Colored Portrait of a Man

A colored portrait of a man in the style of the Faiyum portraits, it is similar to the conventional Byzantine style, in spite of that, the details date it to between the middle of the second century and the beginning of the fourth century AD.

It is notable for its fine lines and strongly contrasting colors, however, the tempera paint that was used could not give a three dimensional impression, which is usually the result of using encaustic paint. The encaustic technique involved fixing the prepared colors with wax by heating. Tempera paint is made by mixing pigments with an adhesive material that is water soluble, such as egg yoke.

It is noticeable in this portrait that the eyes are dull and expressionless, and that the proportions of the face are awkwardly rendered; the nose is rather long in comparison to the oval face.