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Fayum Portraits: Haunting Gaze Across Two Millennia
3 Nov
Summary
- Ancient Fayum portraits offer a vivid glimpse into Roman Egypt.
- Rarely seen artifacts, some leaving Egypt for the first time.
- Exhibit in Rome showcases 2,000-year-old funerary art.
A milestone exhibition in Rome, "Egypt and Rome, the Faces of Fayum," brings to light remarkably lifelike funerary portraits dating back 2,000 years. These artworks, created on thin wooden panels during the period when Egypt was part of the Roman Empire, were placed over the faces of mummies.
The collection, spanning the first to third centuries AD, features artifacts that are allowed to leave Egypt for the first time, including the "Tondo of the Two Brothers." These pieces, alongside mummies, masks, and jewelry, highlight a fascinating fusion of Egyptian and Roman cultures, with figures often displaying Egyptian features adorned in Roman attire.
The exhibition, hosted at Rome's Ara Pacis museum until May 2, benefits from Fayum's arid climate which helped preserve these delicate wooden panels. The portraits, renowned for their naturalism, continue to evoke a sense of connection, with Hisham El-Leithy noting their power to make individuals feel seen across millennia.
