How does Bishop Petros with Saint Peter the Apostle elucidate its History?
The painting, like most other pieces of Nubian art in the Faras Gallery of the National Museum in Warsaw, was recovered by Polish archaeologists during the so-called Nubian Campaign, an international effort led by UNESCO prior to construction of the Nasser Dam. The excavations, carried out between 1961 and 1964, discovered a religious complex in the town of Faras (ancient Pachoras), near modern Sudanese-Egyptian border. Well-preserved ruins of a large Christian cathedral from 7th to 14th centuries contained well-preserved wall religious paintings.Since the area was to be flooded by the waters of the artificial Lake Nasser, a team of Polish archaeologists led by Kazimierz Michałowski was allowed to recover the artifacts. A major part was then transported to the National Museum of Sudan, where a team of Polish scientists led by Józef Gazy carried out their conservation. Some 40 per cent were transported to the National Museum of Warsaw, becoming the nucleus of the future Faras Gallery.The image itself was painted by an anonymous artist some time during bishop Petros' tenure, between 974 and 999 AD. It represents the so-called yellow and red style, typical of a transitional period between the white style of 9th century and later multicolour style introduced in the 11th century and typical of all later wall paintings at Faras until its abandonment in the 14th century. Other images representative of the yellow and red style found at Faras represent King Georgios, a Virgin and Child, Three Men in the Fiery Furnace, as well as a Passion Cycle. The red and yellow style paintings are considered among the most interesting, both visually and for their theological message.
Lake Nasser UNESCO Sudan Kazimierz Michałowski Nubia National Museum in Warsaw Virgin and Child Polish Faras Nasser Dam National Museum Józef Gazy National Museum of Sudan