viernes, 29 de mayo de 2015

In English: Iconographic and stylistic analysis of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres

CENTRAL DOOR.



The central tympanum shows Christ Pantocrator, crowned by the characteristic cross nimbus his, and framed by a mandorla . It is blessing with his right hand and holding the book of life left . In his figure is evident the idealized naturalism , the first characteristic of Gothic sculpture to be treated. It tries to overcome embellishing reality, so , for example, the folds of her robe represent a credible way , no geometric or static. In short , all Gothic figures will be increasingly equipped with volume. This volumetric enhances the appearance and alienates naturalistic sculpture of the flatness of the Romanesque art.



Returning to the iconography , Christ is surrounded by the tetramorfos , as shown in his animalistic way: San Juan with eagle, San Mateo with the angel wings , Luke with the bull and San Marcos with the lion.


On the lintel of the bottom symbolize the apostles , in the style of Romanesque Burgundy prototypes . They are arranged in groups of three and appear flanked by Enoch and Elijah, prophets who must return at the end of time.


Finally , in the archivolts they appear angels and the elders of the Apocalypse.

 

Below, the jambs are characterized by being decorated with figures that fit the shaft of the column . They are treated statues - column , very typical of the Gothic period . These lead to a forced extension of the canon of the bodies, the rest naturally to the whole. Once the Gothic evolve , the proportions of the sculptures inserted into these shafts are much more balanced. The characters represented are kings and queens of the Old Testament. They wear a halo , explaining that God is in favor of the monarchy, and some carry crowns.
The jambs are topped by rich capitals in their ornamentation, they are also historians due to the Romanesque heritage. They are carved in stone so that recreate miniature architectural spaces where all events occur . They appear symbolizing the life of Jesus to a greater extent , and to a lesser extent that of his mother.


In particular, the capital shown explains the temptations of Christ, where a grotesque statuette goes to the Savior so captivating at the same time threatening.

DOOR RIGHT .


The door on the right is the richest iconography around the Portico Real.


In the tympanum depicting the Madonna and Child enthroned and flanked by two archangels possible. Both mother and son look forward, rather than interact with each other , and these features , combined with the hieratic, do you still remember the Romanesque sculptures . In the two registers , located at the bottom and supported by lintels , scenes Children of Christ is the Gospel of Luke.



Thus, the lower register should be read in chronological order , that is, from left to right . So , first , the episode of the Annunciation appear, with the Archangel Gabriel to Mary warning that it will become pregnant by divine command . Draws attention to detail that have these small figures , then, for example, the archangel can be distinguished feathers embedded in the wings, and the iris of their eyes.



Followed this scene Visitation shown by the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, who was also pregnant , in this case , San Juan Bautista . It is placed to the left and is easy to distinguish the figure of Mary for the crown and the halo he wears on his head ; distinctive attributes of divinity that also appear in other configurations of the Virgin present in this cover.


The crown, in fact, already taught in the Virgin of the eardrum.


In the center, the story of the Nativity is shown . Lying , one hand on his stomach, resting childbirth appears Mary. Meanwhile, on the left he is her husband José take care of her.


The figure of the Child stands at the top of the architectural structure , wrapped in blankets on top of a manger. However , his head seems to be lost , so it goes almost unnoticed.


Finally, on the right of this scene explains the Annunciation to the shepherds; scene led by the Archangel Gabriel , who turns (although its head has also been lost ) to warn the shepherds that the Savior is born . His figure becomes in a position to advance to the episode of the Nativity.



It is easy to identify by the staff pastors one of them and the flock of sheep at his side , represented with great realism , since the wool of animals is evident by curvilinear small incisions.




On the other hand, in the upper register the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple of Jerusalem symbolized. In the center, a couple of characters Jesus stand on a podium. It is not easy to identify the man of the left, and can be Simeon, a priest of the temple, which the gospel was the one who raised Christ to consecrate to God. Across he appears accompanied by José María. However, there is also the theory that parents are the same Jesus who deal with hold and teach it to the suppliers of the sides.

And in the archivolts numerous figures that no longer link with Christianity, but with art and artists of transcendental philosophy they are. This is the most interesting and complex iconography of the whole Portico Real, testimony directly linking the Master Thierry to strong university learning of which he was endowed. It is also a way to promote the importance of knowledge, apart from religion, for some freedom and spiritual enrichment.

                                                ''Hortus deliciarum''. by Herrad von Landsberg

Thus, the personifications of the Seven Liberal Arts is, in the view of Herrada of Landsberg , abbess of Hohenburg and author of the encyclopedia  ''Hortus deliciarum'' ( Spanish : ''Garden of Delights''), where he represented Liberal Arts with specific attributes that serve to shape their iconography in Chartres.

In this way , first it is explained the Trivium , that is, the arts of the word, group of three women representing the grammar, rhetoric and dialectic.


Grammar holding a book , symbolizing the writing and reading , but also grab a bundle of spikes , a symbol of the birth of life, in this case, the knowledge, for the Grammar is the art that begins with the following that will be explaining . Grammar linked to education, students appear at the bottom reading books.


