FUNERARY MASK Stuccoed wood, polychrome H. 19 cm Egypt, Ptolemaic period (332–30 BC) Provenance Former collection of Jean Ferraro, Nice, assembled in the 1960s–1970s Via the Ferrero Gallery Private collection in the South of France, acquired from the previous owner A female mask of exceptional quality, with a cream-white background (conventional female complexion), retaining remarkably complete polychromy. The youthful face features large, made-up eyes, arched eyebrows painted black, and a mouth painted a bright red. The three-part wig, adorned with a red headband, frames the face. Beneath the chin hangs a wide ousekh necklace with alternating red, yellow, green and blue bands, ending in a fringe of petals. The piece is executed with finesse and retains exceptional pictorial freshness despite a few cracks and a chip on the bridge of the nose.