Portrait of a bearded man. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 150 CE-170 CE. From Faiyum, Egypt. Encaustic wax on linden wood. The narrow purple stripe on his right shoulder indicates he was a noble of equestrian rank. Image courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Villa Collection; Malibu California (74.AP.11). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of a Bearded Man. Encaustic wax on wood. Roman Imperial period, ca. 220 CE-235 CE. Romano-Egyptian, from Faiyum Egypt. Courtesy of the Getty Open Content Program (Obj. 79.AP.141). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Herakleides, with his portrait still attached to the linen wrappings covering his head. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 120 CE-40 CE. Encaustic wax on linden wood. Image courtesy of the Getty Open Content Program (Obj. 91.AP.6.1). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

Herakleides (a Greek name) exemplifies Roman Egypt’s cultural syncretism: he is from a Greek family living in Roman Egypt that practices Egyptian funerary ritual. Herakleides was from a very wealthy family, his portrait is of high quality & gilded. Both the Egyptian religious symbols covering the red shroud wrapped around his body & the shroud’s red color anticipate his rebirth each morning with the rising sun.

For more about Herakleides, see: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/investigating-herakleides-a-portrait-mummy-from-roman-egypt-the-j-paul-getty-museum/GgVxX_XCuyQUrw?hl=en

Portrait of a woman. Tempera on a panel of Lebanon cedar. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 175 CE-200 CE. The black stripes on her tunic indicate that she is a Roman citizen. Image courtesy of the Getty Open Content Program (Obj. 79.AP.129). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of Isidora (a Greek name, written on her right shoulder) attributed to the ‘Isidora Master’ painter. Encaustic wax on linden wood. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 100 CE. The high quality of the portrait, its lavish gilding, and the jewelry Isidora is portrayed with all indicate enormous wealth. The broad black stripes on her tunic indicate that she was a Roman citizen (probably of high rank). Image courtesy of the Getty Open Content Program (Obj. 81.AP.42). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of a Bearded Man. Romano-Egyptian, tempera on wood, ca. 100 CE. Image courtesy of the Getty Open Content Program (Obj. 74.AP.20). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of a man. Romano-Egyptian, encaustic wax on wood, ca. 100 CE-125 CE. The broad red strip on the right side of his tunic indicates he is a Roman citizen. Image courtesy of the Getty Open Content Program (Obj. 71.AP.72). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Roman mosiac Panel with pygmies in a Nilotic scene. Roman Imperial period, mid-3rd c. CE; from North Africa. Such ‘Egyptianizing’ themes were popular in Rome (and Greece). Image courtesy of Anagoria, taken on April 12th, 2011 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Lent by the Dubroff family (L.2005.13.6). Made Public Domain by Anagoria.

Portrait of a thin faced man. Encaustic on limewood with gold leaf. Roman period, ca. 140 CE-170 CE. Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Egyptian Art dept (the Rogers Fund, Obj. 09.181.3). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of the boy Eutyches (Eutyches is a Greek name). Encaustic on wood. Roman Period, ca. 100 CE-150 CE. From Fayum, Egypt. Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Egyptian Art dept (Obj. 18.9.2). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of a man. Possibly from Faiyum Oasis, Egypt. Encaustic paint on wood. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 100s CE. Image courtesy of the Menil Collection (#CA.7013). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of a Woman. Possibly from Faiyum Oasis, Egypt. Encaustic on wood. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 150 CE-200 CE. Image courtesy of the Menil Collection (#CA.7124). CC0 1.0, Public Domain.

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of a man wearing a laurel wreath. Probably from Faiyum, Egypt. Encaustic on linden wood. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 100 CE-150 CE. Image courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago; gift of Emily Crane Chadbourne (19922.4799). CCO. Public Domain.

For more about this portrait see: https://www.artic.edu/digital-publications/42/ancient-egyptian-art-at-the-art-institute-of-chicago/187/cats-110-11-funerary-portraits-roman-period

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Portrait of a man wearing an ivy wreath. Probably from Faiyum, Egypt. Encaustic on linden wood. Romano-Egyptian, ca. 100 CE-150 CE. Image courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago; gift of Emily Crane Chadbourne (1922.4798). CCO. Public Domain.

For more about this portrait see: https://www.artic.edu/digital-publications/42/ancient-egyptian-art-at-the-art-institute-of-chicago/187/cats-110-11-funerary-portraits-roman-period

So-called ‘mummy’ portraits like this one (most of which come from Fayum/Faiyum, Egypt) were realistic likenesses of the deceased painted on wood or linen; only the wealthy could afford them. These individuals were Roman citizens. Roman Egypt’s population was of mixed heritage: Greek, Italian, & north African.

Gold glass medallion painting portrait of a family from Alexandria, Egypt. Romano-Egyptian, 3rd-4th c. CE. Currently an ornament embedded in the Desiderius Cross (a 9th c. processional crux gemmata). Image courtesy of the Santa Giulia Museum, Brescia Italy. (Accession number unknown). This image is in the Public Domain.

18th c. CE scholars incorrectly identified this portrait as Galla Placidia (ca. 393 CE – 450 CE, daughter of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I; Empress consort of Roman Emperor Constantius III; mother, tutor, advisor, & regent of Roman Emperor Valentinian III) and her children. But the portrait’s details indicate it is an earlier, Egyptian (likely Alexandrian) product: the Greek (transliteration: BOUNNERI KERAMI = ‘the potter Bounneros’?) is an Alexandrian dialect; the painting’s style matches that of 3rd c. CE ‘mummy’ portrait artists; the family’s clothing matches 3rd c. CE Romano-Egyptian style (not Roman!); the woman to the right’s hair-style is peculiar to Egypt (never portrayed in Roman portrait art but appearing on some Egyptian ‘mummy’ masks).