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Funerary Portrait of a Woman
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Funerary Portrait of a Woman

c. 138–92 CE · encaustic on linen

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

So-called mummy portraits were apparently painted during the owners' lives and hung in their homes. At the time of the owner's death, the portrait was taken down, cut from its frame, and trimmed to fit the deceased's mummy, to which it was bound. It was at that time also that the gilding on the center painting was added.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineFunerary Portrait of a Woman, c. 138–92 CE. Egypt, Roman Empire, Antonine. Encaustic on linen; overall: 26 x 19 cm (10 1/4 x 7 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1971.136

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