Art History Illustrated In-Person
Join us for our "Art History Illustrated" talk series, held the third Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. This monthly illustrated talk series is presented by art historian Brenda Edgar, in collaboration with the Carnegie Center for Art and History.
Thursday, July 21, 6:30 PM
Faces of Death: The Ancient Roman Mummy Portraits of Egypt
During the Roman Empire, the Fayum Oasis in Middle Egypt was a diverse city with people from all over the world. Those who lived there, regardless of their cultures of origin, would often be mummified upon their deaths. In this talk, we'll show you the beautiful array of encaustic portraits that were created to cover the linen-wrapped faces of these mummies. Their radiant and tactile hyper-naturalism allows us to meet these ancient people face to face.
Image: Fayum Mummy Portrait, 1st century AD, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.