The Faiyum Portraits and the Byzantine Icon

Nowadays, there is much talk about the Faiyum portraits, and great admiration for these artistic monuments of the late antiquity, which reflect the grandeur and high level of Hellenistic painting. Undoubtedly, these artworks, many of which stand out for their quality and expressive virtues, testify to the Hellenistic tradition that survived throughout the Roman period. However, it is often observed that there is an exaggeration when it comes to their relationship with Byzantine icon painting. This is because an attempt is made to unify Hellenistic painting with its Byzantine counterpart, thus disregarding or transcending the distinctiveness of these two traditions. (…).