Lot 13
Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 30th Dynasties, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A striking funerary mask carved from wood and finished with gesso and painted decoration, created to adorn a mummified body and ensure the deceased's idealized presence in the afterlife. The face is carefully sculpted with a smooth brow, high cheekbones, and wide, almond-shaped eyes ringed in black pigment. A soft ochre tone covers the face, while the lips are painted a deep red and outlined with care. Most distinctive are the bold black bands painted along the cheeks, curving down from the ears toward the jawline - these represent chinstraps for a false beard, an attribute often associated with divine or royal iconography. The high forehead is capped by a black-painted tripartite wig, with long lappets that fall to either side of the face. A small inked glyph or number above the brow likely corresponds to a historic excavation or collection mark. Size: 8.3" W x 12.8" H (21.1 cm x 32.5 cm); 15" H (38.1 cm) on included custom stand.
Multiple attachment holes pierce the edges of the panel, suggesting how the mask was once lashed into place atop linen wrappings or incorporated into a larger cartonnage shell. As a funerary object, the mask was both protective and symbolic - designed to provide the spirit (ka) with a recognizable identity while aligning it with the eternal forms of the gods.
During Egypt's Late Dynastic Period, art and religion were profoundly intertwined, and funerary equipment such as this reflected both continuity and innovation. Despite political fragmentation and foreign incursions, traditional workshops upheld a deeply conservative aesthetic rooted in New Kingdom forms, with particular attention to sacred portraiture. Wood masks such as this are emblematic of elite burials, their craftsmanship underscoring the enduring belief in resurrection and divine transformation.
Provenance: private Las Vegas, Nevada, USA collection, acquired 6 August, 2017, Ancient Resource, Auction 60, Lot 64c;ex Ancient Resource, Glendale, California, USA; ex-Nomis Antiquities, Van Nuys, California, USA
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#194761
- Condition: A few small areas of restoration and chipping to peripheries. Two minor stable, hairline fissures to face, as well as some nicks and abrasions in areas. Otherwise, nice presentation with good remaining pigments and detail. Light patina and earthen deposits to surface.
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