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Added section on fresco paintings in Zica with references and images
[[Image:Zica_Monastery_Serbia_Font.jpg|right|350px|Zica Monastery Font]]The '''Zica Monastery''', built in the early 13th century, is near Kraljevo at the entrance to the Ibar Gorge in central Serbia. It was the first seat of the Serbian Archbishopric.
[[Image:TheCrucifixionZica.jpg|thumb|left|The Crucifixion]]
==History==
==Architecture==
Zica is built according to the Raska school in the Romanesuque style. The monastery was originally painted red in the tradition of the [[Mount Athos]] monasteries. There are few frescoes dating back to the 13th century remaining in the lateral choir recesses. Most of those existing today date from the early 14th Century. The Church of the Ascension of our Lord is a single [[nave]] church build in four sections, the third rising up to a high octagonal dome.
==Fresco Painting ==
Initial layer of Zica fresco painting was done in 1220's, planned by St. [[Sava of Serbia|Sava]]. According to the written records, St. [[Sava of Serbia|Sava]] brought artists for this work "from Constantinople"<ref>Teodosije, Life of St. Sava, (Belgrade: Danicic Publishing, 1860), 141.</ref>, further details about them are not known. In style, modest iconography and rigid style are followed. St. [[Sava of Serbia|Sava]] signature design of expressing important ideas by monumental figures, typically in pairs is clear. Good examples are paired frescoes of [[Media:StProcopiusStArtemiusZica.jpg|St.Procopius and St.Artemius]] as well as [[Media:StStephenStDemetriosZica.jpg|St.Stephen and St.Demetrios]], where figures dominate with height of 2.6 meters. From remaining fragments we can conclude that there have been two major themes: Childhood and Passion. Most important remaining fresco from this period is [[Media:TheCrucifixionZica.jpg|The Crucifixion]].
After fire damage at the end of 13th century great part of the original fresco layer have been lost. During 14th century new fresco layer have been added. Though these have been done in a new, [[Palaeologuian]] style effort to conserve remaining old work and reconstruct lost content is clear<ref>M. Kasanin, The Monastery of Zica, (Belgrade: Knjizevne Novine, 1969)</ref>. Most significant frescoes from this period are likely pair of apostles: [[Apostle Peter]] with church over his head symbolizing establishment of the Church of Christ on Earth with Peter as its head and [[Apostle Paul]] with the book on his head symbolizing his leading role in Christian teaching.
Following practice first established in decoration of Monastery of [[Studenica]], in Zica too all the inscriptions were done in Serbian language, instead of the traditional Greek satisfying both political needs of the Serbian Royal family and practical needs of the population.
{|
|[[Image:StProcopiusStArtemiusZica.jpg|thumb|right|St. [[Procopius]] and St. [[Artemius]]]]
|[[Image:StStephenStDemetriosZica.jpg|thumb|right|St. [[Stephen]] and St. [[Demetrios]]]]
|[[Image:ApostlePeterZica.jpg|thumb|right|[[Apostle Peter]]]]
|[[Image:ApostlePaulZica.jpg|thumb|right|[[Apostle Paul]]]]
|}
==See also==
*St. [[Sava of Serbia]]
*[[Wikipedia:%C5%BDi%C4%8Da]]
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
*[http://www.suc.org/culture/history/Serb_History/Monasteries/Zica/index.html Serbian Unity Congress]
*[http://marvaoguide.com/index.php/Serbia/Zica-Monastery.html Zica Monastery]
*[http://www.maletic.org/serbian-frescoes/ Serbian Frescoes at Maletic Gallery]
[[Category:Monasteries]]
