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Roman-Egyptian

Painting of the god Heron, ca. 300

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Roman-Egyptian

Title

Painting of the god Heron

Year

ca. 300

Medium

Painted wood

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • tempera

Supports

  • wood

Dimensions

52.4 x 42.6 cm (20 5/8 x 16 3/4 inches) (without frame)

Type

  • Paintings

Credit

Museum Works of Art Fund

Object Number

59.030

Projects & Publications

Publications

Christianizing Egypt

syncretism and local worldsin late antiquity

Ancient Faces

Mummy Portrait from Roman Egypt

Beyond The Pharaohs

Egypt and The Copts In The 2nd To 7th Centuries A.D.

Roman Paintings and Mosaics

Catalogue of the Classical Collection

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Beyond the Pharaohs

February 10 - April 16, 1989

Roman and Coptic Works from Egypt

January 15 - February 28, 1982

Ancient Egyptian Galleries

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.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Painting of the god Heron with the accession number of 59.030. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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