R o m a n a n d C a m p a n i a n Klappbilder

u s u a l l y are d e p i c t e d , Serapis a n d Isis appear t o gaze d i r e c t l y at t h e

observer.

P o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n , tempera

on wood.

A n o t h e r G e t t y p o r t r a i t that c a n be t r a c e d t o t h e g r o u p o f

e x a m p l e s r e c o v e r e d at Er-Rubayat b y T h e o d o r G r a f i n t h e 1880's is this m a g n i f i c e n t d e p i c t i o n , o n e o f t h e finest " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " p a i n t e d i n t h e s o m e w h a t i n t r a c t a b l e t e m p e r a m e d i u m . T h e subject is a b r i g h t - e y e d y o u n g l a d y s h o w n against a beige b a c k g r o u n d a n d c l o t h e d i n a h o t - p i n k t u n i c w i t h b l a c k clavi.

H e r j e w e l r y consists o f a f a i r l y p l a i n s p i r a l - b r a i d e d n e c k l a c e , f r o m t h e c e n t e r o f w h i c h is

s u s p e n d e d a m i n i a t u r e l u n e t t e , a n d a pair o f earrings, each c o n s i s t i n g o f t w o pearls, o n e at t h e fastening, t h e o t h e r h a n g i n g f r o m i t o n a s i m p l e g o l d b a n d . H e r c u r l y hair is a r r a n g e d q u i t e s i m p l y a n d is d r a w n i n t o a b u n at t h e b a c k . T h e face s h o w s t h e m o s t s u b t l e n u a n c e s that c o u l d be a c h i e v e d i n t h e t e m p e r a m e d i u m . I t is e v i d e n t that t h e p a i n t e r was v e r y w e l l - t r a i n e d a n d that h e was an e x t r e m e l y c o m p e t e n t artist, w i t h a special talent f o r d r a w i n g an a s t o u n d i n g t h r e e - d i m e n s i o n a l i t y o u t o f the u n g e n e r o u s tempera paint. T h e care lavished o n shading a n d h i g h l i g h t i n g — b y delicate, t r a n s l u c e n t lines o f h a t c h i n g — e v e n recalls the fine early p o r t r a i t s i n encaustic. T h e n e w m e d i u m , h o w e v e r , c o m b i n e d w i t h t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y e x p r e s s i v e s c h e m a t a o f eyes a n d m o u t h , p o i n t s t o a later date. T h i s p a i n t i n g i s — l i k e o n l y a f e w o t h e r t e m p e r a p o r t r a i t s — a m i n o r

masterpiece.

It is i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h e a l m o s t i n c r e d i b l e d i s c r e p a n c y b e t w e e n t h e p a i n t e r l y a t t e n t i o n d e v o t e d t o t h e face a n d that t o t h e g a r m e n t . T h e latter is o n l y r o u g h l y d a u b e d w i t h s w e e p i n g strokes o f r e d o v e r t h e p i n k g r o u n d . I t c u r i o u s l y c o m b i n e s an e v i d e n t u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e n a t u r e o f d r a p e r y f o l d s w i t h a slapdash d e p i c t i o n o f these f o l d s i n b r o a d u n s o p h i s t i c a t e d swaths. T h e n o n - f a c i a l p o r t i o n o f this p a i n t i n g m a y p o s s i b l y h a v e b e e n c o m p l e t e d b y t h e master's assistant, b u t t h e style seen h e r e is m o s t p e c u l i a r a n d c a n n o t be p a r a l l e l e d elsewhere a m o n g surviving m u m m y portraits. A l t h o u g h t h e painter's style is h i g h l y d i s t i n c t i v e , it c a n n o t be i d e n t i f i e d w i t h c e r t a i n t y o n a n y o t h e r " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " that s u r v i v e s . H e m u s t h a v e w o r k e d at Er-Rubayat o r at P h i l a d e l p h e i a i n t h e late t h i r d o r early f o u r t h century A.D.

10.

P o r t r a i t o f a y o u n g m a n , tempera

on linen.

T h e first " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " o n c l o t h t o e n t e r t h e G e t t y

M u s e u m is p a i n t e d o n the f r a g m e n t o f a l i n e n b u r i a l s h r o u d that w o u l d h a v e c o v e r e d t h e h e a d a n d face o f the deceased. F u l l - l e n g t h portraits sometimes w e r e p a i n t e d o n s h r o u d s used as the final w r a p p i n g o f the m u m m y b e f o r e i t w a s i n t e r r e d . I n o t h e r instances, a b u s t - l e n g t h p o r t r a i t was p a i n t e d o n a c l o t h that was w r a p p e d i n a regular c a r t o n n a g e m u c h l i k e the w o o d panels, w i t h face, o r h e a d a n d n e c k , left e x p o s e d t o v i e w . T h i s s h r o u d f r a g m e n t is a n e x a m p l e o f the latter t y p e , a n d the p o r t r a i t area is a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e same size as c o n 足 t e m p o r a r y , a n d m o r e c o m m o n , w o o d panels. U n l i k e w o o d panels, o n w h i c h the b a c k g r o u n d n o r m a l l y is n e u t r a l gray, the subject o f this p o r t r a i t appears against a g r a y i s h b l a c k . T h u s t h e b r i g h t c o l o r s o f the p o r t r a y a l s t a n d o u t s h a r p l y a n d s t r i k i n g l y . T h e subject's flesh is a p e c u l i a r s a l m o n c o l o r , w i t h features d e l i n e a t e d i n g r a y a n d s h a d i n g r e n d e r e d i n r e d d i s h b r o w n . T h e l i p s are b r i c k - r e d . T h e hair is b l a c k , w i t h o l i v e - b r o w n h i g h l i g h t s , the same o l i v e - b r o w n as the subject's eyes. T h e y o u n g m a n w e a r s a w h i t e t u n i c w i t h n a r r o w g r a y - b l u e clavi

a n d is c r o w n e d b y a w r e a t h o f g r e e n

leaves w i t h g o l d stems a n d berries. O n his s h o u l d e r sits a s a l m o n - a n d - b e i g e

c o l o r e d f a l c o n , a feature that

appears o n b o t h panels a n d s h r o u d s o f late date, u s u a l l y t h o s e f r o m the f o u r t h c e n t u r y . T h e b i r d s y m b o l i z e s the ancient Egyptian g o d Horus, or

Harpocrates.

