Fayum portraits

These amazing works of art, which are often called “icons before icon painting”, are not just historical values. They can serve as a magnificent and impressive illustration of the mutual penetration of cultures.
The Fayum portraits were created for the ritual of burial in ancient Egypt during the times of Roman rule of the first and third centuries of our era.
The first find in the Fayum oasis in 1887 assigned them the name Fayum. Portraits continued to be called, even discovering similar treasures in other parts of Egypt. To date, about 750 ancient masterpieces have been collected. Continue reading →