Further Notes on Paulus de Sulmona, Builder of the Church Façade in Stari Pag

Abstract

The front façade of the church at Stari Pag (location of the mediaeval settlement that preceded the construction of the present one) was built and decorated with reliefs by master Paulus de Sulmona in 1392, as confirmed by the inscription. Author of the paper, who has been researching this artist, brings forth a survey of his activities according to Zadar notary archives. In Zadar, Paul has made the tomb of the archbishop Nikola Matafar in 1386, constructed the presbytery of the church of St. Michael and the sacristy in the church of St. Saviour in 1388, worked in the monastery of St. Chrysogonus in 1389, and was commissioned to erect the luxurious chapel of St. Simeon next to the church of St. Mary Major in 1400. Out of his Zadar oeuvre, only parts of Matafar tomb and St. Michael’s presbytery and façade decoration have been preserved. Through comparison of the Pag reliefs and Matafar’s tomb with various reliefs preserved in Zadar, author ascribes them to Paul. Finally, previously unknown contract between Paul and his assistant is published, as well as a fragment with human figure that was part of Matafar’s tomb and the three statues that were previously inaccessible, and can be ascribed to Paul.