“What’s cartonnage? Conservation and study of the mummy covers”

A gilded mask in cartonnage protecting the mummy of a young man dated to the early Ptolemaic Period (between the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE) and probably belonging to a rather wealthy social class is the focus under the lens of the new and final exhibition of the “In the Researcher's Workshop” series, curated by Alessia Fassone and Sara Aicardi, open from October 20th to December the 31st 2023.



Cartonnage is formed of wrappings that covered a mummy, or parts of it, and were made of cloth or sheets of papyrus covered with an adhesive, shaped, then covered with plaster, painted and sometimes even gilded to reproduce a part of the sarcophagus in human form, usually the torso. The method of manufacture varies by the period and geographical area.

With its decorations, cartonnage also represented a magical protection composed of ritual scenes and religious formulas, images of deities and funerary scenes.



This exhibition will also take you on a discovery of the restoration techniques used for cartonnage, which, for years, aimed at accentuating the beauty of the pieces. Since the 1980s, restorers specialising in these materials began training in this field, however, it is only in recent years that specific studies focusing on their conservation have been undertaken.



The two curators will accompany you on a discovery of the new exhibition with two special tours on Tuesday November 14th and Tuesday December 19th at 4.30 pm. Book your place HERE.