As is m o s t o f t e n the case, t h e r e are n o v i s u a l clues i n this p o r t r a i t t h a t p r o v i d e factual i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e subject. T h a t he m a y be r e p r e s e n t e d at a f a i r l y y o u n g age is suggested b o t h b y the s m o o t h a n d y o u t h f u l s k i n a n d , especially, b y the s i d e b u r n s , m o u s t a c h e , a n d s h o r t b e a r d w h i c h l o o k s v e r y m u c h l i k e a first g r o w t h . U n l i k e the p a n e l p o r t r a i t s , the s h r o u d p o r t r a i t s m u s t h a v e b e e n ad hoc c r e a t i o n s at t h e t i m e o f d e a t h . T h u s , i f this is a f a i t h f u l d e p i c t i o n o f h i m , the m a n i n this p o r t r a i t m a y h a v e d i e d q u i t e y o u n g . T h e artist c a n n o t be i d e n t i f i e d as t h e p a i n t e r o f o t h e r p o r t r a i t s that s u r v i v e . H i s style is h i g h l y i d i o s y n 足 c r a t i c , a c u r i o u s c o m b i n a t i o n o f s k i l l i n facial r e n d e r i n g w i t h n a i v e t e o f p o s e a n d o f g a r m e n t s c h e m e . T h e s t y l e o f the p o r t r a i t a n d its a b s o l u t e f r o n t a l i t y suggest t h a t i t w a s p a i n t e d i n t h e early decades o f the f o u r t h century A.D.

11.

P o r t r a i t o f a m a n , tempera

on wood.

Perhaps the m o s t v i s u a l l y a r r e s t i n g m u m m y p o r t r a i t i n t h e

G e t t y M u s e u m is this s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d p o r t r a y a l i n t e m p e r a , p a i n t e d b y a d i s t i n c t i v e a n d p e r h a p s v e r y p r o l i f i c artist o f t h e m i d - f o u r t h c e n t u r y A . D . T h e subject is s h o w n i n the f r o n t a l p o s e that c a m e t o be t h e general r u l e i n the f o u r t h c e n t u r y . H e l d o b j e c t s , t o o , b e c o m e f r e q u e n t i n p o r t r a i t s o f s u c h late date. T h e G e t t y m a n grasps i n his r i g h t h a n d w h a t appears t o be a c o n e - s h a p e d glass w i t h a b e a d e d r i m h a l f - f i l l e d w i t h a r e d l i q u i d ( w i n e ? ) a n d , i n his left, a r o s e - c o l o r e d w r e a t h . These o b j e c t s e v i d e n t l y h a d f u n e r a r y c o n n o t a t i o n s , f o r t h e same o r s i m i l a r i t e m s ap足 pear i n several o t h e r p o r t r a i t s . T h e subject w e a r s a w h i t e t u n i c w i t h b l u e clavi

and lavender decoration o n

t h e edge o f t h e n e c k o p e n i n g . R o u n d - f a c e d s m i l i n g subjects w e r e the s t o c k - i n - t r a d e o f an artist w h o s e style is r e a d i l y i d e n t i f i a b l e i n several o t h e r p o r t r a i t s a n d w h o has c o m e t o be c a l l e d t h e B r o o k l y n Painter. A c o m p a r i s o n o f t h e G e t t y p a n e l t o t h e artist's n a m e p i e c e ( f i g . 38) leaves l i t t l e d o u b t that b o t h are b y t h e same p a i n t e r . T h e s i m i l a r shape a n d r e l a t i o n o f h e a d a n d n e c k , t h e same g a r m e n t s c h e m e , s m o o t h s h a d i n g a r o u n d t h e eyes, nose, a n d m o u t h , p r e c i s e l y i d e n t i c a l ears, a n d c l o s e l y s i m i l a r h a n d s all f o r m o n l y t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a l o n g list o f features that c o r r e s p o n d i n these t w o p o r t r a i t s . A m o n g t h e m a n y o t h e r p o r t r a i t s that h a v e b e e n associated w i t h t h e B r o o k l y n Painter, t h e r e are a n u m b e r o f m i n o r v a r i a t i o n s that suggest w e m a y be d e a l i n g n o t so m u c h w i t h a single artist as w i t h a s c h o o l . B u t t h e r e can be n o e q u i v o c a t i o n a b o u t t h e G e t t y a n d B r o o k l y n p o r t r a i t s : t h e y are the w o r k o f o n e a n d t h e same painter. T h e B r o o k l y n Painter w o r k e d at Er-Rubayat, o r at P h i l a d e l p h e i a , i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y A . D .

12.

P o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n , tempera

on wood.

