Unmasked - How The Egyptian Artists Illuminated Those Ancient Portraits

* Marc Walton
(Credit: via the conversation) 

by Science News | Art In History

ANCIENT FACEOFF Digital analyses of Egyptian portraits dating to more than 2,000 years ago indicate that the same person created all three artworks. Many pigments in the paintings probably came from ancient Greece, which influenced Egyptians’ turn to a modern style of portrait painting.

Not that understanding the many facets of ancient Egyptian lifestyle and culture has come easy.  After many years of digging, archaeologists continue to discover the country that gave the Suez Canal to the world for the ease of commerce.

 

But the latest discovery was about how glowing ancient portraits, found buried with mummies were made.

 

The "mummy portraits" date as far back as 2000 years when Egypt was ruled from Rome and have been found to differ from the North African country's simpler ancient artworks.  In fact, "were among the first examples of modern Western portraits" Science News reported on Monday.

 

Archaeologist and materials scientist Marc Walton , told the American Association for the Advancement of Science on Sunday that the portraits, discovered in Tebtunis, Egypt more than a Century ago were made by the same artist.

 

 

* Illuminated Portraits found in mummified copses in Egypt had complex
influence from Greece, Spain and Central Europe. (Credit: Science News)

Using computer to analyse the images, Walton of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill said that Separate computerized analyses of colors and shapes in the stylistically similar paintings revealed that brushstrokes of the same width were used to apply the same pigment mixes to different parts of each portrait.

 

"All three portraits, for instance, included a purple shoulder sash that the artist painted with a blend of indigo and a red pigment derived from the madder plant." he told them.

The work was reportedly to have been impacted by style from Greece, Spain and even Central Europe.
 

Identities of the boy and two men in the portraits remain unknown but Walton plans to study 12 more Egyptian mummy portraits and paintings of women in pink garb and ones of military gods that have also been found in Egyptian tombs, Science News reported.