The Vitrine EXTRA series, presented at regular intervals within the Collection of Antiquities of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, highlights selected ancient objects within the permanent exhibition. Its eighth edition focuses on ancient female portraits and their afterlife.

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Through two previously unexhibited female portraits, the display offers insight into current research, shedding light on the histories of objects whose original contexts have often been lost.

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Ancient portraits continue to fascinate through their striking presence. They depict individuals who lived long before our time, yet still appear immediate and vivid. The two works presented represent women from different social and historical contexts, while also illustrating the transformations that ancient artworks have undergone from interventions in Antiquity to restorations and additions since the Renaissance.

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In dialogue with selected female portraits from the permanent collection, the display proposes a focused interpretive approach: through short texts, the portraits seem to speak for themselves, reflecting on their own appearance and opening up key avenues of analysis, particularly through the study of hairstyles, a central element in portrait research.