Bishop Petros with Saint Peter the Apostle

Bishop Petros with Saint Peter the Apostle
Polish: Biskup Petros ze świętym Piotrem Apostołem
Artist	Unknown
Year	last quarter of 10th century (before 999)
Type	Fresco
Medium	tempera on silt plaster
Subject	Bishop Petros and Saint Peter
Dimensions	240 cm × 101 cm (94 in × 40 in)[1]
Location	National Museum, Warsaw
Owner	National Museum
Accession	234031
Website	cyfrowe.mnw.art.pl/dmuseion/docmetadata?id=32813

Bishop Petros with Saint Peter the Apostle (Polish: Biskup Petros ze świętym Piotrem Apostołem) is a Nubian Christian wall painting from the last quarter of the 10th century.^[1][2] Made with tempera on silt plaster using an al secco fresco technique, it depicts Petros, the bishop of Faras between 974 and 997. The anonymous work was discovered in the ruins of Faras Cathedral, an important religious centre of Nubia, in modern Sudan. Rescued from flooding when Lake Nasser was created, since 1964 it is part of the Faras Gallery of the National Museum in Warsaw.^[2]

The painting, which used to be part of a larger composition, representing King Georgios II of Makuria with the Virgin and Child, was painted on the west wall of the chapel located in the southern nave of the cathedral. The portrait of the bishop was placed to the right of the image of the king. The representation of the two highest hierarchs of the state along with their patron saints indicated the supernatural origin of the power of the nobles and symbolized the unity of the clerical and secular power.^[3]

The image was created in Petros' lifetime, which is suggested by the inscription in Greek accompanying the painting, wishing him "many years [of life]".^[2] The painting is considered one of the most precious images of Nubian officials found in the Cathedral of Faras^[2] and is also one of six best preserved portraits of bishops discovered there.^[4]