Detailed sheets

The frescoes on the western vault

The painting cycle of the church of San Nicola di Trullas currently extends in the apsidal part, along the vault and arch, on the surface of the two cross vaults and finally on the arches against the side walls, the apse wall and the counterfacade.

In the western vault, close to the church entrance, there are angels painted around a central circle, which one contained the portrait of an image that is no longer visible (figs. 1-2). Once, the fresco may have portrayed the angels guarding heaven. The twelve angels, all with a halo, hold a rod, a sphere decorated with a cross and wear a tunic and the loros, the richly decorated dress reserved for the Byzantine emperors. Lower down the awning, in the four corners of the corners of the vault, there are another four angels placed over the flames (figs. 3-4).

1
Fig. 1 - Frescoes on the west vault: Angels’ court (photo by Unicity S.p.A.).
2
Fig. 2 - Frescoes on the west vault: the central clipeo (photo by Unicity S.p.A.).
3
Fig. 3 - Frescoes on the west vault: detail with a cherub (photo by Unicity S.p.A.).
4
Fig. 4 - Frescoes on the west vault: detail with a cherub (photo by Unicity S.p.A.).





Bibliografia

  • R. CORONEO, R. SERRA, Sardegna preromanica e romanica, Milano 2004, pp. 103-110.
  • R. SERRA, In figura Christi. Storie della salvezza nella pittura e nella scultura romaniche in Sardegna, in Studi in onore di Ottorino Pietro Alberti, Cagliari, 1998, pp. 121-141.
  • R. SERRA, Gli affreschi romanici della chiesa di San Nicola di Trullas a Semestene, in Medioevo: i modelli, atti del convegno internazionale di studi (Parma 27 settembre - 1° ottobre 1999), a cura di A. C. Quintavalle, Milano, 2002.
  • R. SERRA, San Nicola di Trullas, in Sardegna preromanica e romanica, a cura di R. CORONEO E R. SERRA, Milano-Cagliari, 2004.
  • A. VIRDIS, San Nicola di Trullas. Gli affreschi, Roma 2014.

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