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DOI Artikel:Dobrzeniecki, Tadeusz: Some iconographical notes on the Maiestas Domini
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18859#0084
Evangelistary — to the officium in festo SS Apostolorum Petri et Paulii6. Christ is enthroned
on the rainbow, from behind of which two busts of the Apostles emerge, holding the long scrolls.
On the scroll of St Peter a confession is inscribed: Tu es Christus filius Dei vivi, on that of
St Paul his entłmsiasm upon the depth of the Divine Wisdom is expressed: O altitudo diyinae
sapientiae et scientiae Dei. The choice of these texts corresponds to the view of the Patristic
writers that the reason for the distinction of St Peter was his vivid faith and of St Paul — his
deep knowledge. The mandorla is enclosed by the four Evangelists with the heads of their usual
beings'17: Matthew with the human head, Mark with the head of the lion, Lukę with the head
of the ox and John — with that of the eagle.
In the same way the two Evangelists only — Mark and Lukę are represented on the tympa-
num of the Church at Strzelno. In order to interpret correctly this Polish work of art the ques-
tion must be answered: is this omission of the symbols of Matthew and John accidental or
justified by doctrinal reasons? Earlier students have given no answer to this question. It has
been mentioned in the description of the portal that the upper parts of the tympanum have
been left unfinished or become damaged. In spite of a problematic state of preservation, the
iconographical jarogram of the tympanum is wholly understandable. The first argument for
the above statement is found in a painting in the apse of the crypt of the Benedictine Church
of Monte Maria in a Tirol locality Burgusio (Burgeis)ls.
The Saviour blessing with the open book is seated on the rainbow. On both sides of the man-
dorla two Apostles are standing on a lower level. St Peter in the red cloth and blue mantle holds
in his left hand a big key and is rising the right one in the gesture of adoration. St Paul with
the book adores Christ in similar way (fig. 5). Behind each of the Apostles and slightly higher an
angel is standing holding a long scroll with a damaged inscription. The most interesting to us is the
presence of the only two symbols of the Evangelists, who did not take up the place intended
for them at the mandorla but are standing at the feet of the Apostles — the lion of St Mark
at the figurę of St Peter, the ox of St Lukę at that of St Paul. Therefore, the Maiestas Domini
at Strzelno and at Burgusio have not four but only two symbols of the Evangelists joined in
the same way with the Apostles: Mark with St Peter and Lukę with St Paul.
The explanation of such a juxtaposition may be found already in the treatises of Ireneus
Adversus haereses: Marcus discipulus et interpres Petri, et ipse quae a Petro annuntiata erant
per scripta nobis tradidit. Et Lucas autem sectator Pauli, ąuod ab Mo praedicabatur Evangelium
in libro condidW^.
In the French Romanesąue sculpture the representations of the Maiestas Domini on the
portals of churches are known, in which the living creatures have the Christological meaning50.
46. Halberstadt, Dommuseum Ms 132, the Lectionary of the Canon Mercwardus (f 1148) the donator and the scribe; E. Rothe.
Buchmalerei aus zwolf Jakrhunderten, Berlin, 1966, p. 244, fig. 29.
47. See Z. Ameisenowa, ''Animal-headed Gods, Evangelists, Saints and Righteous Men", Journal of the Warburg and Courlauld
Institules, XI, 1949, p. 21—45; R. Crozct, "Les guatre evangelistes et leur symboles. Assimilations et adaptations",
Techniąucs de l'art, IV, 3, 1962, p. 5—26.
48. The date of the painting 1160 (the consecration of the crypt — 1170) A. Morassi, "Gli affreschi romanici a Monte Maria
di Burgusio", Art Studies, VI, 1928, p. 135—142; Anthony, op. cit., p. 111, fig. 192—195; Demus, Romanische Wand-
malerei, op. cit., p. 129—130, fig. 10; N. Rasmo, Affreschi mcdioevali atesini, Veniee, w.d., p. 47, 239, fig. 36—42.
49. Lib. III, caput I, 1, Mignę, Patrologia Graeca, VII, col. 845.
50. W. Neuss, Das Buch Ezechiel in Theologie und Kunst bis zum Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts, Munster i.W., 1912; J. Michl,
Die Engelcorstellungen in der Apokalypsc des HI. Johannes. I. Teil. Die Engel um Gott, Mimchen, 1937, p. 88—101; Deutung
der 4 Typen bzw. Wesen in der Vergangenheit; in the Latin West the oldest witness of the Christological syrnbolism is
Ireneus, bishop of Lyon (-j- ca 202), according to hira the lion is the symbol of Christ as the King, the ox — of His Prie-
sterhood, the man — of His Incarnation and the eagle — the Endowment with the Holy Ghost.
