Portrait of a Young Woman in Red 120

This painted panel shows a young woman, and was made in Egypt under Roman rule some time between 50 and 250 AD. These so-called Fayum portraits are fascinating because of their fusion of Egyptian funerary customs with the Roman fashion for painted portraits. The image offers a glimpse into the complex cultural landscape of Roman Egypt. The woman's classically styled hair, jewelry, and toga-like garment reflect Roman aesthetic preferences, suggesting her belonging to the elite. But this portrait would have been placed over the mummy of the deceased, a distinctly Egyptian ritual. The gold leaf wreath may allude to religious beliefs and ritual practices common at the time. We, as art historians, can look at things like burial records and accounts of religious practices to learn more about the social status and cultural identity of the people represented in these portraits, and about the function they served in a society grappling with questions of identity, acculturation, and religious belief.