Decoding the Portico of Glory

Discover the details of the iconographic discourse developed by Master Mateo through the figures of his triple arcade.

By The Catedral de Santiago Foundation

Fundación Catedral de Santiago

Portico of Glory (ca. 1168-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The Portico of Glory is the western entrance to the Romanesque cathedral. Designed by the genius Master Mateo, it is considered a masterpiece of universal art.

This exhibition on the Portico will analyze its apocalyptic and salvational discourse, through the figures attached to the central arch and tympanum, as well as the two side arches.

Central Arch of The Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

Central Arch
The account of Revelation begins in the crypt and develops through the column statues and the archivolts of the Portico of Glory, reaching its culmination in the central arch.

Observe this polychrome tympanum filled with connected sculptures. In his day, Serafín Moralejo indicated the establishment of a New Covenant, and the culmination of the Last Judgment.

Lintels Central Arch of The Portico of Glory (1188) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The tympanum rests upon lintels containing an inscription commemorating its installation by Master Mateo on April 1, 1188.

This epigraph is one of two direct references to Master Mateo's work on the cathedral. It is very important in order to date the evolution of the building throughout the 20 years of the project, from 1168 when it started. It also shows the value of Mateo's undertaking, who, as expressed in the inscription, directed every aspect of the work, from its very foundations.

Central Arch of The Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

Christ in Majesty

In the tympanum, the sculpture of Christ in Majesty is the figure with the most visual impact due to its central location and its size.

Maiestas Domini of The Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The image depicts the vision of the Revelation to John: "and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it …," chapter four.

This relationship between text and image justifies both the enthroned representation of Christ and the presence of the evangelists surrounding him.

Detail Maiestas Domini of The Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

It is a detailed image of Christ crowned with a cruciform halo, with long hair and a beard, and dressed in a tunic and cloak. His facial expression is serene, and there is an angel with an incense burner on each of his shoulders.

Detail Maiestas Domini of The Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

In terms of the presentation of his body, the Christ in the central arch has crucifixion wounds on show. Both the palms of his open hands and his bare feet bear the scars of the nails. There is also blood seeping out of the lance wound on his side.

This representation, which depicts the deep-held belief of the suffering of Jesus—as Man—on the cross, completes Master Mateo's storytelling in the Portico of Glory.

Evangelists of The Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The Evangelists

The verses of Revelation that tell the story of the Last Judgment mention the presence of another four thrones: these are the representations of the evangelists surrounding the figure of Christ in Majesty in the tympanum. The polychrome images of these Saints—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are completed with the corresponding symbols.

Saint John, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The richly-colored and beardless Saint John, writing on the eagle, is visible in the upper right of the Christ in Majesty.

Saint Matthew, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

To the left of Christ, there is a winged Saint Matthew writing on a desk supported upon his knees.

Saint Luke, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

Just below the figure of Saint John is Saint Luke. Also writing, he is accompanied by a bullock with its front hooves upon the evangelist's knees.

Saint Marcus, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

To the left of Christ, and with a lion at his feet, is Saint Mark. Like Matthew's bullock, Mark's lion has his front paws on the knees of the latter.

The Just, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The Glory

The space of the archivolts and the tympanum of the central arch represent Glory. The figures there are therefore part of the celestial entourage. Their presence is important, and their inclusion in this divine space supports Mateo's account in the Portico.

Arma Christi, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

In the Glory, on each side of the evangelists Saint Luke and Saint Mark, there are a series of angels carrying the Arma Christi, otherwise known as the Instruments of the Passion.

The kneeling angel in the group on the far left of the tympanum holds up the column to which Jesus was tied while being lashed.

Then there are a couple of figures carrying the cross, and on the same level, on Saint Luke's right, a fourth angel holding the crown of thorns in covered hands.

Arma Christi, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

On the right of the tympanum is the second procession of angels carrying the Arma Christi.

The first of these figures, from left to right, holds the four nails of the crucifixion, and the lance in his right hand. The covering of the hands denotes those objects which have been in direct contact with Christ.

That is why the last three angels have no need for a covering; they are carrying the amphora of vinegar that was given to Christ to drink, the whips, and the rod with a vinegar-soaked sponge which a soldier held up to his lips.

