Wooden SARCOPHAGUS MASK with inlays. Visible technical parts, tenons, remains of lime and black pigments. Egypt, New Kingdom 18th - 20th Dynasty (1550/1069 BC).C.) H. 16,9, L. 16 cm PROVENANCE - Collection of Mr. ..., acquired by descent. - Former Lacour collection, acquired by inheritance from his great Uncle Raoul Lacour. - Collected by Raoul Lacour, lawyer (1845 - 1870), author of the book "L'Egypte, d'Alexandrie à la Seconde Cataracte", 1871. The face is soft, slightly smiling. The lips and eyelids have been polished and glossed, all enhanced with black pigments to emphasize the fine features. It is important to underline the attention that has been paid to the mask. A mastery of cabinet making in a way. The New Kingdom sarcophagi of high quality are exclusively intended for high dignitaries. Almost all masks when they benefit from inlays are enriched with calcite for the white of the eye, obsidian for the pupil or rock crystal with highlights of black pigments and the eyebrows in bronze or blue, green or black glass paste. The way in which the mask was made reveals a perfect mastery of the inlaying process, a work of precision. The eyelids and lips betray even more a "plastic solution" which confers to the mask an extra-ordinary dimension. These elements push to propose a dating between the reign of Amenophis II and the XXth Dynasty. This mask by its quality surpasses all the sarcophagus masks we are used to contemplate.