Between the living and the dead: use, reuse, and imitation of painted portraits in Late Antiquity
Journal: Journal of Roman Archaeology
Year: 2022

Abstract Painted portraits on wood and cloth were common in the ancient world and prized as authentic and lifelike images. Affordable, portable, and desirable, they were an important form of representation, but rarely survive in the archaeological record outside Egypt. This article approaches the study of painted portraiture in a way that does not necessitate the survival of the images themselves. It analyzes evidence for the use, reuse, and imitation of painted portraits in the catacombs of 4th