This sandstone Fayum portrait is based on works that were usually encaustic paintings on wooden panels, then inlaid into stone. In this instance De Ferranti has painted sandstone with a fresco technique rather than painting onto wood. De Ferranti is regularly asked to create commissions on marble, stone, wood and mica. Dating from 1st to 3rd Century Roman Egypt, the source tradition has also informed door panels, wall tiles inset with portraits and distressed coffered ceilings, with no coffins yet. De Ferranti’s re-creations of Fayum portraits are available to special commission.

A Sandstone Fayum Portrait in Fresco Technique

The portrait presents a frontal sitter against a softly mottled olive-green field. Dark, closely arranged hair frames the face, while earrings and layered necklaces add brightness. The red-brown garment and warm complexion give the composition an earth palette, and the dark surround makes the painted panel read as a mounted fragment.

Using sandstone changes the material character of the image. Rather than copying the ancient medium literally, this sandstone Fayum portrait translates Roman Egyptian panel painting into a mineral surface. Visible grain and painterly wear give the work tactile character where artwork and surface meet. The Cyperus Papyrus Fresco offers another historical painting on a decorative surface, while Stencilled, Painted Stone & Marble provides related pigment-on-stone approaches. Fayum Mummy Portrait 3 and the Deeply Melancholic Fayum Mummy Portrait offer comparisons within this group.

Format, Surface and Placement

The verified format is 30 x 30 cm, 2 cm thick, with a custom finish. Listed applications include art installations, bathrooms, doors, kitchens, residential interiors, tiles and walling. Placement should be reviewed with the surrounding stone, lighting, joints and viewing distance in mind. Where the portrait forms part of a larger panel or door composition, De Ferranti can discuss the relationship between the image, substrate and adjacent material.

Project Guidance and Enquiries

For project guidance, availability, pricing, samples or further information, please use the Send E-Mail button below this description. Your enquiry will come directly to De Ferranti, and we will be pleased to discuss suitability, quantities, lead times and options for your project.