T h i s p a i n t i n g is a m a r v e l o u s e x a m p l e i l l u s t r a t i n g g e n e r a l

features o f t h e p o r t r a i t p a i n t e r ' s art near t h e e n d o f m u m m y p o r t r a i t p r o d u c t i o n i n t h e late f o u r t h c e n t u r y A . D . I t is i n t e r e s t i n g , t o o , f o r its o r i g i n , since it is k n o w n t o h a v e b e e n a m o n g t h e h u n d r e d s o f p a i n t i n g s r e c o v e r e d b y T h e o d o r G r a f at Er-Rubayat, t h e c e m e t e r y o f P h i l a d e l p h e i a , i n the 1880's. T h e b i z a r r e v i s u a l aspect o f this p o r t r a i t , w h e n c o m p a r e d t o t h e panels c o n s i d e r e d p r e v i o u s l y , is d u e m o s t Â l y t o t h e p a r t i c u l a r p r o p e r t i e s o f t h e t e m p e r a m e d i u m i n w h i c h i t w a s p a i n t e d , as w e l l as t o an o v e r a l l c h a n g e i n a r t i s t i c taste o b s e r v a b l e i n m u m m y p o r t r a i t s that appears t o h a v e b e g u n d u r i n g t h e t h i r d c e n t u r y . T h e t e m p e r a m e d i u m , i n w h i c h p o w d e r e d p i g m e n t s are m i x e d i n a n egg base, dries q u i c k l y a n d t h u s d e m a n d s r a p i d e x e c u t i o n . Faster a n d c h e a p e r t h a n encaustic p a i n t , b u t n e i t h e r e n c o u r a g i n g n o r i n d e e d a l l o w i n g m u c h p a i n t e r l y s u b t l e t y , t e m p e r a c a m e t o be u s e d f o r n e a r l y a l l " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " p a i n t e d late i n t h e t h i r d a n d all t h r o u g h t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r i e s . W h a t p a i n t i n g s l i k e that o f t h e G e t t y l a d y lack i n aesthetic s o p h i s t i c a t i o n , h o w e v e r , t h e y m a k e u p f o r i n directness a n d s p o n t a n e i t y . T h e y are, t o p u t i t s i m p l y , q u a i n t a n d c h a r m i n g . T h e s u b j e c t is s h o w n n e a r l y f u l l - f r o n t â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a regular feature o f t h e latest m u m m y p o r t r a i t s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; d r e s s e d i n a r i c h p i n k t u n i c w i t h b l a c k clavi.

She is n i c e l y c o i f f e d , the severe r o w s o f h a i r s o f t e n e d b y t e n d r i l s w a v i n g a r o u n d

t h e h a i r l i n e . T h e h a i r s t y l e is h i g h l i g h t e d b y a n o r n a m e n t w i t h t w o beads (?) a n d a single p e a r l s u s p e n d e d f r o m t h e c e n t r a l p a r t i n g . She wears large g o l d h o o p earrings a n d t w o necklaces, o n e o f w h i c h consists o f alternating pearls a n d lozenge-shaped stones, the o t h e r o f a w o v e n b l u e (silver?) b a n d w i t h central g o l d p e n d a n t . I n spite o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s i m p o s e d b y t h e m e d i u m , t h e p a i n t e r h a d a g o o d a n a t o m i c a l sense a n d a d i s t i n c t c o n f i d e n c e o f s t r o k e . T h o u g h it w o u l d be easy t o dismiss this e x a m p l e h a s t i l y as a s i m p l e c a r t o o n o r t h e w o r k o f a h a c k p a i n t e r , closer i n s p e c t i o n reveals that s u c h is n o t at all t h e case. T h e p u r s e d p i n k l i p s , w i d e o p e n b r o w n eyes, a n d s t r o n g l y a r c h e d b l a c k e y e b r o w s all c a p t u r e a f e e l i n g o f i m m e d i a c y a n d i n d i v i d u a l i t y . T h e p a i n t e r was a p r o d u c t o f his age a n d , w i t h i n t h e artistic c o n t e x t o f Late A n t i q u i t y , a q u i t e t a l e n t e d artist at that. T h e p a i n t e r c a n n o t n o w be i d e n t i f i e d as t h e c r e a t o r o f o t h e r " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s " that s u r v i v e . H e w i l l h a v e w o r k e d at Er-Rubayat, o r P h i l a d e l p h e i a , near t h e e n d o f t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y A . D .

13-

P o r t r a i t o f a m a n , tempera

on linen.

T h e s e c o n d G e t t y m u m m y p o r t r a i t o n c l o t h is, l i k e n o . 10

a b o v e , n o t a f u l l - l e n g t h r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e deceased b u t r a t h e r a p a r t i a l d e p i c t i o n r o u g h l y t h e same size as c o n t e m p o r a r y p a n e l p o r t r a i t s . I n this e x a m p l e t h e subject is s h o w n a l m o s t t o t h e w a i s t , h o l d i n g an o b j e c t i n e i t h e r h a n d . A b u n c h o f grapes is s h o w n i n t h e r i g h t h a n d , a w r e a t h i n t h e leftâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as b e c a m e f r e q u e n t i n p o r t r a i t s p a i n t e d i n t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y . H e is g a r b e d i n a w h i t e t u n i c w i t h p i n k clavi,

a n d appears against

a gray b a c k g r o u n d . T h e s h r o u d is i n fairly g o o d c o n d i t i o n , c o n s i d e r i n g t h e d e l i c a c y o f the m a t e r i a l , a l t h o u g h a n u m b e r o f details are p a r t l y o b s c u r e d b y s o m e s t a i n i n g a n d loss o f p a i n t . T h i s is p a r t i c u l a r l y t r u e o f t h e b a c k g r o u n d , w h i c h a p p a r e n t l y w a s r i c h l y d e c o r a t e d w i t h s y m b o l s f r o m a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n r e l i g i o n . T w o s u c h s y m b o l s still p l a i n l y v i s i b l e t o t h e subject's r i g h t are t h e f a l c o n that m a y r e p r e s e n t H o r u s o r H a r p o c r a t e s a n d a m u m m i f i e d f i g u r e w i t h o u t s t r e t c h e d w i n g s , o n e o f a p a i r o f s u c h figures (Isis a n d Osiris?) a c c o r d i n g t o traces o f a s i m i l a r d e p i c t i o n t o t h e subject's left. W e are r e m i n d e d h e r e that t o m a n y i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h e F a y u m r e g i o n , e v e n t h o s e w h o m a y h a v e e m i g r a t e d f r o m I t a l y itself, the a n c i e n t n a t i v e beliefs w e r e e x t r e m e l y a t t r a c t i v e , far m o r e so t h a n t h e c o l d a n d i m p e r s o n a l R o m a n state r e l i g i o n . Especially o n late s h r o u d s , s u c h as this e x a m p l e , w e f i n d a w i d e r e p e r t o r y o f signs a n d s y m b o l s that d e r i v e f r o m E g y p t i a n , r a t h e r t h a n G r a e c o - R o m a n , r e l i g i o n . T h e p a i n t e r o f this p o r t r a i t e v i d e n t l y was m u c h r e m o v e d f r o m t h e artistic m a i n s t r e a m i n R o m a n E g y p t . I n s t e a d , he w o r k e d i n a p u r e l y l o c a l s t y l e that o w e s l i t t l e , b e y o n d t h e basic idea o f a p a i n t e d f u n e r a r y i m a g e , t o t h e t r a d i t i o n s so e l o q u e n t l y r e f l e c t e d i n t h e best early " F a y u m p o r t r a i t s . " T h e p a i n t i n g appears a l m o s t w h o l l y t w o - d i m e n s i o n a l a n d reflects at m o s t a m i n i m u m o f f o r m a l t r a i n i n g i n a n a t o m i c a l

