The artwork titled “Mummy Board of Gautsoshen,” created by an unknown artist from Ancient Egypt, dates approximately from 1000 to 945 BC. It is crafted using wood, gesso, and paint and falls under the art movement of the 3rd Intermediate Period. The genre of this piece encompasses both portrait and symbolic painting. It is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork depicts the intricately detailed mummy board of a figure named Gautsoshen. The upper part features a painted portrait with a serene face, headdress, and arms crossed over the chest, suggestive of eternal rest. The lower part is adorned with elaborate hieroglyphics and symbolic imagery, reflective of ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and customs aimed at safeguarding the deceased in the afterlife. The use of color and detailed ornamentation exemplifies the craftsmanship characteristic of the 3rd Intermediate Period.