The funerary rites and rituals of Egypt are among the most elaborate and celebrated burial traditions in the ancient world. The foremost concern was the preservation of the body, in order that it might be reborn in the afterlife. While the painstaking mummification process achieved this goal of counteracting the effects of physical decomposition, the ancient Egyptian were not satisfied with a wrapped body alone. Gorgeously decorated mummy cases and sarcophagi developed over the course of thousands of years so that the body could be properly presented to the audience of the gods awaiting the deceased’s arrival in the next world. These cases were created from a variety of materials, including stone, wood, and cartonnage, that were utilized depending upon the wealth and status of the deceased. Some of the earliest examples were relatively unadorned, featuring the general shape of the body highlighted by idealized facial details. Later, they evolved into ornate memorials that sought to recreate the specific appearance of the memorialized individual, both in terms of physical features as well as clothing and jewelry. Polychrome paint infused the works with color and the finest examples were gilt.
This impressive large wooden coffin cover harkens back to some of the earlier examples in its stylization of the human form, idealization of the face, and relative unadorned state (although most of the decoration has not survived the ravages of time). The shape of the lid is highly abstracted, with no indications of limbs save for the flaring base that echoes the form of feet. The detailed carving of the head contrasts to the smooth state of the body. The figure wears a long false beard with a curved tip and a tripartite wig that are the hallmarks of royal regalia. The facial features are highly idealized with large eyes and a sweetly smiling mouth. The eyebrows and cosmetic lines are deeply recessed and would have originally been inlaid with colorful precious stones. Traces of pigment and bitumen are also present on the casket, suggesting that the work was once painted with bright hues and may have once been quite elaborately decorated.
According to its provenance, this work once belonged to Dr. Paul Lozé. During World War I, Paul Lozé was a Médecin Major in the French army. Based in Greece and in Turkey, he was in charge of the Allied Forces hospitals on the Balkan front and traveled extensively to Egypt and the Levant where he acquired this work between the years of 1915 and 1917. During World War II, in June 1940, the coffin narrowly escaped destruction during the bombing of Dunkirk. Fortunately, it was moved to safety in Limoges by the owner's grandfather.
- (X.0114)
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