The Inscription next to John Oliver in the Naos of Lesnovo. А Contribution to the Chronology of Lesnovo Frescoes Cover Image

Натпис уз Јована Оливера у наосу Леснова (Прилог хронологији лесновских фресака)
The Inscription next to John Oliver in the Naos of Lesnovo. А Contribution to the Chronology of Lesnovo Frescoes

Author(s): Branislav Todić
Subject(s): History
Published by: Vizantološki institut SANU

Summary/Abstract: The inscription placed next to the portrait of the founder of Lesnovo, John Oliver, оn the north wall of the naos, has attracted considerable attention in scholarship because of certain contradictions. The most important of them is, that in it are mentioned King Stefan Dusan and John Oliver with аН the titles which had bееn accorded to the latter, ending with those of the (grand) sebastokrator and (grand) despot. Since these dignities could have bееn granted only bу аn emperor, the inscription and Oliver's portrait (as well as other frescoes in the naos and the altar) were dated to the epoch after Dusan's coronation as Emperor in April 1346. llowever, the discrepancy between the picture - featuring John Oliver as sebastokrator (who was designated as such in the medallion beneath the donor's composition, and also in the subsequently produced decoration of the choros) - and the inscription, in which this magnate is referred to bу the titles of sebastokrator and that of the despot as well, remained unexplained.

  • Issue Year: 1999
  • Issue No: 38
  • Page Range: 373-384
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Serbian