Church of Panagia Katholiki, Kouklia, Cyprus

Wootton was primarily an aviation artist, famous for depicting the Royal Air Force during the WW II. He travelled to the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia after the war and was commissioned to paint the island of Cyprus for propaganda purposes. He produced nine oils of various views of the island during 1951 which were also turned into posters. He revisited in 1971 and 1975. During his first visit, the Governor of Cyprus Sir Andrew Wright organised an exhibition at the British Institute where Wootton, two photographers from the National geographic and Reno Wideson participated. During his second visit to Cyprus, Wooton exchanged one of his Cyprus paintings for a carpet. The oil painting presents the medieval church of Katholiki in the village of Kouklia. The village was continuously inhabited since the bronze age, and, from the 12th to the 4th century BC, was known as Palepaphos. It is acclaimed for its large royal estate where sugar was produced during the medieval period. At the edge of the village, a medieval chateau still rests, presently used as a museum. Just outside of this, the archaeological excavation of the temple of Aphrodite can be seen. The church of Katholiki always attracted visitors because of its name; although an Orthodox establishment, it was called ‘catholic’. It bears frescoes in the interior while in its construction, one can discern reused pieces of medieval structures.