Three weeks of intensive work by Rome and Egyptian conservators restored the Tondo of the Two Brothers, a 2nd‑century Fayoum portrait, and the piece will now travel to Rome for the first time.
Fayoum mummy portraits were painted on thin wooden panels and affixed to the faces of the dead beneath their wrappings, blending Egyptian burial customs with Greco‑Roman artistic styles.
Sherif Fathy said the restoration proves what international cooperation can achieve in preserving cultural heritage.
Ally Abdel Halim, director general of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, noted that the panel suffered termite damage and the paint was fragile, requiring a delicate conservation approach.
The temporary exhibition, organised by Tomaso Radaelli of MondoMostre, will run from November 2026 to May 2027, showcasing more than 110 artefacts, including painted panels, funerary shrouds, masks, marble portraits, plaster casts and ancient jewellery.
Currently, this loan marks the first time the Fayoum portrait collection has left Egypt, opening a new chapter of cultural exchange and allowing international audiences to witness Roman‑era funerary art.