The ceiling is painted with scenes from the lives of Mary and Christ, as well as images of evangelists and church elders. Eight cassettes contain groups of angels and baskets with roses, lilies, and carnations, painted on wooden plates.
The creators of this valuable collection in the church of Our Lady of the Rocks arc the Archbishop of Bar, Andrija Zmajević, and Tripo Kokolja, a painter from Perast.
Andrija Zmajević (1628-1694) was an abbot in the church of St. George, situated on the islet of the same name, and the parish priest in Perast. In 1671, he became the Archbishop of Bar and the primate of the Kingdom of Serbia. He held a Ph.D. in Theology and Philosophy, collected antiques, and sponsored artists. Only such a man, of a wide, general education, wise and noble, could create a detailed concept lor the collection of paintings in the church of Our Lady of the Rocks. He designed the idea program, made arrangements with the painter, oversaw the execution of his ideas, drew drafts, determined the content of the paintings, etc. The executor of the concept was the painter Tripo Kokolja. The decision on hiring a domestic painter was probably determined by the limited finances the Archbishop of Bar had at his disposal. By choosing Kokolja, Zmajević affirmed his patriotism and sense of national values.
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