representation.

N e i t h e r t h e artist n o r t h e p r o v e n i e n c e o f t h e p o r t r a i t c a n be i d e n t i f i e d . T h e p a i n t i n g is o n e o f m a n y u n Â p r e t e n t i o u s l o c a l p r o d u c t s that s u r v i v e f r o m t h e late f o u r t h c e n t u r y A . D .

14.

Stucco m u m m y mask o f a w o m a n .

A l l t h r o u g h the R o m a n p e r i o d i n Egypt, the c u s t o m o f placing

s c u l p t u r e d plaster masks o v e r t h e m u m m y w r a p p i n g s e x i s t e d p a r a l l e l t o t h e t r a d i t i o n o f p a i n t e d p a n e l p o r traits. P t o l e m a i c G r e e k s seem t o h a v e a d o p t e d t h e c u s t o m f r o m the E g y p t i a n s , c o n t i n u i n g t h e l o c a l s y s t e m o f m a s s - p r o d u c i n g t y p e s ( y o u n g m a n , o l d m a n , b e a r d e d m a n , etc.) w i t h l i t t l e o r n o a t t e m p t at characteriza t i o n . W i t h t h e a d v e n t o f a sizable R o m a n c o m m u n i t y after t h e B a t t l e o f A c t i u m , t h e craft o f p o r t r a i t u r e seems t o h a v e i n f l u e n c e d s c u l p t u r e d as w e l l as p a i n t e d m u m m y p o r t r a i t s . Elaborate h a i r s t y l e s w e r e c o p i e d , p e r h a p s as p a r t o f an a t t e m p t at a c t u a l likeness. H e r e t h e h a i r is d r a w n b a c k f r o m a c e n t e r p a r t i n t o a t i g h t c h i g n o n , s e c u r e d b y a c l i p against t h e b a c k o f t h e h e a d . A n a r r o w flat b r a i d e x t e n d s a b o u t o n e i n c h i n s i d e t h e h a i r l i n e a r o u n d t h e h a i r . A c o r k s c r e w c u r l dangles i n f r o n t o f each ear. T h e eyes, m a d e o f sheets o f m i c a set o v e r b i t u m e n p u p i l s , c o n t r i b u t e l a r g e l y t o the l i f e l i k e effect; the o r i g i n a l r i c h c o l o r i n g — p i n k cheeks, r e d lips, b l a c k h a i r — m u s t have b e e n startling. T h e sharp c u r v e o f the e y e b r o w s , contrasting w i t h the f l u i d m o d e l i n g o f t h e l i p s , t h e c o i f f u r e , a n d t h e o v e r a l l style p l a c e t h e p o r t r a i t i n the s e c o n d h a l f o f t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y A . D .

T h e G e t t y M u s e u m also o w n s a r u i n o f a p o l y c h r o m e d l i m e s t o n e h e a d o f a y o u n g m a n (acc. n o . 7 1 . A A . 2 7 5 ) a n d a p a i n t e d s t u c c o c a r t o n n a g e m a s k o f a y o u t h i n t h e E g y p t i a n t r a d i t i o n (acc. n o . 7 1 . A A . 3 6 5 ) .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 1.

Portrait

of a lady

A . R o t h e , " P o r t r a i t o f a Lady. C o n s e r v a t i o n R e p o r t , " G e t t y MJ

81.AP.42 Encaustic

10 (1982) f o r t h c o m i n g .

T h e p a n e l is i n e x c e l l e n t c o n d i t i o n , e v e n t h o u g h the w o o d is e x t r e m e l y t h i n , d u e t o t h e fact that t h e o l d on wood

c a r t o n n a g e is s t i l l p r e s e r v e d . T h e c a r t o n n a g e is c o m p o s e d o f s e v e n layers o f c l o t h , t w o o f w h i c h h a v e b e e n

H: 33.6 cm.; W: 17.2 cm.

s o a k e d i n s o m e resinous substance a n d are i n d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h the back o f the p a n e l . T h e b i t u m i n o u s substance

H (of car tonnage):

that d e f a c e d a n d d i s c o l o r e d t h e p o r t r a i t w a s r e m o v e d , a n d a p e r f e c t l y p r e s e r v e d p a i n t layer w a s u n c o v e r e d .

cartonnage):

46.4 cm.; W (of

On top: 21.6 cm.,

On bottom: 36.8 cm. 2.

