Fayum Mummy Portrait 

This Fayum Mummy Portrait was made around the first to third century AD in Roman Egypt, utilizing painted encaustic on wood. Encaustic is a painting technique involving the use of heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. This molten mixture is then applied to a surface, in this case a wooden panel. The process demands considerable skill, as the wax cools and hardens quickly. This one shows remarkable detail, from the individual curls of hair to the soft modeling of the face. The social context here is fascinating. These portraits represent a fusion of Egyptian funerary customs and Roman portraiture, reflecting a complex cultural exchange. The amount of labor involved in preparing the pigments, heating the wax, and carefully applying the paint speaks to a society that valued craftsmanship and the commemoration of individuals, as well as to the labor, class and economic means of the depicted. Looking closely at the materials and making of the portrait helps us see that art isn't just about aesthetics, but also about labor, materials, and social context.