Ceiling in the Bardo museum, Tunis
The walls and ceilings of
Tunisian buildings are covered with
decoration. Colorful
tiles,
mosaics,
murals and
carvings grace the spaces. The first
photo shows the detailed
artistry that is applied to every
architectural feature.
Carved plaster ceiling in the Bardo Museum, Tunis
The second photo is of a ceiling covered with
carved plaster. Actually the material is usually a cement or lime
stucco, which is laid down thickly over the surface. The
artist uses a
stencil to delineate his chosen pattern, pouncing it with a visible powder made from cement, charcoal or chalk. Using a small chisel the
craftsman sculpts his
design into the stucco/plaster. The designs are amazingly intricate, and the process is very time consuming. Sometimes color is added by pouncing colored cement onto certain areas.
Variety of media applied to walls and ceiling, Tunis
This final example shows the
North African propensity for color and design on every surface. Looking up at a high ceiling you can see numerous media incorporated into an amazing whole.
