An Egyptian wood mummy mask
Late New Kingdom, 19th - 20th Dynasty, circa 1295 - 1070 BC
Height: 17.5 cm
Provenance: Dr. Bruce Ralston (d. 1998) Collection, New York, acquired prior to September 1979, thence by descent
From the lid of an anthropoid coffin, the mask is carved with naturalistic facial features. There are traces of blue paint remaining on the eyes, with a hole under the chin for insertion of the beard.
Such masks were separately made to be inserted into to the head of the coffin. The mask is notable for its more naturalistic and individualistic facial features. Anthropoid coffins from the New Kingdom demonstrate an increased interest in the lifelike representation of the deceased. For other masks with more ‘individual’ features see the Musée du Louvre acc. no. E11647 and British Museum, acc. no. 1843,0507.69.