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Head of a Woman Wearing an Elaborate Wig

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
MEDIUM Limestone, pigment
  • Place Made: Egypt
  • DATES ca. 1352-1190 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY late Dynasty 18 to Dynasty 19
    PERIOD New Kingdom
    DIMENSIONS 6 3/4 × 4 3/4 × 7 1/4 in. (17.1 × 12.1 × 18.4 cm) mount: 7 × 6 1/2 × 5 in. (17.8 × 16.5 × 12.7 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 37.256E
    CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
    PROVENANCE Archaeological provenance not yet documented; before 1876, acquired by Edwin Smith of Luxor, Egypt; April 27, 1906, inherited from Edwin Smith by Leonora Smith; May 1907, gift of Leonora Smith to the New-York Historical Society; 1937, lent by New-York Historical Society to the Brooklyn Museum; September 1948, purchased from the New-York Historical Society by the Brooklyn Museum.
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    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Painted limestone female head wearing an elaborate wig and a floral headband. The band has green painted leaves on a red ground. Starting from the top of this band, and running back over the middle of the head, is a broad band. This band is decorated with a line down the middle, and a series of parallel lines perpendicular to the median line. The individual locks of hair are given by curly incised lines. The painted eyebrows dip in the center; the eyes are long and not widely opened. The mouth is broad. There are traces of black paint in the wig. The face is brown; the lips are red. There are traces of black paint on the brows, eye lids and pupils; traces of white paint on eyes. Condition: Nose, and most of rear of wig missing. Front left side of wig missing; small chips on rest of figure.
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
    CAPTION Head of a Woman Wearing an Elaborate Wig, ca. 1352-1190 B.C.E. Limestone, pigment, 6 3/4 × 4 3/4 × 7 1/4 in. (17.1 × 12.1 × 18.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.256E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 37.256E_overall_PS11.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 37.256E_overall_PS11.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2023
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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