Egypt, Italy complete restoration of ancient Fayoum ‘Portrait of the Two Brothers’

Egypt has completed the restoration of the “Portrait of the Two Brothers,” one of the ancient Fayoum portraits, in cooperation with Italy, as part of efforts to preserve the country’s cultural heritage. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy announced the completion of the project at a press conference held on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in Tahrir Square. The minister said Egyptian-Italian cooperation in restoring Fayoum portraits was longstanding, stressing Egypt’s commitment to making its heritage accessible to the world and showcasing the richness and diversity of Egyptian civilization across different historical periods. He added that Egypt’s heritage extended beyond Pharaonic antiquities to include artefacts from the various historical eras. The current exhibition features 24 portraits and 16 artefacts of significant historical and archaeological value, he said. For his part, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Hisham el-Leithy said the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in Tahrir Square was marking the 124th anniversary of its opening this year. Preparations were under way for a major celebration next year to mark its 125th anniversary, including a rehabilitation project to reflect the museum’s historical significance and its role as Egypt’s principal museum. “Today, we open a window onto two faces that have been looking at us for 2,000 years,” Leithy said, describing the Portrait of the Two Brothers as a circular painting measuring 60 centimeters in diameter, created by an unknown artist in the Fayoum region around 2,000 years ago. He said the portrait was found split into two parts, with faded colors, and required meticulous restoration. The project was carried out by Egyptian and Italian experts in the museum’s laboratories and restoration center. Leithy stressed that restoration was not merely intended to improve an artefact’s appearance, but to preserve it for future generations. “We do not restore to beautify; we restore to preserve,” he said, describing the cooperation as a clear message to the world about the importance of international partnerships in protecting humanity’s shared heritage. He added that the Portrait of the Two Brothers would be displayed in Italy next May as part of a collection of Fayoum portraits. These portraits represent an important stage in art history because they depicted people realistically rather than solely as symbols, he said. Egypt remained committed to protecting cultural heritage and making it accessible to international audiences to showcase the richness and diversity of its civilization, Leithy added. Meanwhile, Italian ambassador to Egypt Agostino Palese expressed his pleasure at visiting the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square and praised the longstanding cooperation between Egypt and Italy in archaeology, mainy with the museum. He said the two countries had promising opportunities to expand archaeological cooperation, contributing to efforts to preserve cultural heritage and highlight its historical significance.