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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#0086
In the Southern portal of the Church of Notre Dame du Port in Clermont-Ferrand before the
throne of Christ only two animals are represented: the lion and the ox sińce the mysteries of
the Revelation symbolized by the two other beings are represented on the separate reliefs51.
On the tympanum of the portal of the Church of San Domingo at Soria (Spain) the Paternity
is represented: the Son of God — Logos seated on the lap of the Father is adored by four angels.
One of them is holding the book and three others living creatures — the lion, the ox and the
eagle, who symbolized here the Christological mysteries and, therefore, the fourth being — the
man is lacking because Christ is represented in persona™.
Above the head of Christ in Majesty the following motifs were placed:
Manus Dei — Le Mans, the Cathedral of St Julien, Southern portal53.
Agnus Dei— Deols (Indre), the Abbey Church Notre-Dame, Northern portal: Christ enthro-
ned is trampling upon the lion and the dragon51. Nevers, the Church of St Peter55;
Mantes, the Collegiale Church of Our Lady, side portal of the Western facade56.
Columba: Capua, S. Angelo in Formis 57; the Mainz Cathedral58, portal: the book-cover of the
Gospel in the Treasury of the Cathedral in Treves5!); Nauders, the Chapel of St Leonard,
the head of Christ with the Dove (detail of the monumental mural painting of the Maiestas
Domini, Tllrd quarter of the XVth century60).
On the examples mentioned above as well as on the relief in the National Museum in Warsaw,
the Dove is descending to the head of Christ while on the tympanum at Strzelno it stands shown
in profile upon the head of Christ. Such placing of the Dove is an image of the formuła: Spiri-
tus Domini super me, belonging to the prophecy of Isaiah on Messiah61. This formuła was pro-
riounced by Jesus at the beginning of his public activity regarding it as the foretoken of his
mission62.
The evidence give:t by St John on the Baptism of Christ was following: Vidi Spiritum des-
cendentem quasi columbam de coelo el mansit super eum.™ This evidence refers to the prophecy
of Isaiah according to whom Spiritus Dei will descend for cver upon Messiah: et reąuiesect et
super eum Spiritus Dei.r,i
The examples are known of the reprcsentations of the Baptism of Christ with the Dove in
profile cg. the miniaturę in the Psalterium Nocturnum from the Cistercian Nunnery at Trzeb-
nica05 (fig 6) and in the Psalter of Landgraf Hermann von Thuringen66.
51. See: Neuss, Das Buch, op. cit, p. 135, footnote 3: the hymns of Adamus of St Victor to the feasts of the Evangelists Mat-
thew and Maik.
52. M. Durliat, Hispania Romanica, Wien und Munchen, 1962, lig. 179.
53. A. Lapeyre, "Des faęades occidentales dc Saint-Denis et de Chartres anx portails de Laon". Etudes sur la sculpture monu-
menłale dans VJlc -dc -France cl les regions noisines au XIIC sieele, Paris 1960, p. 90 sq; W. Sauerliinder. Gotische Skulp-
tur in Frankreich 1140—1210, Munchen, 1970, p. 70, pl. 16: before 1158 a very nrobable connection of workshop tradi-
tions with the recently finished Koyal Portal of the Chartres Cathedral may be noticed.
54. Lapeyre, op. cii, p. 81—3, fig. 49, now kept in the Museum at Chateauroux. The Lamb as a symbol of Christ: F. Nikolasch.
Das Lamm ais Christussymbol in den Schriflen der Viilcr, Wien, 1963; Idem, Das Łamm ais Cliristussymbol in der friili-
christlichen Kunsl. Habilitationsschrift an der theoi. Fakulliil d. Unio. su Salzburg, 1955.
55. Lapeyre, op. cii., p. 121—3, fig. 77; Saucrlander, op. cii., p. 106.
56. Saucrlander, op. cii., p. 92, pl. 48, ca 1170, p. 77: the Abbey Church at Saint-Loup-de-Naud, the tympanum of the We-
stern Portal: Agnus lici and Manus Dei.
57. See footnote 43.
58. Dobrzeniecki, Maiestas Domini, op. cit., fig. 135.
59. Codex 142, XII/XIII eentury; Steenbock, op. cii, no 108, fig. 147.
60. The fragment transferred to the canvas, 0,85—0,61; Mittelatterliche Wondmalerci in Osterreich. Originoic, Kopien, Doku-
mcntalion. Ausstellung im Oberen Belvcdere, Wien 1970, p. 63 n°. 8.
61. Book of Isaiah, LXI, 1.
62. Lukę IV, 18—21
63. John I, 32.
64. Book of Isaiah, XI, 1.
65. Sztuka Polska, op. cit.
66. G. Cames, Byzance et la Peinturc Romanc de Germanie, Paris, 1966, fig. 289.
76
throne of Christ only two animals are represented: the lion and the ox sińce the mysteries of
the Revelation symbolized by the two other beings are represented on the separate reliefs51.
