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First lecture. The visual culture of Upper Egypt has typically been seen as not only separate from that produced in other major centers of the Roman empire, but also of a much lower quality. In the last decade, conservation and archaeological work at the Red and White Monasteries has uncovered fascinating evidence to the contrary, in the form of wall paintings and architecture. A decorated tomb in the White Monastery dating to the middle of the fifth century, and an apse painting in the Red Monastery church of circa 500, include no regionally specific features, and could have been created anywhere in the Mediterranean. These new finds indicate the necessity of a complete reassessment of the role of Egypt in the creation of late antique visual culture.