Fayum art is the modern name given to an ancient form of Egyptian art. This is not just any form of art though. It is the painting of realistic portraits on wooden boards that were attached to mummies. These stunning portraits depict the real features of the of the person mummified. They give us an accurate idea of what people looked like, and the artwork itself is incredibly precise and impressive.
By tradition, these paintings were placed covering the persons head and sometimes shoulders. The picture was the head and shoulders of a single person, typically frontal view and looking slightly to the side to add depth and interest. They were then attached to the mummy during the wrapping process.
Images of fayum art range between men, women and children and depict persons of all ages, young to elderly. The paintings were done on slabs of hardwood, imported to the region especially for this purpose. The pieces were cut into rectangles and smoothed down in preparation for painting. The surface was sometimes coated with a layer of plaster to give it a smooth painting surface.
Paint used for these was usually either a wax paint or an egg-based tempera paint. They were done in the same bright, vivid colors that found throughout the regions paintings. Sometimes, even gold leaf was used to depict jewelry or used as other decoration on the plank.
When the body was prepared and nearly finished being wrapped, the plank rested over the mummy's face and the wrapping was finished, attaching the plank to the body. This gave the portrait a subtly eery look in modern day opinion. However, for the time it was a sign of respect and adoration to the deceased. We are truly lucky that pieces still exist that help us to understand and recognize what the people of this era looked like. With such accurate depictions, we can easily picture what their lives may have been like.
Mummy portraits were generally reserved for the upper class citizens. They were expensive extravagances and not every family could afford one. Many mummies have been found that were not decorated with Fayum art of the individual.
By tradition, these paintings were placed covering the persons head and sometimes shoulders. The picture was the head and shoulders of a single person, typically frontal view and looking slightly to the side to add depth and interest. They were then attached to the mummy during the wrapping process.
Images of fayum art range between men, women and children and depict persons of all ages, young to elderly. The paintings were done on slabs of hardwood, imported to the region especially for this purpose. The pieces were cut into rectangles and smoothed down in preparation for painting. The surface was sometimes coated with a layer of plaster to give it a smooth painting surface.
Paint used for these was usually either a wax paint or an egg-based tempera paint. They were done in the same bright, vivid colors that found throughout the regions paintings. Sometimes, even gold leaf was used to depict jewelry or used as other decoration on the plank.
When the body was prepared and nearly finished being wrapped, the plank rested over the mummy's face and the wrapping was finished, attaching the plank to the body. This gave the portrait a subtly eery look in modern day opinion. However, for the time it was a sign of respect and adoration to the deceased. We are truly lucky that pieces still exist that help us to understand and recognize what the people of this era looked like. With such accurate depictions, we can easily picture what their lives may have been like.
Mummy portraits were generally reserved for the upper class citizens. They were expensive extravagances and not every family could afford one. Many mummies have been found that were not decorated with Fayum art of the individual.
No comments:
Post a Comment