Portrait

Apollo 91 (n.s. n o . 9 6 : F e b r u a r y 1970) x x x v , p i . (col.); Burlington Magazine 112 ( n o . 813: D e c e m b e r 1970) s u p p l . p i . 4; R. Symes, Ancient Art (sale catalogue; L o n d o n 1971) n o . 2 5 , p i . ( c o l . ) ; Objets 3 ( n . d . = 1971) f i g . ; C.C. Verm e u l e a n d N . N e u e r b u r g , Catalogue of the Ancient Art in the J . Paul Getty Museum ( M a l i b u 1973) 41 n o . 9 1 , fig. 9 1 ; H . L a t t i m o r e i n B . B . F r e d e r i c k s e n , The]. Paul Getty Museum ( M a l i b u 1975) 53, f i g . a ( c o l . ) ; T h o m p s o n , " F o u r ' F a y u m P o r t r a i t s ' i n the G e t t y M u s e u m , " G e t t y A / / 2 (1975) 85-86, 88 n o . 1, f i g . 1 (hereafter, " F o u r ' F a y u m P o r t r a i t s ' " ) ; i d . , The Artists of the Mummy Portraits ( M a l i b u 1976; hereafter, Artists) 8, fig. 11; K . Parlasca, Repertorio d'arte dell 'egittogreco-romano, ser. B: Ritratti di mummie (3 v o l s , t o date; P a l e r m o 1969 a n d R o m e 1977, 1980; hereafter, Ritratti) I I , 34 n o . 267, p i . 6 4 . 4 (Trajanic).

of a Man

71. AP. 72 From

Hawara.

Encaustic

on wood

H-. 47.5 cm.; W: 24.1 cm.

T h e p r e s e r v a t i o n is g o o d . T h e t h i n p a n e l s h o w s t h e w a r p i n g t h a t n o r m a l l y results f r o m f o r c e d c o n f o r m i t y t o the p h y s i c a l shape o f the m u m m y . F o u r cracks a l o n g g r a i n lines o f the w o o d , o n e o f w h i c h e x t e n d s the panel's e n t i r e l e n g t h , d o n o t s e r i o u s l y d e t r a c t f r o m t h e p o r t r a i t ' s i n t e g r i t y . T h e p a n e l was r o u g h l y c u t a w a y at the t o p b e f o r e b e i n g i n s e r t e d i n t o t h e m u m m y . T h e surface is i n t a c t a n d s h o w s n o signs o f e i t h e r r e p a i n t i n g o r restora足 t i o n . T h e r e is s o m e m i n o r e n c r u s t a t i o n (sand o r d i r t ) e v i d e n t i n t h e hair, w h i l e f r a g m e n t s o f t h e m u m m y c a r t o n 足 nage r e m a i n i n t h e area o f the s u b j e c t ' s left ear. T h e r e is s o m e d i s c o l o r a t i o n a n d d a r k e n i n g d u e t o t h e b i t u m e n used to prepare the m u m m y .

Portrait

of a Flavian

73AP.91 From Hawara. Encaustic on wood H; 40 cm - W: 20 cm.

Matron

T h o m p s o n , " F o u r ' F a y u m P o r t r a i t s ' " 87-88 n o . 2, f i g . 2; id., Artists

I I , 30, n o . 2 5 1 ,

T h e p a n e l is i n fine c o n d i t i o n . T h e w o o d is e x t r e m e l y t h i n , so e x t e n s i v e w a r p i n g has o c c u r r e d , r e s u l t i n g i n a m a j o r l o n g i t u d i n a l c r a c k . T h r e e o t h e r less s i g n i f i c a n t cracks are p r e s e n t . S o m e o l d f l a k i n g o f p a i n t is e v i d e n t i n t h e u p p e r r i g h t p o r t i o n o f the p a n e l , a n d s o m e r e p a i n t i n g seems t o h a v e b e e n e f f e c t e d p r i o r t o its a c q u i s i t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y a r o u n d t h e b r o w s a n d i n the hair.

15, f i g . 4 1 ; Parlasca, Ritratti

p i . 61.4 (Flavian).

Portrait

of a bearded

man

Apollo93

(n.s. n o . 112: J u n e 1971) 149, i l l . ; T h o m p s o n , " F o u r ' F a y u m P o r t r a i t s ' " 88-90 n o . 3, f i g . 4; i d . ,

10, f i g . 2 1 ; Parlasca, Ritratti

73.AP.94 Probably from Encaustic

Artists

I I , 6 4 n o . 3 8 7 , p i . 94.2 ( A . D . 1 7 5 - 1 8 0 ) .

T h e w o o d , w h i c h appears t o be cedar, is p a r t i a l l y w a r p e d b u t u n u s u a l l y s o u n d ; n o n e o f six l o n g i t u d i n a l cracks

Er-Rubayat.

e x t e n d s t h e p a n e l ' s e n t i r e l e n g t h . Large f r a g m e n t s o f t h e m u m m y c a r t o n n a g e , b o t h b l u e a n d w h i t e l i n e n ,

on wood

r e m a i n o n t h e l o w e r p o r t i o n o f the p a n e l as w e l l as o n its reverse. F a i r l y e x t e n s i v e f l a k i n g o f c o l o r i n t h e n e c k

H: 43 cm.; W: 22.5 cm.

area appears t o h a v e r e s u l t e d w h e n t h e p o r t r a i t w a s r e m o v e d f r o m the m u m m y . T h e h a i r has b e e n r e t o u c h e d s l i g h t l y , b u t n o o t h e r r e s t o r a t i o n is a p p a r e n t . 5. Portrait of a boy 78.AP.262 Said to be from Oxyrhyncbus. Encaustic on wood H: 20.3 cm.; W: 13 cm.

Weltkunst

4 7 n o . 21 ( N o v e m b e r 1977) 2 0 0 4 ; Parlasca, Ritratti

I I I , 67 no. 674, p i . F (col.) ( A . D . 150-200).

T h e p a i n t i n g is u n u s u a l l y s m a l l . T h e p a n e l p o s s i b l y was c u t d o w n f r o m a m o r e s t a n d a r d size, as Parlasca suggests; b u t i n v i e w o f t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y s m a l l scale o f the s u b j e c t p o r t r a y a l , i t seems m o r e l i k e l y t h a t t h e c u r r e n t d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e p a n e l are o r i g i n a l . E v i d e n t l y because o f this s m a l l size, i t w a s n o t d e e m e d necessary t o c u t a w a y the p a n e l ' s u p p e r c o r n e r s b e f o r e i t was i n s e r t e d i n the m u m m y c a r t o n n a g e . T h e c o n d i t i o n is v e r y g o o d . O n e large c r a c k t h r o u g h t h e c e n t e r o f t h e p a n e l has b e e n i n p a i n t e d a n d s o m e f i l l i n g a n d p a i n t i n g are o n the r i g h t side o f t h e h e a d .

