Traces of the throne of grand zupan Stefan Nemanjic and the fresco decoration of the main church of the monastery of Studenica

Abstract

This paper deals with the bearings of the structure preserved in the floor beside the southwestern support of the dome in the Studenica katholikon, and on the dado rail of that pilaster From the appearance of the bearings, their position in the space, and the writer Theodosius' account describing the place where the grand zupan Stefan Nemanjic stood during the liturgy, the author concludes that this refers to the bearings of the ruler's throne, which had a loggia-like form. A series of features indicates that the installation was prepared before the painting of the main church and then installed afterwards. The text on the scroll of Saint Sabas the Sanctified testifies that it influenced the concept of the neighbouring fresco-ornament. Written sources (from the thirteenth and fourteenth century) maintain that the idea in the fresco painter's mind was the role of the principle of ascetism in medieval images of the ideal monarch.