Sunday, October 6, 2013

Modena Cathedral

According to our guidebooks, Modena's cathedral, completed in 1099, is the finest of Italy's Romanesque cathedrals. Apart from its age, it seemed fairly unremarkable, except for one item of sculpture.
West facade














South (starboard) side














Extra south-side portal for VIPs


















Looking up the great campanile, the Ghirlandia


















On the west facade, possibly not a Last Judgment; possibly someone had been
to Siam?














Some good Old Testament reliefs














Cain bonks Abel, etc.














Knave view


















Elevation: alternating piers and columns, triforia,
clerestory, and then...4-part Gothic vaulting...
it was indeed an age of transition, and the
Church was a hugely international organization 





















The crypt was very interesting and accessible; almost
Moorish-looking














Thus, with tomb of St. Enzo on the right















View of rood screen from altar; the white band across the
screen is actually the Last Supper tablecloth! So it said















Back outside; the little arched recesses all around the church are entirely exposed
brick now; except for these two, showing earlier plaster and paint
















North door frame sculpture...the months and their labors...pretty
standard 



















North door, archivolt: the Porta della Pescheria; this is the first known stone
representation of Arthurian legend; scholars appear to agree on a date in the
early 12th century; not only are there relevant scenes from the legends, the
various characters are given their Breton names: Artus de Bretania, Winlogee
(Guinevere), Galvagin (Gawain), et al.; it's not unusual to see something
completely secular on a church; but it's a long way to Tipperary, I mean,
Tintagel


















2 comments:

Tawana said...

I am never as pleased with Italian churches as I am with French ones. Maybe it is the fact that I usually have to pay to enter Italian churches, and then pay to have the lights turned on so I can see what I have already paid to see.

Mark said...

Yes, the state-supported cathedrals in France are nice and filled with light. Don't go to the UK. Few of their important cathedrals are free, and some are quite pricey. I don't mind having to turn the lights on in
Italy; having them on constantly would damage the artwork.