Portrait

of a bearded

74.AP.11 From

Er-Rubayat.

Encaustic

on wood

H: 37 cm.; W: 21 cm.

man

Apollo 9 8 (n.s. n o . 142: D e c e m b e r 1973) 9 5 , p i . ( c o l . ) ; J. F r e l , Recent Acquisitions. Ancient Art. The J . Paul Getty Museum, ( e x h i b i t i o n catalogue; M a l i b u 1974; hereafter, Recent Acquisitions) no. 26, fig.; T h o m p s o n , " F o u r ' F a y u m P o r t r a i t s ' " 8 9 - 9 0 n o . 4, f i g . 5; i d . , Artists 4, c o v e r i l l . ( c o l . ) ; Parlasca, Ritratti I I , 57 n o . 3 5 7 , p i . 8 6 . 2 ( m i d - A n t o n i n e ) ; J.-E. Berger, Voeil et Veternite: Portraits romains d'Egypte ( P a u d e x 1977; hereafter, L'oeil et Veternite) 170 ( i l l . ) , 215. T h e p a i n t e d surface a n d t h e p a n e l as a w h o l e are i n e x c e l l e n t c o n d i t i o n . T w o h a i r l i n e cracks, s o m e d i s c o l o r 足 a t i o n f r o m t h e m u m m i f i c a t i o n materials, a n d a s m a l l f r a g m e n t o f c a r t o n n a g e c l i n g i n g at t h e t o p d o n o t d e t r a c t f r o m t h e p o r t r a i t ' s s u p e r b state. T h e p a n e l w a s b r o k e n r o u g h l y b u t o n l y s l i g h t l y at t h e t o p c o r n e r s b e f o r e b e i n g i n s e r t e d i n the c a r t o n n a g e .

Portrait

of a

man

79.AP.141 Provenience Encaustic

Unpublished T h e p a i n t i n g e v i d e n t l y is p r e s e r v e d t o its f u l l o r i g i n a l h e i g h t . T h i s is m o s t u n u s u a l , since p o r t r a i t s o n w o o d

unknown. on wood

H: 47.5 cm.; W: 19 cm.

that w e r e w r a p p e d i n m u m m i e s n o r m a l l y w e r e cut d o w n considerably before insertion. A l t h o u g h the panel has b e e n b r o k e n a w a y r o u g h l y at t h e sides, o n e s t i l l c a n g a i n f r o m the h e i g h t a sense o f t h e o r i g i n a l size o f a " F a y u m p o r t r a i t " before reduction. T h e p a i n t has c r a z e d a l o n g g r a i n lines o f t h e w o o d , p r e s u m a b l y because o f alternate s h r i n k i n g a n d s w e l l i n g o f the p a n e l o v e r the c e n t u r i e s . C o n s i d e r a b l e p a i n t loss has o c c u r r e d , e s p e c i a l l y i n the b a c k g r o u n d a n d i n t h e subject's garment, e x p o s i n g a d a r k p r i m e r beneath, b u t the facial area is i n relatively g o o d c o n d i t i o n . N o r e s t o r a t i o n appears t o h a v e b e e n effected, e x c e p t a s m a l l a m o u n t i n t h e r i g h t ear.

Triptych

74. AP. 20

(portrait)

74.AP.21

(Serapis)

74. AP. 22

(Isis)

Provenience

unknown.

Tempera on wood H(portrait):

36 cm.; W: 37.5 cm.

H (Serapis):

Frel, Recent Acquisitionsnos. 23-25, figs.; T h o m p s o n , Artists 16, figs. 50-52; i d . , " A P a i n t e d T r i p t y c h f r o m R o m a n E g y p t , " G e t t y M J 6 - 7 ( 1 9 7 8 - 1 9 7 9 ) 185-92, figs. 1-3; Parlasca, Ritrattilll, 6 9 n o . 4 0 5 , p i . 100.1-3 (late A n t o n i n e ) ; Berger, L 'oeil etVeternite 117 ( i l l . ) , 215. T h e c o n d i t i o n is g o o d . T h e r e are f o u r p r o m i n e n t cracks i n t h e c e n t e r p a n e l a n d o n e e a c h i n t h e side panels. Center: s o m e i n p a i n t i n g i n t h e h a i r a l o n g t h e c r a c k o f t h e face; s o m e d i s c o l o r a t i o n f r o m g l u e i n t h e c r a c k . Isis: h e a v i l y i n p a i n t e d , e s p e c i a l l y t h e hair, c h e e k , c h i n , a n d t h r o a t . Serapis: h e a v i l y i n p a i n t e d . T h e t e m p e r a has b e e n w a x e d to regain the transparency.

39 cm.; W: 19 cm.

H (Isis): 40 cm.; W: 19 cm. 9.

Portrait

of a

D . C a r r i t , L t d . , The Classical

woman

Ritratti

81.AP.29 From Er-Rubayat; collections

formerly

in the

of Theodor Graf

Otto Benesch,

and

Ideal

(sale catalogue; L o n d o n 1979) 10 n o . 4, f i g . a n d c o v e r i l l . ( c o l . ) ; Parlasca,

I I I , 59-60 n o . 6 4 3 , p i . 152.2 ( A . D . 3 7 5 - 4 0 0 ) .

