Frescoes
Fresco execution
Many of the walls and pillars display conspicuous remains of frescoes, in several cases in complex stratifications.
The colours were applied over a thin preparatory layer, a plaster made of lime and stone powder.
The a fresco execution is ascertained by the presence of traces of the technical expedients typical of such painting: the laying of the plaster in days of work (giornate); the use of systems for preliminary squaring of the compositional spaces such as the beating of threads (battitura col filo); the prevalent use of natural pigments such as ochre pigments. In some of the pictures, however, investigations conducted have ascertained the presence of residual particles of colours applied dry (a secco), such as azurite and minium.
Distribution of the frescoes
The interior decoration reveals that the complex belongs to two periods of occupation: the paintings in the left aisle, of Byzantine influence, are flanked by those dating back to the 14th century in the nave, relating to Benedictine iconography.
The wall of the left aisle has eight niches above a high plinth: in the first two, frescoes dating back to the 13th century are still preserved: the Madonna del latte e San Michele Arcangelo (Galaktotrophusa).
On the wall of the right aisle are depictions of the Deposizione, and the Incoronazione della Vergine.
A masonry wall at the entrance, in the part that was inhabited, probably enclosed a fireplace. On the stone blocks with which this wall was built, there are numerous fragments of frescoes: a Monaco Vescovo, Santa Lucia (?) with a date of 1537, the beautiful detail of the effigy of Sant’Agata, and other painted stone blocks, also randomly arranged; among these, at the top right, incorrectly placed horizontally, is the ashlar with the detail of a figure with a musical instrument.
Subject of the paintings
On the first rectangular pillar dividing the left aisle from the central aisle, the upper part depicts the face of an unknown saint dated to the 11th century, which constitutes the fragment of the fresco recognised by historical studies as the oldest one in the entire complex, while the lower part depicts San Gregorio Vescovo dated to the 13th century.
Along the wall of the right aisle, on the pillars dividing it from the nave, and on the counter façade are the other wall paintings of mediaeval origin.
A wall consisting of the filling of an original arch divides the hall in the right aisle from its apsidal part: there are depictions of Santa Lucia (?), datable between the 16th and 17th century, which have just been brought to light.
The hall of the right aisle has frescoes distributed over two registers: they depict the Deposizione dalla Croce (13th – 14th century); San Nicola Vescovo di Myra and, in the lower register, the Incoronazione della Vergine tra i Santi (14th century).
The last pillar of the nave features a beautiful palimpsest fresco depicting San Vito Martire, with the upper part painted on plaster of a later phase.
