Слика патрона у олтару Марковог манастира

Abstract

This paper presents the identity of an underexplored image of a holy martyr in the altar apse of the Church of St. Demetrios in Markov Manastir, frescoed in 1376/1377. Based on an iconographical analysis, it can be reliably concluded that the image represents St. Demetrios of Thessaloniki. The reasons for executing this work and the place of the patron saint in the painted program of the altar at Markov Manastir are explored within the wider iconographical and programmatic traditions of Byzantine art. The paper also considers the practice of featuring martyrs in the altar space of Byzantine churches, as well as the degree of recurrence and iconographical forms of these images. It also provides a historical overview of visual solutions complying with the practice of confirming the dedication of the church or its parekklesia by representing the patron saint in the altar apse, i.e. in the prothesis or diakonikon. Based on this, it can be claimed with a higher degree of certainty that the distinctive iconographical and programmatic solution in Markov Manastir draws on an older tradition in Byzantine monumental painting.