. These portraits served as a way to remember and honor the deceased, keeping their memory alive for generations to come. They were often depicted in a regal or distinguished manner, showcasing their status and importance in society.
The use of portraits in funerary art also helped to humanize the deceased, allowing their loved ones to remember them as they were in life. These portraits were often placed on funeral altars or tomb structures, serving as a focal point for mourners to pay their respects.
In ancient Rome, for example, wealthy families would commission portrait busts to be displayed in their family tombs. These busts were often carved in marble or other expensive materials, showing the wealth and status of the deceased.
In early Christian art, portraits of the deceased were often painted on the walls of catacombs, serving as a way to remember and honor martyrs and other important figures in the early church.
Overall, the use of portraits in funeral art served as a way to honor and remember the deceased, keeping their memory alive for future generations to come.
with the early private portraiture funeral alters, and tomb structures were graced with portrait (paintings/relief/intaglios/busts) of the deceased
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