Unknown artist, Roman-Egyptian

This votive panel of the god Heron is one of a handful of paintings from antiquity to survive in its original frame. Heron is believed to have originated as a guardian god for travelers along the caravan routes of western Asia, becoming a popular protector god in Egypt during the first centuries CE.

Here Heron dresses like a Roman soldier, wearing a breastplate, protective shin guards, and a fringed cape. He offers incense and pours a liquid offering next to a column supporting the griffin of Nemesis, the goddess of divine retribution. Heron’s frontal stance, halo, and large, staring eyes prefigure images of saints in early Byzantine art.