Professor Abramovich
ARHS 1010
April 12, 2018
Object Essay: The Tympanum of Saint-Lazare, Autun
The Cathedral of Saint-Lazare located in Autun, France is an example of a medieval sculpture during the period of 1120-1135. People who went to visit this cathedral came to learn more about a unique story through images of different texts, such as on the tympanum. The different images that were sculptured on the tympanum tell a unique story about Christ. The tympanum, a vertical, triangular space that forms the centers of a pediment is located on the central portal of the cathedral. In particular, this one displays the depiction of the Last Judgment.
The Last Judgment is the second coming of Christ and the final judgment of God to all humanity, …show more content…
In the center of the tympanum, Christ is enclosed and enthroned by angels holding him up. Each side of the tympanum splits into two different registers with an architrave underneath. In the portal, Christ's figure shows that he is much larger than the rest of the images, which displays and indicates the use of hieratic scale. The most memorable part of this piece is the sculptor's signature written at the bottom of Christ's feet.
The specific use of fine detail and features from past traditions were prominent and heavily influenced by the Romans, Early Christians, Byzantines, Muslims, and the Celtics during the eleventh and twelfth centuries of Western art during the Romanesque era. The main force behind Romanesque art was the expansion of monasticism. Monasticism is a religious way of life when one dedicates themselves fully to spiritual work. Romanesque art featured many scenes from the Christian faith (MET Museum). There was a Roman influence on the architecture that featured stone-vaulted buildings decorated with wall arcades and architectural sculptures.
Specifically, the churches were large and ornamented with colorful, geometric figures