B o t h t h e p a n e l a n d t h e p a i n t e d surface are i n an e x c e l l e n t state o f p r e s e r v a t i o n , w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f s o m e s t a i n i n g . T h e r e is s o m e d i s c o l o r a t i o n a n d b l a n c h i n g d u e t o w a t e r stains. A d a r k g r a y p r i m e r is v i s i b l e at t h e u n p a i n t e d b o t t o m o f t h e p a n e l . T h e p a i n t i n g bears, o n t h e reverse, t h e s t a m p o f t h e V i e n n e s e c o l l e c t o r a n d

Vienna.

a n t i q u a r i a n T h e o d o r Graf.

Tempera on wood. H: 34.9 cm.; W: 21.3 cm. 10.

Portrait

of a Young

Man

Presented

T h o m p s o n , Artists

4, f r o n t i s p i e c e ( c o l . ) ; Parlasca, Ritratti

I I I , 4 6 n o . 5 9 2 , p i . 141.5 ( A . D . 3 2 5 - 3 5 0 ) .

S o m e loss o f p a i n t has o c c u r r e d , b u t o n t h e w h o l e t h e p o r t r a i t is i n f i n e c o n d i t i o n , c o n s i d e r i n g t h e f r a g i l i t y

75. AP.87 by Lenore

Provenience

Barozzi

o f t h e a n c i e n t c l o t h . T h e b r i g h t r e d o n t h e t h r o a t a n d l o w e r p a r t o f t h e b a c k g r o u n d is m o d e r n i n p a i n t i n g . M i n o r r e s t o r a t i o n s are e v i d e n t .

unknown.

Tempera on linen H: 37 cm.; W: 26.5 cm. area

H: 58 cm.; W: 52.3 cm. 11.

(portrait

only)

Portrait

of a

man

Unpublished T h e w o o d p a n e l is i n e x c e l l e n t shape; t h e p a i n t is s l i g h t l y less so, h a v i n g fallen a w a y a r o u n d t h e edges, especial足

79.AP.142 Provenience

(total)

unknown.

l y at t o p r i g h t . W h e r e t h i s p a i n t loss has o c c u r r e d , t h e w h i t e p r i m e r b e n e a t h is p l a i n l y v i s i b l e . P o r t i o n s o f t h e

Tempera on wood

h a i r a n d a large p a t c h o f t h e c e n t e r o f t h e f o r e h e a d h a v e b e e n r e s t o r e d o r r e p a i n t e d as w e l l as t h e m o u s t a c h e ,

H: 34cm.

r i g h t ear l o b e , a r o u n d b o t h l i p s , a n d t h e l o w e r b e a r d . T h e c e n t e r o f t h e face, h o w e v e r , is w e l l - p r e s e r v e d a n d

;

W: 25 cm.

t h e p o r t r a i t ' s o v e r a l l c o n d i t i o n is v e r y f i n e . T h e c o l o r s are v e r y fresh.

12.

Portrait

of a

collections Flinker,

417. Kunstauktion,

woman

portrdts.

79.AP.129 From Er-Rubayat;

formerly

in the

of Theodor Graf and ? Vienna, and foseph

Ernest Brummer,

New

and

York.

(Studien

D o r o t h e u m , V i e n n a ( N o v e m b e r 2 4 , 1932) n o . 33; H . D r e r u p , Die Datierung zur Geschichte

und Kultur

des Altertums

der

M a j o r M . K . L e e e t a l . sale, K e n d e Galleries, N e w Y o r k ( S e p t e m b e r 26,1942) n o . 167; L . H a h l , Bonnfbb 2 0 n o . 55; Parlasca, Mumienportrdts Brummer

Collection,

I : Medieval,

75 n . 96; i d . , Ritratti Renaissance

and

Mumien足

1 9 : 1 ; P a d e r b o r n 1933) 4 7 - 4 8 , 66 n o . 3 4 , p i . 2 0 b ; 160(1960)

III, 60 n o . 6 4 4 , p i . 152.3 ( A . D . 3 5 0 - 4 0 0 ) ; The

Baroque

Art,

Ernest

Z u r i c h , G a l e r i e K o l l e r ( O c t o b e r 19, 1979)

21 n o . 4, f i g . T h e t h i c k p a n e l has o n e p r o m i n e n t transverse c r a c k b u t is o t h e r w i s e i n g o o d c o n d i t i o n . T h e p r i m e r a n d p a i n t

Tempera on wood

w e r e b o t h a p p l i e d i n t h i n coats, a n d the h o r i z o n t a l g r a i n lines o f t h e w o o d t h u s s h o w t h r o u g h o v e r m u c h o f

H: 28.2 cm.; W: 14.5 cm.

t h e p a n e l . T w o d o w e l h o l e s near t h e p a n e l ' s l o w e r edge are o f u n c e r t a i n f u n c t i o n , b u t i t m a y be that t h e p a i n t i n g o n c e was i n s t a l l e d i n s o m e k i n d o f f r a m e w o r k . I n d e e d , w i d e u n p a i n t e d strips at b o t h t o p a n d b o t t o m m a k e this seem v e r y l i k e l y . T h e p a i n t i n g is n o t a large o n e , a n d so, l i k e n o . 5 a b o v e , i t was n o t t h o u g h t necessary t o c u t a w a y its u p p e r c o r n e r s w h e n it was w r a p p e d i n the m u m m y . 13-

Portrait

of a

man

Unpublished

Richards

T h e s h r o u d is i n f a i r l y g o o d c o n d i t i o n , c o n s i d e r i n g the d e l i c a c y o f the m a t e r i a l , t h o u g h a n u m b e r o f b a c k g r o u n d details are p a r t l y o b s c u r e d b y s o m e s t a i n i n g a n d loss o f p a i n t .

79.AP.219 Presented

by G.L.

Provenience Tempera on

unknown. linen

H: 49.5 cm.; W; 35.5 cm.

14.

Portrait

81.AI.51 Anonymous Provenience Stucco H: 23.7 cm.

mask of a donation unknown.

woman

Unpublished W o r n b u t u n b r o k e n . P r a c t i c a l l y all the r i c h p o l y c h r o m y has d i s a p p e a r e d . T h e left side is s l i g h t l y m o r e w o r n than the right.

