Elena А. Nemykina
(St.Petersburg State University, Russia)

On the Problem of “Southern Slavic Influence” on Novgorod Monumental Painting in the Second Half of the 14th century

Many researchers have addressed the problem of influence of the Balkan art on the monumental painting of Novgorod in the second half of the 14th century. For the first time V.N. Lazarev raised this question in 1958. Having analyzed the iconography and style of the wall paintings in the church of Transfiguration in Kovalevo (1380) near Novgorod, he supposed that the origins of some specific features of the frescoes in Kovalevo might be found mainly in the art of Serbia. But particular parallels which could explain all specific traits of Novgorod’s painting haven’t been found in the Balkan art until nowadays. Besides, there is no common opinion about the general meaning of the term “Southern Slavic influence”. This fact makes it difficult to use this concept for the purpose of iconographic and stylistic analysis, as well as for discussing the problems of chronology, terminology and the contents of Novgorod murals.