Sorbar, Church of St. Peter

The Romanesque Church of St. Peter in Sorbar was built in the 12^th century as a single-nave chapel with an inscribed semi-circular apse. In the apsidal area, Gothic frescoes have been preserved in two layers. The more recent one, created at the end of the 14^th century, relies compositionally on the older layer. The paintings are attributed to an anonymous master who adopted the artistic idiom of Vitale da Bologna, but translated it into a simplified and rustically characterized expression.

In the semi-dome of the apse, Christ Enthroned is depicted within a mandorla, surrounded by the zoomorphic symbols of the four Evangelists. Beneath the scene of the Maiestas Domini, a row of half-length figures of the apostles is arranged. The scenes are framed by a white border with red edges and stencilled geometric motifs.

The frescoes were interpreted by Branko Fučić in 1964, in his doctoral dissertation Srednjovjekovno zidno slikarstvo u Istri.

Iconographic program:

Eastern wall: 1 Maiestas Domini, 2 Apostles.