Wood Sarcophagus Mask with Tall Wig

Culture: Egyptian

Period: New Kingdom, 18th-19th Dynasty, 1550-1186 B.C.

Material: Wood

Dimensions: 26.8 cm high

Price: Sold

Ref: 1595

Provenance: From a British collection of the 1970s-1980s, based on the old mounting. Most recently on the German art market.

Condition: An ancient stress crack in the wood runs through the left half of the face, as shown in the photo. Otherwise beautifully preserved.

Description: Finely crafted sarcophagus mask carved from a single piece of cedar wood, with delicate details that give the face an idealised and youthful appearance. The mysteriously smiling mouth, with full, fleshy lips and almond-shaped eyes set between elegantly curved lids, is a characteristic for the New Kingdom. The nose with its large nostrils and high cheekbones also refers to this era. The chin protrudes clearly, and traces of a dimple are still visible. Above the face rises the tall wig, which still retains remnants of the plaster layer that covered the mask and was painted over it. Several dowel holes on the sides of the wig and in the cheeks, some of which still contain wooden pins, illustrate how the mask was mounted onto the sarcophagus. Despite its somewhat fragmentary preservation, the mask is a beautiful example of the high-quality wood sculpture of the New Kingdom. Mounted on an old painted wooden base.