Styling social identity in Alexandrian funerary painting

Περίληψη

This paper explores the dynamics of social identity through the lens of funerary art in Hellenistic Alexandria, focusing on its fluid cultural, ethnic, and social constructs. Drawing upon a rich corpus of material, including painted funerary stelai, it examines how Alexandrian tombs served as spaces for narrating personal and communal identities in a cosmopolitan society. The analysis situates these representations within the broader artistic tradition of skiagraphia, demonstrating how tonal shading and physiognomic features convey not only lifelike portraits but also the ethos and social roles of the deceased. By contextualising these visual narratives against administrative practices, legal statuses, and the city’s multi-ethnic milieu, the paper argues that Alexandrian funerary art transcends mere mortuary function, reflecting ideological processes tied to identity, privilege, and memory. Through comparative perspectives drawn from Greek and Egyptian traditions, this research further reveals how artistry in funerary monuments articulated racial, cultural, and social hierarchies, embodying tensions between assimilation and differentiation. The study ultimately illustrates how Hellenistic Alexandria’s funerary art offers critical insights into pre-modern identity politics and the interplay between art, culture, and society in the ancient world.