Medieval wall paintings in Transylvanian Orthodox churches

"This book deals with the religious painting related to the upper class of the Romanians who lived in medieval Transylvania and the neighboring western regions. Because of their social standing and historical chance, some of them left traces in the written sources and material culture of the Hungarian kingdom that survive to this day. Their world was at a crossroads. Socially, they were situated between peasants and full nobles, striving for and sometimes reaching the latter's status. Religiously, they belonged to a Byzantine-rite Church that had to function within a Latin state. Geographically, they lived close to the eastern frontiers of Hungary, a situation that enhanced their military role and therefore favored their social ascent. Artistically, Eastern and Western trends met in this border region. Artistic evidence contributes to our knowledge about the ways these people responded to a diverse and challenging environment."--