Description
| ITEM | Mummy mask |
| MATERIAL | Gesso and linen |
| CULTURE | Egyptian, Roman period |
| PERIOD | 1st – 2nd Century A.D |
| DIMENSIONS | 165 mm x 150 mm x 110 mm (without stand) |
| CONDITION | Good condition. Includes stand |
| PROVENANCE | Ex French private collection, Victor Emile Gabriel Chevallier (1889 – 1969) and his wife Marguerite Jeanne Verel (1887-1962), Mr. Chevallier served as an associate professor at the Lycée Montaigne in Paris, dedicating 44 years to civil and military service. He was honored as a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur on March 21, 1955. Madame Vérel worked as a lecturer at the Louvre Museum. |
hese masks, typically dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE, were placed over the faces of the deceased as part of the mummification process in Roman-period Egypt. They were designed to preserve and idealize the appearance of the deceased, blending Egyptian funerary customs with Greco-Roman portraiture. While earlier Egyptian masks were more stylized, those of the Roman period often incorporated realistic features, echoing Roman traditions of individualized portraiture.
The creation of such a mask began with a base made from layers of linen soaked in plaster or gesso, shaped over a mold or directly on the wrapped mummy. Once dried, the surface provided a durable canvas for paint and gilding. Artisans painted the mask in vivid colors, often emphasizing eyes and lips, and in more elite examples, used gold leaf to highlight divine or noble status. This use of inexpensive materials like linen and gesso allowed for a wide distribution of funerary masks, not only among the elite but also among middle-class Egyptians influenced by Roman customs.
Iconographically, these masks retained many traditional Egyptian motifs, such as wigs, broad collars, and divine symbols, even as the facial features conformed more to Roman aesthetics. This cultural hybridization reflected the religious syncretism of the time—where Greek, Roman, and Egyptian deities were often worshipped in blended forms, such as Serapis or Isis-Fortuna. Thus, the masks served both protective and symbolic functions, guiding the soul in the afterlife while honoring the deceased’s social identity.
These masks also played a role in the evolving concept of individuality in the funerary realm. The increased realism seen in some Romano-Egyptian masks—possibly even capturing the likeness of the deceased—indicates a shift in emphasis from purely spiritual representation to a more personal commemoration. This trend paralleled Roman portrait busts and funerary stele, suggesting the influence of Roman domestic and civic commemorative practices.
