Collection
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Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

Mummy Mask

150–200 C.E.

1 of 10

Object Label

Changing Faces of the Ancient Nile Valley

Despite the common belief that Egyptian artists were reluctant to change, close examination of works produced over many generations shows that they could be quite innovative in artistic style— the distinctive features of aesthetic expression characterizing a period.

The chief royal sculptor, responsible for official images of the king, usually developed at least one standard “court style.” But styles often varied from one dynasty to the next, and two or more styles often evolved during a single dynasty or even a single reign.

Several forces could result in a new style. A pharaoh’s death could motivate the chief royal sculptor to devise a fresh “standard” for depicting his successor. The replacement of one chief sculptor by another might also inspire innovation. Or perhaps young carvers reacted to the teachings of the chief sculptor, introducing subtle modifications that, over time, became an entirely new style.

The carved heads in this case and in the one on the right, spanning more than three thousand years, demonstrate clear changes in stylistic expression.

Caption

Mummy Mask, 150–200 C.E.. Plaster, pigment, 9 7/16 x 7 1/16 x 5 1/2 in. (24 x 18 x 14 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 05.392.

Gallery

Not on view

Title

Mummy Mask

Date

150–200 C.E.

Period

Roman Period

Geography

Possible place made: Middle Egypt, Egypt

Medium

Plaster, pigment

Classification

Sculpture

Dimensions

9 7/16 x 7 1/16 x 5 1/2 in. (24 x 18 x 14 cm)

Credit Line

Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

Accession Number

05.392

Frequent Art Questions

  • If this mask was made in 175 CE, how does it look new?

    Well, the conditions in the desert have preserved it. To preserve an object it is best to have no water and no light. Since the Egyptian desert is very dry and this was probably buried in a dark dark tomb, that helps to keep it looking like new.

  • We are confused, is this "mask" an actual impression of a dead person's face? Like a plaster cast for example that would depict a realistic mold of a person?

    This mask and the others that you'll see in our ancient Egyptian galleries are not casts of the deceased, but rather sculpted faces meant to represent the deceased.
    This example, from the Roman period, likely shows a fair amount of similarity to the man it actually represents.
    Earlier, in the pharaonic period, sculpted faces followed trends in facial features and proportions often started by the king at the time. They didn't really resemble the person that they represented so inscriptions were very important to identify a portrait.
    Ah ok thank you!

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bkmcollections@brooklynmuseum.org.