The Just, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The presence of the righteous and the blessed, who occupy the divine space of the central tympanum, cannot be overlooked. The most important figures are crowned and look like children.

The scenes of the righteous and the blessed demonstrate Master Mateo's ability to establish dialogs and looks by using the figures' body language.

The Elders holding instruments, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The Elder Musicians

The account by Saint John in Revelation (4,4): "And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold," corresponds to the figures around the large arch of the central tympanum. These are the elder musicians who are about to begin their celestial concert.

Detail of the Elders, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The number of musicians demonstrates the great catalog of contemporary musical instruments in the Portico of Glory. The musicians are tuning psalteries, violas, zithers, harps, and lutes (stringed Medieval instruments).

Organistrum, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

Two of the most notable figures are the musicians tuning the organistrum (a stringed Medieval instrument). The musician on the right is turning the wooden wheel, while the one on the left strums the strings.

Detail of the Elders, Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The arrangement of the musicians reveals that these sculptures were originally carved in workshops, and then, along with the rest of the Portico, connected to the archivolt of the central arch.

They had some difficulty fitting and adjusting the sculptures in their final location. An example of this can be seen in the figure of the angel which goes right through the souls and touches the head of the second musician from the left.

Angels, Columns of the Central Arch, Portico of Glory (ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

In this context, there is communication between the scenes on the side arches, and how figures interact to break through the established architectural limits in order to reach the Glory.

The presence of representations of angels, helping souls to reach salvation, and depicting them with crowns, or transferring them to the central arch, are an example of this communication.

Left arch of the Portico of Glory (ca. 1168-1188) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

Left Arch
The left arch of the Portico of Glory comprises two semi-circular archivolts and a third that delineates the largest by way of an overhang.

There is no tympanum, and so the iconography has been adjusted to fit in a smaller—in this case circular—space.

The largest arch depicts the twelve tribes of Israel, while the smallest depicts the resurrection, or Jesus' descent from the cross. This final scene, in the style of Byzantine art, does not originate from the Bible but rather from the apocryphal gospel of Nicodemus.

Left arch of the Portico of Glory. Iconography (ca. 1168-1188) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

It tells the story of Christ deposited in the sepulcher, descending into limbo to free the righteous, who had not been able to adhere to the Christian faith from the Old Testament.

That is why the representations with Adam and Eve include others, who have been identified as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. As for Christ, he is represented without a beard, as it is his soul that descends, and in the Middle Ages this was represented as a child.

Right arch of the Portico of Glory (ca. 1168-1188) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

Right Arch
The right arch is also arranged with two archivolts, and a third that serves as an overhang.

Here, the iconography must also be adjusted into a reduced space, but it is organized in an innovative way: longitudinally, as would become convention later in the Gothic style.

The theme depicted is the Last Judgment: the head of Christ presides in the center of the largest archivolt, and the head of Saint Michael in the one below, as he was in charge of weighing the souls.

They hold in their hands a number of signs referencing the blessed and the damned, but the message is no longer legible.

Right arch of the Portico of Glory. Iconography of the blessed (Ca. 1188-1211) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The blessed are situated on the left, depicted as nude children on the path to glory, partially covered by the large robes of the angels who carry them in their arms.

On the overhang of the largest archivolt are some beardless figures, dressed in tunics, who also look toward the celestial vision of the tympanum.

Right arch of the Portico of Glory. Iconography of the condemned (ca. 1168-1188) by Master MateoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation

The damned are situated on the right, tortured by demons in human form, but with elements of different animal species.

The standard representation is of their enormous mouths biting the damned in the areas of the body that correspond to the sins committed.

So one is bitten on the tongue, while for another they try to eat an enormous piece of bread that does not fit in his mouth. A third has his head down, unable to drink wine.

Credits: Story

An initiative by the Catedral de Santiago Foundation (Fundación Catedral de Santiago).

Director: Ramón Yzquierdo Peiró
Texts: Sara María Abal Filgueira, Marina de la Vega Adán, Mariana Oliva García.
Photography: Catedral de Santiago Foundation—Denís E. F.

The restoration of the Portico of Glory has been made possible thanks to the patronage of the Barrié Foundation (Fundación Barrié).

www.museocatedraldesantiago.es

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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