Berenice Geoffroy-Schneiter — Fayum Portraits

Assouline 2004 Hardback 79 Miraculously hidden in the shroud of the Egyptian desert are a thousand portraits of Fayum (so named because of the region where most of them were found). These portraits have fascinated throughout the centuries because of their uncanny presence. This book attempts to uncover the secret of these fragments of faces, these pieces of memory... "This is a small book full of beautiful portraits of Fayum people, in which we can delight ourselves in the skills and artistry of the local artists, as well as the cultural customs it arisen from. It contains a short, but quite satisfactory introduction to the history and traditions of these portraits in Greek-Roman-Egyptian culture. The basis of this book is the portraits themselves, these were carefully selected to present a spectrum of Egyptian society. They are presented in a black foreground which enhances the portrait, simulating a family album, if you will. Haunting and beautiful. DJ. Very Good