The Final Judgement to The Final Judgement to 1400: Blessed or Damned?1400: Blessed or Damned?

Sam BuchananSam Buchanan

Origins of JudgmentOrigins of Judgment

Christian Scriptural References Christian Scriptural References 2 Corinthians 5:102 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2 Peter 3:72 Peter 3:7

But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

DevelopementDevelopement

As exegesis of the Bible’s meanings became a popular topic As exegesis of the Bible’s meanings became a popular topic of study, a clearly developed idea that Christ would return of study, a clearly developed idea that Christ would return to pass judgment on Man’s sins surfaced as a mainstream to pass judgment on Man’s sins surfaced as a mainstream Christian belief. Christian belief.

With the rise of Christian art came Icons that often With the rise of Christian art came Icons that often depicted scenes or stories taken from scripture. The Day of depicted scenes or stories taken from scripture. The Day of Judgment was one such scene.Judgment was one such scene.

From these early depictions onward, the artistic scene of From these early depictions onward, the artistic scene of the Last Judgment served as a crucial means for explaining the Last Judgment served as a crucial means for explaining a story to a culture that was primarily illiterate.a story to a culture that was primarily illiterate.

Romanesque JudgmentRomanesque Judgment While there had beenWhile there had been artistic artistic

renderings of the Final renderings of the Final Judgment previous to Judgment previous to Romanesque architecture with Romanesque architecture with Icons and various other Icons and various other Christian art, Romanesque Christian art, Romanesque Cathedrals give artists and Cathedrals give artists and theologians a dedicated means theologians a dedicated means for depicting scenes like the for depicting scenes like the Last Judgment. Last Judgment.

These works would have been These works would have been painted, and would have likely painted, and would have likely had bejeweled eyes as well.had bejeweled eyes as well.

Above: West Portal at Autun

Jesus as CondemnerJesus as Condemner

During the Romanesque period, Jesus was During the Romanesque period, Jesus was commonly depicted as wrathful or condemning, commonly depicted as wrathful or condemning, serving to inspire fear in the illiterate masses. serving to inspire fear in the illiterate masses.

This judging Jesus was most often placed in the This judging Jesus was most often placed in the tympanum over the portal of the church and was tympanum over the portal of the church and was sculpted in the type of stone that was most readily sculpted in the type of stone that was most readily available. Very often, Jesus was depicted available. Very often, Jesus was depicted dispensing judgment from his throne, usually dispensing judgment from his throne, usually within a mandorla. Those passing into the Church within a mandorla. Those passing into the Church often had to confront a very explicit portrayal of the often had to confront a very explicit portrayal of the punishment awaiting those who sinned.punishment awaiting those who sinned.

Cathedrals Depicting The Last Cathedrals Depicting The Last JudgmentJudgment

A short list of the most important A short list of the most important Romanesque Cathedrals depicting the Romanesque Cathedrals depicting the Last Judgment includes but is not Last Judgment includes but is not limited to:limited to:

Sainte Foy at Conques (France)Sainte Foy at Conques (France)

Autun Cathedral (France)Autun Cathedral (France)

Vezelay Abbey (France)Vezelay Abbey (France)

Beaulieu Abbey (England)Beaulieu Abbey (England)

Bourges Cathedral (France)Bourges Cathedral (France)

Saint-Pierre Abbey at Moissac (France)Saint-Pierre Abbey at Moissac (France)

Above: Tympanum at Sainte-Pierre in Beaulieu

Autun: The Cathedral of Saint-Autun: The Cathedral of Saint-LazareLazare

The Cathedral of Saint Lazarus at Autun is The Cathedral of Saint Lazarus at Autun is debatably one of the first Western renderings of the debatably one of the first Western renderings of the Final Judgment and perhaps the most famous of Final Judgment and perhaps the most famous of these tympanums.these tympanums.

Sculpted and, oddly enough for the time period, Sculpted and, oddly enough for the time period, signed by Giselbertus, it was completed around signed by Giselbertus, it was completed around 1130, soon after the cathedral itself was built.1130, soon after the cathedral itself was built.

The Last Judgment Tympanum at Autun

The Weighing of SoulsThe Weighing of Souls

The Weighing of SoulsThe Weighing of Souls

This tympanum shows excellent sculpting as well as a remarkably This tympanum shows excellent sculpting as well as a remarkably detailed account of the Last Judgment. It shows the Last detailed account of the Last Judgment. It shows the Last Judgment as a day to be feared, showing some of the most Judgment as a day to be feared, showing some of the most explicit scenes of hell in Romanesque architecture.explicit scenes of hell in Romanesque architecture.

With imagery derived from Byzantine Iconography, Giselbertus With imagery derived from Byzantine Iconography, Giselbertus depicts the Archangel Michael weighing Souls, with demons depicts the Archangel Michael weighing Souls, with demons pulling down at the scales in an attempt to tip the balance pulling down at the scales in an attempt to tip the balance towards hell. Beneath one can see the suffering denizens of hell. towards hell. Beneath one can see the suffering denizens of hell. One suffering sinner’s head is even caught in the grips of a One suffering sinner’s head is even caught in the grips of a demon’s feet, his face in obvious terror and pain. These images demon’s feet, his face in obvious terror and pain. These images filled the head of entering pilgrims and clergy alike as sin literally filled the head of entering pilgrims and clergy alike as sin literally loomed over their heads.loomed over their heads.

Sainte-Foy at ConquesSainte-Foy at Conques

The Church of Sainte-Foy also features one of the The Church of Sainte-Foy also features one of the more definitive Last Judgment tympanums above more definitive Last Judgment tympanums above it’s west portal. it’s west portal.

