Butoniga, Church of the Holy Cross

The Romanesque church of the Holy Cross at the cemetery in Butoniga is a single-nave sacred structure with a prominent semicircular apse. Fragments of wall paintings dating to the early fourteenth century have been preserved within the church. Based on stylistic characteristics, the frescoes are associated with the activity of an unknown local master. Over the centuries, the wall paintings suffered considerable damage, with most of the painted layer from the south wall detached (strappo) together with smaller fragments from other wall surfaces. Part of the paintings has recently been returned to their original setting, while the remainder is preserved in the holdings of the Poreč Regional Museum.

Among the scenes preserved in situ, the composition in the apse conch is particularly noteworthy, depicting Christ Enthroned within a mandorla, surrounded by the symbols of the Four Evangelists. Beneath Christ, arranged within a sequence of painted arcades, are the figures of the Twelve Apostles. On the triumphal arch, alongside the fragmentarily preserved scene of the Annunciation, there is also a medallion containing a homunculus motif. The original pictorial programme also included an extensive Christological cycle, arranged in two horizontal registers along the south, west, and north walls of the church. In addition to scenes from the Life of Christ, several individual figures stand out, including the allegorical representation of Death as the Reaper, the figure of St Helena from the scene of the Finding of the True Cross, and the figures of St George and St Anthony the Abbot.

The wall paintings were discovered by Cornelije Budinich in 1909. Following conservation and restoration interventions, they were subsequently reported on by Anton Gnirs in 1914.

Iconographic programme

East wall: 1. Christ in a mandorla and the symbols of the Evangelists, 2. Apostles, 3–4. Annunciation.