Les tentures fleuries peintes à Baouît

Abstract

In the monastery of Apa Apollô at Bawit, paintings imitating textiles decorate the walls in many of the chapels excavated by Jean Clédat (1901-1902, 1903-1905) and Jean Maspero (1913). These textile imitations, situated below the figural representations, display various stylized floral and vegetal designs arranged in regular lozenge formations (diaper patterns). Some tapestries are laid out as framed panels, giving the impression of wallpaper; others are rendered as curtains (vela) suspended from rods and rings. In addition, there are a few instances of painted friezes with floral ornaments. Such imagery with nonfigural representation is often interpreted as purely ornamental; still, we argue here that the tapestries painted in the chapels at Bawit had religious and theological significance.