This lifelike portrait was made in Egypt while it was under Roman rule, when it was the custom for both men and women to commission portraits for display. At the time of death, a person’s portrait was placed over the face of the mummy. Sometimes, as here, a gold funeral wreath was added after death.
The artist painted this portrait on a wood panel with encaustic (dry colors mixed with hot wax). Although a difficult technique, encaustic painting was popular for centuries because the surface is very lasting.
