Portret van Ramses II c. 1851 - 1900

This photograph captures the mummified remains of Ramses II. The profile view offers a stark, penetrating gaze into the face of death. The image of the pharaoh transcends mere portraiture. The practice of mummification itself speaks to an ancient desire to defy death and preserve identity. Across millennia, we see echoes of this impulse in reliquaries housing saints' remains or death masks preserving the likeness of rulers. Consider, too, the funerary portraits of Roman Egypt, where the faces of the deceased were rendered with vibrant realism. Here, the act of preservation becomes a poignant commentary on mortality. This single image encapsulates a timeless drama played out across cultures, a symbol of humanity's enduring quest to transcend the inevitable. The weight of history is palpable, engaging us in a silent dialogue with the past.