Portraits of Serbian rulers in the Duljevo monastery

In the Church of Saint Stephen in Duljevo, not far from Budva (Pastrovici) an interesting composition of the founders (ktetores) has been preserved. In accordance with an early Serbian tradition, it was painted on the southern wall in the western bay of the naos (drawing 1), and it is possible that it extended over the southern part of the western wall that was demolished very long ago. The Duljevo composition of the founders now depicts the images of the patron saint of the church, Saint Stephen, the First Martyr, painted on the southern side of the south-west pilaster, and the presentations of the two rulers to the west of him (drawing 2). The patron saint of the church who was the protector of the Serbian medieval state and its rulers, is represented in a deacon's sticharion, with a censer in his hands, blessing the founders. The ruler in his prime approaches the First Martyr, presenting him with a model of the church (drawing 2, figs. 1, 2)...