On the tympanum of the portal of the Church of San Domingo at Soria (Spain) the Paternity
is represented: the Son of God — Logos seated on the lap of the Father is adored by four angels.
One of them is holding the book and three others living creatures — the lion, the ox and the
eagle, who symbolized here the Christological mysteries and, therefore, the fourth being — the
man is lacking because Christ is represented in persona™.
Above the head of Christ in Majesty the following motifs were placed:
Manus Dei — Le Mans, the Cathedral of St Julien, Southern portal53.
Agnus Dei— Deols (Indre), the Abbey Church Notre-Dame, Northern portal: Christ enthro-
ned is trampling upon the lion and the dragon51. Nevers, the Church of St Peter55;
Mantes, the Collegiale Church of Our Lady, side portal of the Western facade56.
Columba: Capua, S. Angelo in Formis 57; the Mainz Cathedral58, portal: the book-cover of the
Gospel in the Treasury of the Cathedral in Treves5!); Nauders, the Chapel of St Leonard,
the head of Christ with the Dove (detail of the monumental mural painting of the Maiestas
Domini, Tllrd quarter of the XVth century60).
On the examples mentioned above as well as on the relief in the National Museum in Warsaw,
the Dove is descending to the head of Christ while on the tympanum at Strzelno it stands shown
in profile upon the head of Christ. Such placing of the Dove is an image of the formuła: Spiri-
tus Domini super me, belonging to the prophecy of Isaiah on Messiah61. This formuła was pro-
riounced by Jesus at the beginning of his public activity regarding it as the foretoken of his
mission62.
The evidence give:t by St John on the Baptism of Christ was following: Vidi Spiritum des-
cendentem quasi columbam de coelo el mansit super eum.™ This evidence refers to the prophecy
of Isaiah according to whom Spiritus Dei will descend for cver upon Messiah: et reąuiesect et
super eum Spiritus Dei.r,i
The examples are known of the reprcsentations of the Baptism of Christ with the Dove in
profile cg. the miniaturę in the Psalterium Nocturnum from the Cistercian Nunnery at Trzeb-
nica05 (fig 6) and in the Psalter of Landgraf Hermann von Thuringen66.
51. See: Neuss, Das Buch, op. cit, p. 135, footnote 3: the hymns of Adamus of St Victor to the feasts of the Evangelists Mat-
thew and Maik.
52. M. Durliat, Hispania Romanica, Wien und Munchen, 1962, lig. 179.
53. A. Lapeyre, "Des faęades occidentales dc Saint-Denis et de Chartres anx portails de Laon". Etudes sur la sculpture monu-
menłale dans VJlc -dc -France cl les regions noisines au XIIC sieele, Paris 1960, p. 90 sq; W. Sauerliinder. Gotische Skulp-
tur in Frankreich 1140—1210, Munchen, 1970, p. 70, pl. 16: before 1158 a very nrobable connection of workshop tradi-
tions with the recently finished Koyal Portal of the Chartres Cathedral may be noticed.
54. Lapeyre, op. cii, p. 81—3, fig. 49, now kept in the Museum at Chateauroux. The Lamb as a symbol of Christ: F. Nikolasch.
Das Lamm ais Christussymbol in den Schriflen der Viilcr, Wien, 1963; Idem, Das Łamm ais Cliristussymbol in der friili-
christlichen Kunsl. Habilitationsschrift an der theoi. Fakulliil d. Unio. su Salzburg, 1955.
55. Lapeyre, op. cii., p. 121—3, fig. 77; Saucrlander, op. cii., p. 106.
56. Saucrlander, op. cii., p. 92, pl. 48, ca 1170, p. 77: the Abbey Church at Saint-Loup-de-Naud, the tympanum of the We-
stern Portal: Agnus lici and Manus Dei.
57. See footnote 43.
58. Dobrzeniecki, Maiestas Domini, op. cit., fig. 135.
59. Codex 142, XII/XIII eentury; Steenbock, op. cii, no 108, fig. 147.
60. The fragment transferred to the canvas, 0,85—0,61; Mittelatterliche Wondmalerci in Osterreich. Originoic, Kopien, Doku-
mcntalion. Ausstellung im Oberen Belvcdere, Wien 1970, p. 63 n°. 8.
61. Book of Isaiah, LXI, 1.
62. Lukę IV, 18—21
63. John I, 32.
64. Book of Isaiah, XI, 1.
65. Sztuka Polska, op. cit.
66. G. Cames, Byzance et la Peinturc Romanc de Germanie, Paris, 1966, fig. 289.
76