This Romanesque sculpture features the same This Romanesque sculpture features the same condemning Jesus in Majesty found in works like condemning Jesus in Majesty found in works like the tympanum at Autun, gesturing downward the tympanum at Autun, gesturing downward towards the hellish scenes on his left. However, the towards the hellish scenes on his left. However, the tympanum at Conques features an even larger tympanum at Conques features an even larger array of apocalyptic art than the tympanum at array of apocalyptic art than the tympanum at Autun as well as explanatory text laced throughout Autun as well as explanatory text laced throughout the scenes. This piece even contains a lot of the the scenes. This piece even contains a lot of the original paint that would have been on such works.original paint that would have been on such works.

The Last Judgment at Sainte-Foy in ConquesThe Last Judgment at Sainte-Foy in Conques

Punishment as seen at ConquesPunishment as seen at Conques

The Mouth of Hell (right side)The Mouth of Hell (right side)

Punishment as seen at ConquesPunishment as seen at Conques

Satan surrounded by sinnersSatan surrounded by sinners

Punishment as seen at ConquesPunishment as seen at Conques The two previous images are visual representations The two previous images are visual representations

of the punishment that awaited those who were of the punishment that awaited those who were unrepentant. unrepentant.

Sinners can be seen being fed into the mouth of Sinners can be seen being fed into the mouth of what appears to be the Leviathan or perhaps the what appears to be the Leviathan or perhaps the Mouth of Hell. Sinners are also seen crowed Mouth of Hell. Sinners are also seen crowed around Satan, being tortured by the demons that around Satan, being tortured by the demons that inhabit hell.inhabit hell.

With a punishment like these ahead of those who With a punishment like these ahead of those who sinned, these images served as a powerful means sinned, these images served as a powerful means for instilling fear in the medieval believer. for instilling fear in the medieval believer.

Damned to BlessedDamned to Blessed

The rise of Gothic style architecture in the 12The rise of Gothic style architecture in the 12thth centure saw a gradual change in the nature of Last centure saw a gradual change in the nature of Last Judgment scenes.Judgment scenes.

While still being commonly used as the subject for While still being commonly used as the subject for tympanum across Europe, the tone of such Last tympanum across Europe, the tone of such Last Judgment pieces shifted away from a focus on Judgment pieces shifted away from a focus on monsters, demons, and vulgar punishments. One monsters, demons, and vulgar punishments. One obvious example of such a shift is seen in the doors obvious example of such a shift is seen in the doors of the Notre Dame Cathedral at Chartres.of the Notre Dame Cathedral at Chartres.

Notre Dame at ChartresNotre Dame at Chartres

While images like the Weighing of Souls still appear in While images like the Weighing of Souls still appear in this work, they are not quite as frightening. The this work, they are not quite as frightening. The appearance of demons and other fanciful and frighten appearance of demons and other fanciful and frighten creatures is greatly reduced, almost to the point of creatures is greatly reduced, almost to the point of being nonexistant. being nonexistant.

Instead of pointing downards towards hell, Jesus has Instead of pointing downards towards hell, Jesus has his hands raised in a much less reproachful manner.his hands raised in a much less reproachful manner.

While the horrors of hell took up most of the While the horrors of hell took up most of the tympanum in works like those at Autun and Conques, tympanum in works like those at Autun and Conques, Angels and Apostles dominate most of the Tympanum Angels and Apostles dominate most of the Tympanum space at Nortre Dame in Chartres.space at Nortre Dame in Chartres.

Notre Dame At ChartresNotre Dame At Chartres

The Last JudgmentThe Last Judgment

Despite displaying the same predicted evens Despite displaying the same predicted evens of Christian theology, the nature and tone of of Christian theology, the nature and tone of

Last Judgment pieces can vary greatly Last Judgment pieces can vary greatly depending on the time period in which they depending on the time period in which they were created. From damned to blessed, the were created. From damned to blessed, the medieval believer was constantly reminded medieval believer was constantly reminded of their future eternal life because of these of their future eternal life because of these

tympanum art pieces.tympanum art pieces.

SourcesSources Camille, Michael. Camille, Michael. Gothic Art: Glorius Visions.Gothic Art: Glorius Visions. New York: Harry N. Abrams, New York: Harry N. Abrams,

Incorporated, 1996.Incorporated, 1996. Denny, Don. “The Last Judgment Tympanum at Autun: Its Sources and Meaning.” Denny, Don. “The Last Judgment Tympanum at Autun: Its Sources and Meaning.”

SpeculumSpeculum 57, no. 3 (Jul., 1982): 532-547. 57, no. 3 (Jul., 1982): 532-547. Medieval Acadamy of America. Medieval Acadamy of America. Database on-line. Database on-line. JSTOR: accessed November 19, 2008.JSTOR: accessed November 19, 2008.

Kunstler, Gustav. Kunstler, Gustav. Romanesque Art In EuropeRomanesque Art In Europe. Vienna: Anton Schroll and Co, 1968. Vienna: Anton Schroll and Co, 1968 Geese, Uwe, and Laule, Ulrike. Geese, Uwe, and Laule, Ulrike. RomanesqueRomanesque. Berlin: Feirabend, 2002.. Berlin: Feirabend, 2002. Timmers, J.J. M.Timmers, J.J. M. A Handbook of Romanesque Art. A Handbook of Romanesque Art. Great Britain: Thomas Nelson and Great Britain: Thomas Nelson and

Sons Ltd, 1969.Sons Ltd, 1969. Toman, Rolf. Toman, Rolf. Gothic: Architecture Sculpture PaintingGothic: Architecture Sculpture Painting. Berlin, Konemann 2004.. Berlin, Konemann 2004. Toman, Rolf. Toman, Rolf. RomanesqueRomanesque. Berlin, Konemann, 1997.. Berlin, Konemann, 1997.