Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A splendid and sizeable cartonnage mask painted in rich hues of carmine, gold, black, and white. The heart-shaped visage is dominated by a pair of huge yet slender eyes, elongated horizontally and outlined with winged eyeliner, beneath a lengthy, sweeping brow. Below is a naturalistic nose and petite, bowed lips held in a gentle smile. A lovely hemispherical headdress caps the head, boasting horizontal striations of black and gold pigments. The verso is concave enough to fit over the head of a linen-wrapped mummy. A fantastic example that exudes a sense of human life even though it belongs to this funerary tradition. Size: 10.625" W x 12.75" H (27 cm x 32.4 cm)
Ancient Egyptians believed it was of the utmost importance to preserve a body of the deceased, because the soul needed a place to reside after the death. Preservation of the body was done via mummification - a process involving the removal of internal organs that were placed in canopic jars, wrapping body in linen, and then embalming. Death masks like this example were created so that the soul could recognize the body and return to it. For this reason, death masks were made in the relative likeness of the deceased.
Artisans were able to employ the use of different materials when crafting sarcophagi or any elements to be placed atop the deceased. Earlier masks were carved from wood, while later ones were made of cartonnage, a material made from papyrus or linen and soaked in plaster which was then applied to a wooden mold. Royal death masks, perhaps the most famous being that of Tutankhamen, were made from precious metals. All death masks were intended to resemble the deceased subject; however, eyes were always slightly enlarged and lips presented in a subtle smile, as we see in this example.
Provenance: private New York, USA collection; ex-Carl O. Helvie Estate, Hampton, Virginia, USA, to benefit the Carl O. Helvie Holistic Cancer Foundation; ex-Michael Evans Fine Art, Ferndale, Pennsylvania, USA, February 18, 2005; ex-Willard Vine Clerk collection, Malden Bridge, New York, USA; ex-Melvin Fingerhut collection
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#165005
Condition
Some repairs and restoration to periphery. Areas of chipping to paint. Otherwise, excellent with light earthen deposits and wonderful remaining pigments.