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The initial fresco layer in the main church was designed by [[Simeon the Myrrh-flowing|St. Simeon Nemanja]] and St. [[Sava of Serbia|Sava]]. The frescoes were finished in 1208 by painters from the Constantinople school. Two frescoes from this period have survived in excellent shape to the modern age. These best represent the style and the ideas of the initial decoration. These include the Monumental Crucifixion and the fresco [[Theotokos|Mother of God]] of Studenica.
Mother of God of Studenica fresco represents symbolically the spiritual mother of the newly fledged Serbian state. In its signage and name it contains a religious, political, and ideological statement of a new state. First, the inscription is in the Serbian language, cyrillic "Studenicka Holy Mother of God", not usual Greek "MHTHR QEOU". The fresco signage in Cyrillic in any of the churches built in the region of the archiepiscopacy of Ohrid before the church in Constantinople gave independence to the [[Church of Serbia]] was a challenge its [[jurisdiction]]. Another novelty was the very name Studenicka (meaning: of Studenica), which confirms the creation of a national cult regarding the [[icon]] of the Mother of God striving toward ecclesiastical independence, which did follow.<ref>Mihailo Maletic, Studenica, (Belgrade, Knjizevne Novine, 1968) ASIN: B000XXPKIQ</ref>
The fresco of the Crucifixion dominates the whole Western wall of the main chapel. Here is seen the style of St. [[Sava of Serbia|Sava]] who wanted to represent important ideas in proportional physical size, and there is no greater message in Christianity but the Crucifixion of Christ. While most other Studenica frescoes of the time follow more reserved appearance, in the Crucifixion one can see clearly emotional figures that point to the development of a new style in century to come.