74
on the rainbow, from behind of which two busts of the Apostles emerge, holding the long scrolls.
On the scroll of St Peter a confession is inscribed: Tu es Christus filius Dei vivi, on that of
St Paul his entłmsiasm upon the depth of the Divine Wisdom is expressed: O altitudo diyinae
sapientiae et scientiae Dei. The choice of these texts corresponds to the view of the Patristic
writers that the reason for the distinction of St Peter was his vivid faith and of St Paul — his
deep knowledge. The mandorla is enclosed by the four Evangelists with the heads of their usual
beings'17: Matthew with the human head, Mark with the head of the lion, Lukę with the head
of the ox and John — with that of the eagle.
In the same way the two Evangelists only — Mark and Lukę are represented on the tympa-
num of the Church at Strzelno. In order to interpret correctly this Polish work of art the ques-
tion must be answered: is this omission of the symbols of Matthew and John accidental or
justified by doctrinal reasons? Earlier students have given no answer to this question. It has
been mentioned in the description of the portal that the upper parts of the tympanum have
been left unfinished or become damaged. In spite of a problematic state of preservation, the
iconographical jarogram of the tympanum is wholly understandable. The first argument for
the above statement is found in a painting in the apse of the crypt of the Benedictine Church
of Monte Maria in a Tirol locality Burgusio (Burgeis)ls.
The Saviour blessing with the open book is seated on the rainbow. On both sides of the man-
dorla two Apostles are standing on a lower level. St Peter in the red cloth and blue mantle holds
in his left hand a big key and is rising the right one in the gesture of adoration. St Paul with
the book adores Christ in similar way (fig. 5). Behind each of the Apostles and slightly higher an
angel is standing holding a long scroll with a damaged inscription. The most interesting to us is the
presence of the only two symbols of the Evangelists, who did not take up the place intended
for them at the mandorla but are standing at the feet of the Apostles — the lion of St Mark
at the figurę of St Peter, the ox of St Lukę at that of St Paul. Therefore, the Maiestas Domini
at Strzelno and at Burgusio have not four but only two symbols of the Evangelists joined in
the same way with the Apostles: Mark with St Peter and Lukę with St Paul.
The explanation of such a juxtaposition may be found already in the treatises of Ireneus
Adversus haereses: Marcus discipulus et interpres Petri, et ipse quae a Petro annuntiata erant
per scripta nobis tradidit. Et Lucas autem sectator Pauli, ąuod ab Mo praedicabatur Evangelium
in libro condidW^.
In the French Romanesąue sculpture the representations of the Maiestas Domini on the
portals of churches are known, in which the living creatures have the Christological meaning50.
46. Halberstadt, Dommuseum Ms 132, the Lectionary of the Canon Mercwardus (f 1148) the donator and the scribe; E. Rothe.
Buchmalerei aus zwolf Jakrhunderten, Berlin, 1966, p. 244, fig. 29.
47. See Z. Ameisenowa, ''Animal-headed Gods, Evangelists, Saints and Righteous Men", Journal of the Warburg and Courlauld
Institules, XI, 1949, p. 21—45; R. Crozct, "Les guatre evangelistes et leur symboles. Assimilations et adaptations",
Techniąucs de l'art, IV, 3, 1962, p. 5—26.
48. The date of the painting 1160 (the consecration of the crypt — 1170) A. Morassi, "Gli affreschi romanici a Monte Maria
di Burgusio", Art Studies, VI, 1928, p. 135—142; Anthony, op. cit., p. 111, fig. 192—195; Demus, Romanische Wand-
malerei, op. cit., p. 129—130, fig. 10; N. Rasmo, Affreschi mcdioevali atesini, Veniee, w.d., p. 47, 239, fig. 36—42.
49. Lib. III, caput I, 1, Mignę, Patrologia Graeca, VII, col. 845.
50. W. Neuss, Das Buch Ezechiel in Theologie und Kunst bis zum Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts, Munster i.W., 1912; J. Michl,
Die Engelcorstellungen in der Apokalypsc des HI. Johannes. I. Teil. Die Engel um Gott, Mimchen, 1937, p. 88—101; Deutung
der 4 Typen bzw. Wesen in der Vergangenheit; in the Latin West the oldest witness of the Christological syrnbolism is
Ireneus, bishop of Lyon (-j- ca 202), according to hira the lion is the symbol of Christ as the King, the ox — of His Prie-
sterhood, the man — of His Incarnation and the eagle — the Endowment with the Holy Ghost.
74