THE LEGEND OF ST. GEORGE IN THE PORCH OF LOVNICA MONASTERY CHURCH

The church of Lovnica Monastery is vividly painted throughout its interior, and the frescoes are relatively well preserved. We did not photograph the interior out of respect for the sanctity of the space and also in compliance with the monastery's rules prohibiting the use of cameras inside.

Although we can describe the frescoes, to truly experience the Lovnica Monastery and the ambiance it offers, one must visit Šekovići and explore this Orthodox sanctuary.

The Lovnica church possesses the best-preserved wall paintings dating from the 16th century west of the Drina River. Among the preserved frescoes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lovnica can only be compared to Dobrićevo and Zavala. Furthermore, the fresco program at Lovnica can be considered among the most comprehensive and well-preserved fresco decorations in the 16th and 17th-century painting of the entire Peć Patriarchate region.

This time, we will focus on the eastern wall of the church porch of Lovnica Monastery.

The legend of St. George begins at the beginning of the eastern wall with the usual scene of "St. George before Emperor Diocletian." The scene is composed of two groups: St. George with three soldiers and the emperor with two soldiers. Between these two groups is a fairly large empty space, used to underscore the greatness and power of the emperor and the guilt and insignificance of St. George. The emperor sits beneath a canopy on a rich throne with armrests, with two oval Byzantine-style cushions on the seat. Diocletian wears a gray-blue garment adorned with a yellow (golden) band around his neck, descending to his waist, wrapping around his waist and left arm, with its end draped over his right arm. The same decoration adorns the lower edge of his long robe. In the emperor's left hand is a scepter, while his right hand is stretched towards the saint. He wears a golden crown with pearls on his head. His curly hair and beard are chestnut-colored.

Behind the throne stand two soldiers with spears, framed by an architectural depiction of a city. Tall rectangular entrance gates are flanked by two towers, from which a wall extends to enclose the area in a polygonal shape.

The second group in this scene features St. George with three soldiers accompanying him. St. George stands before Diocletian with both arms outstretched towards the emperor as a sign of explanation or justification of his actions. Three soldiers, dressed in armor with fluttering cloaks and tall black boots, stand behind St. George. The soldier whose full figure is visible holds St. George's forearm with his left hand and a spear in his right hand.

Adjacent to this scene is the painting "An Angel Advises St. George." The scene takes place in a fortress, i.e., a prison, with the prisoner St. George depicted in a standing position, visible up to his knees. He is surrounded by architecture with towers and battlements. He wears rich Byzantine attire, extending his arms towards the angel, whose torso is visible behind the city walls. The angel wears a blue robe, and its wings are reddish-brown. The entire composition is filled with pleasant ochre tones, with a blue background. Interestingly, the painter pays attention to proportions, ensuring the figure's relationship with the architecture. Although the figure is the focal point, the painter does not neglect the architecture, simplifying it and making it closer to reality, thereby making the entire scene more believable.

The third scene on the eastern side of the porch is "The Empress Advises St. George," depicted in a calm interior illuminated by four candles on a golden candlestick with three legs. The empress sits to the right, dressed in the same attire as St. George, with a blue underdress and a brown cloak adorned with stylized flower-shaped ornaments scattered across the fabric. She wears a hexagonal golden crown with pearls on her head, with her hands extended towards St. George. Behind her sits a female figure wearing a white dress with short sleeves. Facing the empress is St. George, seated on a richly adorned chair with arms, his hands bent at the elbow and extended towards the empress. The scene is framed by simple architecture with two long pillars and one large rectangular window. The foreground is painted in pleasant green tones (room), while the space above the architecture is blue (sky). The modest luxury of the furnishings reflects the intimate rooms of the empress and imbues the entire composition with a warm atmosphere of understanding and friendship.

These three compositions are painted on the eastern wall of the Lovnica Monastery church porch. In the next part of this story, we will discuss the Legend of St. George on the southern side of the Lovnica Monastery porch.

Literature used in this text: "Material for a Monograph" by Milica Baum.