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The Wall-Paintings in the Chapel of the Birth of St John the Baptist in the Holy Monastery of the Prodromos at Serres

Articles

• Στρατή, Αγγελική
• ΣΤΡΑΤΗ, Αγγελική

The chapel of the Birth of Saint John the Baptist, alsoknown as 'Prodromoudi' (diminutive of Precursor), liesbehind the sanctuary apse of the katholikon of the HolyMonastery of the Timios Prodromos at Serres. Accordingto tradition and the texts, it is the earliest church foundedby the donor Ioannikios. The single-aisle chapel preservespart of its mural decoration in the sanctuary and on thesouth wall, as well as scant remnants on the west wall. Theiconographie programme follows that established in thefinal centuries of Byzantine painting.Recent conservation works have contributed significantlyto reassessing both the date of the wall-paintings andtheir stylistic attribution. Those in the lower and theupper zone of the sanctuary and the south wall date fromthe second half of the 14th century and most probably tothe decade 1360-1370. The lower sections of Christ'sPresentation in the Temple, the Baptism and the Raisingof Lazarus also belong to this phase, while the uppersections of these representations were overpainted atsome later date. The Virgin Blachernitissa, Saint Stephenand certain parts of the Annunciation, the Transfiguration and the Embrace can be confidently assigned tothe wall-paintings executed in 1535.Stylistic affinities are noted with wall-paintings in theEnate Monastery, both in the katholikon and the chapel ofSaint Nicholas, which are dated to the second half of the14th century. However the even closer relationship withthe wall-paintings in the chapel of the Archangels in theChelandari Monastery on Mount Athos confirms the viewthat the same painter or the same workshop was involvedin decorating the two monuments. The appearance of anew wall-painting ensemble of the third quarter of the14th century, included in the monastic complex of theHoly Monastery of the Timios Prodromos at Serres,enriches our knowledge and overview of ecclesiasticalpainting in Northern Greece and the Balkans generally

• History and Archaeology
• Arts

• Arts and religion

• http://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/deltion/article/view/4760
• http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.1172