The Merrin Gallery

Fayum Portrait of a Young Lady: Egypt at the Merrin Gallery

FAYUM PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG LADY
2nd Quarter 2nd Century AD
Encaustic on wood
10 5/8 x 6 1/8 inches (27 x 15.5 cm)
Published: Klaus Parlasca Repertorio d’Arte dell’ Egito
Greco-Romano: Ritratti di Mummie Series B – Volume II
[1977] no. 250, p.30, pl. 61, 3 (Image Reversed)
Private Collection

Throughout the Ptolemaic Period and the period of Roman aegis the Fayum region of Egypt saw a nascent cultural and artistic renaissance. For five hundred years, native Egyptians and immigrant Greeks who lived in the fertile tract of land in Egypt shared a common appreciation for beauty, evidenced by the fine art which has survived from this period.

One such piece of art is the Fayum Portrait of a Young Lady, a portrait painted on wood panels featured at the Merrin Gallery’s Egypt. Upon first glance, there is a suggestion of a Byzantine icon. In fact, the Fayum portrait is a harbinger for the Byzantine icon, created with an emphasis on capturing the soul of the subject. The eyes of the young lady in the portrait, in particular, suggest a sensitive nature. The entire portrait suggests living, breathing life, as the human asymmetry and imperfections shine through to make the portrait stunning simultaneously in its beauty and in its verisimilitude.