Egyptian mask

Title: Egyptian mask

Description/Technique: The gold burial mask of Tutankhamun is iconic of the Pharaonic period in ancient Egypt. The use of masks in Egyptian funerary rites is one of the few instances of masks being used not to transform, but to record an image of the bearer. Even so, the yellow colouring of the face represents the divine status of the deceased, thus an element of transformation has occurred. Many of the burial masks were mass-produced therefore a likeness of the departed was only possible if the mask was specially commissioned. This was a practice typically reserved for those of higher status who would also use gold or gold leaf rather than yellow paint for the colouring. The Egyptian mummy masks as well as ostensibly recording a likeness of the deceased were designed to provide safe passage into the afterlife with the colours (golden flesh, blue hair), decorative features and inscriptions all a highly symbolic effort to insure resurrection. The artist has drawn inspiration from these stylised images to produce a display mask made from tin, which manages to capture the spirit of this masking tradition.

Dimensions: 28 cm x 47cm

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This image has been viewed 4,586 times. It was uploaded 3 years ago.

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