Antiquities Circle Lecture: Painted Funerary Portraits from Roman Egypt

The ancient Egyptian process of mummification dates back more than 5,500 years. This age-old tradition was visually transformed in the Roman Imperial period by placing painted portrait panels or linen shrouds within the wrapped bandages over the head of the embalmed physical remains of the dead. Over 1,000 examples of such funerary portraits remain today, mostly derived from sites in the Faiyum Oasis and the city of Antinopolis, dating from the 1st to the 3rd centuries CE. This lecture gives an overview of these paintings – some of the oldest surviving portraits of historical mortals, rather than the immortal gods. The talk focuses on the beautiful portrait of a young man currently on loan at the Tampa Museum of Art from the Menil Collection. Additionally, current research on the attribution of 25 examples to a single painter’s workshop is discussed.

Dr. Branko F. van Oppen de Ruiter is the Richard E. Perry Curator of Greek & Roman Art at the Tampa Museum of Art. He received his Ph.D. in ancient history from The City University of New York (’07), where he specialized in queenship during the Hellenistic period, from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra. Before coming to Tampa, van Oppen worked for five years at the Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam. In addition to painted funerary portraits from Roman Egypt, his academic interests further include clay seal impressions, animals in ancient material culture, as well as ancient religion and art history in general.

See this funerary portrait in person at the Tampa Museum of Art! Plan your visit: TampaMuseum.org/Visit