Following an order , now exposed to the rhetoric; a woman holding on writing tablets with a punch (very worn elements ) .

 



Dialectics of the best preserved figurines , holding a staff and a chimerical creature, dog-headed serpent and body . The abbess does not include any creature in his work as well , although the Dialectic does have the head of a dog, but part of his own arm. In this case, attached to the animal with one arm , without being bound creature to him.

''Dialectic''. by Herrad von Landsberg

In Chartres the most common iconography of the Dialectic combined , which determined that one of her arms was topped by a serpent , with the new interpretation of Herrada, who spoke of a dog instead of a snake. This time the dog symbolizes protection and aggressiveness; qualities needed in any debate.

On the other hand , the Quadrivium, comprised of the exact calculation and arts, consisted of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music.


Arithmetic hold an abacus, which possibly aprentándolo grab with one hand against his chest .


Meanwhile, the geometry is to attribute the rule, and perhaps his right hand engaging in an compass that has not survived.


Astronomy, very true to the iconography established by the abbess , is in a position where the hand pointing upward to the sky . Holds a worn element would be a cubitalem ; apparatus was used to measure the orientation of the stars.

 

Finally, the last of the Liberal Arts , that is, the music has a wide range of musical instruments around him, as organistrum, typical of medieval times, the lyre and the harp, which holds in her lap. In addition , the woman bells struck with a hammer are added in this case.

Aristotle

However, all these figures are conjoined to other characters linked to philosophy, which would be the founding fathers of these arts .

Finally, in the archivolts other sculptures with angels and pagan symbols also appear . There are therefore a few configurations of the Zodiac. This was so because the left door , which is located in an authentic way the other zodiac signs , no space to accommodate these two.


It can be described Gemini as a pair of brothers who appear protected by a shield.


Meanwhile, Pisces is represented as a great fish to a stream runs through the forest . Its waters are very realistic figurative and give the sensation caused by the uncontrolled movement riverbed.

























To end with the right door, noting that the jambs are ornamented with monarchists characters, as in the front door.


The capitals are telling the story of Christ, and in this case a smaller version of the Last Supper symbolizes Jesus head of the table, while one of his disciples turns away , surely the case of Judas Iscariot for his evasive attitude .

LEFT DOOR.


And to end the Front Royal, the tympanum of the left shows Christ perched atop a cloud, which is spread in an upward movement due to the rise in Salvador, thus providing a feeling of airiness in it. Jesus is flanked by two archangels possible. But this picture has a meaning that ends in two different aspects. A first interpretation identifies this scene as the Ascension of Christ, and therefore would be accompanied by the Archangel Gabriel, messenger of God at the Annunciation to Mary, and Archangel Michael; who it is responsible for bringing souls to their destination, Heaven. However, instead of treated Ascension recently it is possible that the Creation be represented, so a closer link with the figures of the archivolts representing the zodiacal signs and the work of the various months could be established associated with them; scenes which will be explained later.


In any case, under Christ the eardrum, two records are created again by lintels. They appear in the bottom ten o'clock seated figures, originally twelve because it is the Apostolate. But two of them had to be removed during remodeling. Meanwhile, in the upper register the most common archangels are Gabriel, Raphael, Michael and Uriel is.

The remarkable thing about this are the archivolts left door, which also have a profuse decoration dedicated to the Signs of the Zodiac, as explained above, as well as the months of the year, usually symbolized by agricultural work, as was common again. Both secular subjects have cited as precedents the Abbey of Saint-Denis, but the focus will be on presenting examples of Chartres. The signs are present at the door itself sorted Zodiac Wheel. For example, in one of the arches of archivolts sinister side appear Aries and Taurus. Below them, interspersed, the corresponding months are shown following two: April and May.


Thus you can be explained the figure of Aries, a ram formed by wool thick that fits into a small landscape of trees.



And under Aries, regent , is represented to April through allegory embodied by a man crowned with flowers, which rise with both hands two separate flowering shrubs as a sign of fertility of the land and the harvest of the first fruits and it can be performed.


Another example is the Taurus , appeared as a bull neck also tilts in the middle of a grove.


The most interesting is his associate month , May, because this is not about recreating an agricultural task. It is one of those chosen to illustrate a social fact months: the knight who practices falconry as an activity that allows you to keep your muscles toned in the periods in which no battle. Thus the Madii campus , ie , the usually accompanied by his hawk during this month , Knight is the most characteristic iconography May,




Jambs, finally, again without any thematic novelty, although in this case decorated capitals explain the Marian life. The scene chosen as an example tells the suitors of the Virgin. This is an image where you can see perfectly industriousness of the stature seeking recreation of a realistic and voluminous architectural space. Joseph 's character through the arch topped by a flower, his attribute, and that this staff blossomed made ​​him the perfect husband for the young particularly recognized. This flower is also an allegory of victory over the other suitors of Mary, which are rejected and can be seen as some leave the scene.