(max.)

ABBREVIATED TITLES A N D SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Berger, L'oeil

et Veternite.

Bonnjbb

Berger, J a c q u e s - E d o u a r d . L 'oeil et Veternite: Bonner

Portraits

romains

d'Egypte.

P a u d e x 1977.

Jahrbucher.

B u b e r l , Paul. Die griechisch-agyptischen

Mumienbildnisse

C o c h e de la Ferte, E t i e n n e . Lesportraits dans Vantiquite. Paris 1952.

romano-egyptiens

D r e r u p , H e i n r i c h . Die Datierung

der Mumienportrdts.

der Sammlung du Louvre: Studien

zur

Theodor

Contribution Geschichte

Graf.

V i e n n a 1922.

aVetude

und

Kultur

de des

lapeinture Altertums

1 9 : 1 . P a d e r b o r n 1933 Ebers, G e o r g . Antike

Portrats:

Die hellenistischen

Bildnisse

aus dem Fajjum.

L e i p z i g 1893. A l s o E n g l i s h

e d . , N e w Y o r k 1893. Edgar, C a m p b e l l C o w a n . Graeco-Egyptian egyptiennes

du Musee

du Caire

Coffins,

Masks,

and Portraits.

. " O n t h e D a t i n g o f t h e F a y u m P o r t r a i t s . " Journal Frel, Recent Acquisitions.

F r e l , Jiff. Recent

GBA

Gazette

Getty MJ

The J . Paul

des

Acquisitions.

Catalogue

general

des

antiquites

2 6 . C a i r o 1905.

Ancient

Art.

The J . Paul

of Hellenic

Getty Museum.

Studies

25 (1905) 2 2 5 - 3 3 .

E x h i b i t i o n c a t a l o g u e . M a l i b u 1974.

beaux-arts. Getty Museum

Graf, T h e o d o r . Katalog

Journal. zu Theodor

Graf's

Galerie

antiker

Portrats

aus hellenistischer

Zeit.

B e r l i n 1889.

V a r i o u s later e d i t i o n s . G r i m m , G l i n t e r . Die romischen G u i m e t , E m i l e . Les portraits Paris 1912.

Mumienmasken d'Antinoe

au Musee

aus Agypten. Guimet.

W i e s b a d e n 1974.

Musee

Guimet:

Bibliotheque

d'Art,

Annates

JEA

Journal

MAAR

Memoirs

of Egyptian

Archaeology.

of the American

Academy

M o l l e r , G e o r g . Das Mumienportrat. Parlasca, Parlasca,

Mumienportrats. Ritratti.

Parlasca, Klaus. Mumienportrats

und

Peck, W i l l i a m H . Mummy

portret.

Portraits

in Egypt

and

Egyptian

Research

Account

Research

Roman

W i e s b a d e n 1966.

greco-romano,

Roman

Portfolio: Account

Portraits

1. B e r l i n 1919.

Denkmaler.

series B : Ritratti

di mummie.

3 vols to

M o s c o w 1965.

from

Petrie, W . M . F l i n d e r s . The Hawara

Egypt.

Paintings

E x h i b i t i o n catalogue. D e t r o i t 1967. of the Roman

Age. British

School

Archaeology

22. L o n d o n 1913.

and Memphis

(IV). British

School

of Archaeology

in Egypt

and

Egyptian

2 0 . L o n d o n 1911.

Painting .

S h o r e , A r t h u r F. Portrait S t r e l k o v , A . Fajumskij

Thompson,

Kunsthefte

verwandte

Repertorio d'arte delVegitto date. P a l e r m o 1969 a n d R o m e 1977, 1980. P a v l o v , V s e v o l o d V. Fajumskij

Shore, Portrait

Rome.

Wasmuths

Artists.

Painting portret:

Roman

Issledovanije

T h o m p s o n , D a v i d L. The Artists

Thompson, "Four 'Fayum Portraits.'

from

Egypt.

i opisanija

of the Mummy

Portraits.

Revised e d i t i o n . L o n d o n 1972. pamjatnikov.

L e n i n g r a d 1936.

M a l i b u 1976.

" F o u r ' F a y u m P o r t r a i t s ' i n the G e t t y M u s e u m . " / . Paul

Getty

Museum

Journal

2 (1975)

85-92. Zaloscer, H i l d e . Portrdts

aus dem

Wustensand:

Vom Mumienbildnis

zur

Die Mumienbildnisse Ikone.

aus der Oase Fayum.

V i e n n a 1961.

W i e s b a d e n 1969.

( F o r a d d i t i o n a l b i b l i o g r a p h y t h r o u g h 1966, see Parlasca, Mumienportrats

213-43.)

INDEX BY ACCESSION NUMBERS

71.AP.72

Portrait o f a man, A . D . 100-125

no. 2

73.AP.91 73.AP.94

P o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n , ca. A . D . 100

no. 3

Portrait o f a bearded man, A . D . 150-175

no. 4

74.AP.11

Portrait o f a bearded man, A . D . 175-225

no. 6

74.AP.20-22

Triptych, A.D. 225-250

no. 8

75.AP.87 78.AP.262

Shroud portrait o f a young man, A . D . 300-350

n o . 10

Portrait o f a boy, A . D . 150-200

no. 5

79AP.129 79.AP.l4l

Portrait o f a w o m a n , A . D . 350-400

n o . 12

Portrait o f a man, A . D . 2 0 0 - 2 2 5

no. 7

79.AP.142

Portrait o f a man, A . D . 325-375

n o . 11

79.AP.219

Shroud portrait o f a man, A . D . 350-400

n o . 13

81.AI.51

Stucco mask o f a w o m a n , A . D . 150-200

n o . 14

81.AP.29 81.AP.42

P o r t r a i t o f a w o m a n , ca. A . D . 3 0 0

no. 9

Portrait o f a w o m a n , A . D . 100-125

no. 1