THE ONLINE GUIDE TO ROMANESQUE ART Webmaster: A. García Omedes - Huesca (Spain) | Introduction | New Features | Site Map | Interactive Maps | Opinion | Castles 11th-13th c. | Romanesque Routes | Monographic Themes | Other Regions Links | Bibliography | Dictionary | Awards | Premio Romanico Aragonés | Wallpaper | Home | -JACA. CATHEDRAL OF SAN PEDRO –"LONJA MAYOR"- IR A VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL (LA JACETANIA) See Interactive map of the area DROP DOWN MENU.....................................(Select cathedral destination) EXTERIOR-SOUTH APSE CORBELS DEL TEMPLO DETAILS OF SOUTH APSE "LONJA CHICA-SOUTH DOOR "LONJA MAYOR-WEST DOOR TYMPANUM-TRINITARIAN CHRISMON INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL CAPITALS IN THE INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL DIOCESAN MUSEUM 1
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-JACA. CATHEDRAL OF SAN PEDRO –"LONJA MAYOR"-
IR A VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL
(LA JACETANIA)
See Interactive map of the area
DROP DOWN MENU.....................................(Select cathedral destination) EXTERIOR-SOUTH APSE CORBELS DEL TEMPLO DETAILS OF SOUTH APSE "LONJA CHICA-SOUTH DOOR "LONJA MAYOR-WEST DOOR TYMPANUM-TRINITARIAN CHRISMON INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL CAPITALS IN THE INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL DIOCESAN MUSEUM
Undoubtedly, the west portal of Jaca Cathedral is a magnificent space into which the Master of Jaca poured all his artistic talent and where, at the same time, he created a structural and symbolic style. This style would later be repeated in many other places; in nearby areas, Jaca-style portals were ‘grafted’ onto already existing temples such as Iguácel, Sásabe, or San Pedro in Loarre. The Trinitarian Chrismon, which here in Jaca takes on the category of ‘a declaration of principles’, would later be repeated on countless occasions everywhere the influence of the Kingdom of Aragon reached.
Undoubtedly, the west portal of Jaca Cathedral is a magnificent space into which the Master of Jaca poured all his artistic talent and where, at the same time, he created a structural and symbolic style. This style would later be repeated in many other places; in nearby areas, Jaca-style portals were ‘grafted’ onto already existing temples such as Iguácel, Sásabe, or San Pedro in Loarre.
The Trinitarian Chrismon, which here in Jaca takes on the category of ‘a declaration of principles’, would later be repeated on countless occasions everywhere the influence of the Kingdom of Aragon reached.
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On each of the visible faces of the first capital on our left, there are two figures in classical dress. The two figures on the front face are immersed in conversation and one of them is holding a kind of rod in his hand. On the inner face, two figures are depicted carrying a square block which appears heavy. There is a carved third face to this capital which is almost completely hidden (as is the case with all the capitals of the west portal). This barely visible third face shows crouching figures [2]. This capital is thought to depict the actual builder of the cathedral. The builder himself is portrayed in the figure carrying the rod, the measure used to make calculations, while the two figures on the lateral face are labouring to move the stone blocks for use in the temple’s construction [3 and 4], ut its reading is correct and accepted postulated by Professor David Simon: "A Capital Moses at Jaca" in "Imágenes y promotores en el arte medieval" en "Miscelánea en homenaje a J. Yarza.". Bellaterra 2001, page 215. According to the hypothesis of D. Simon, the couple represents hemanos Moses and Aaron, the first carrying the stick with which worked miracles, as drivers of the chosen people to the promised land. The inclusion of this pair of brothers Bible points to the royal couple that then directs the kingdom: King Sancho Ramirez and his brother the bishop-infant García to which the iconography allude clear resemblance to Moses and Aaron. In fact, the pontiff referred GregorioVII the king in his bull "Apostolica sedes" of 1084 to as "quasi alter Moyses".
On each of the visible faces of the first capital on our left, there are two figures in classical dress. The two figures on the front face are immersed in conversation and one of them is holding a kind of rod in his hand. On the inner face, two figures are depicted carrying a square block which appears heavy. There is a carved third face to this capital which is almost completely hidden (as is the case with all the capitals of the west portal). This barely visible third face shows crouching figures [2].
This capital is thought to depict the actual builder of the cathedral. The builder himself is portrayed in the figure carrying the rod, the measure used to make calculations, while the two figures on the lateral face are labouring to move the stone blocks for use in the temple’s construction [3 and 4], ut its reading is correct and accepted postulated by Professor David Simon: "A Capital Moses at Jaca" in "Imágenes y promotores en el arte medieval" en "Miscelánea en homenaje a J. Yarza.". Bellaterra 2001, page 215. According to the hypothesis of D. Simon, the couple represents hemanos Moses and Aaron, the first carrying the stick with which worked miracles, as drivers of the chosen people to the promised land. The inclusion of this pair of brothers Bible points to the royal couple that then directs the kingdom: King Sancho Ramirez and his brother the bishop-infant García to which the iconography allude clear resemblance to Moses and Aaron. In fact, the pontiff referred GregorioVII the king in his bull "Apostolica sedes" of 1084 to as "quasi alter Moyses".
567
The second capital has plant decoration on two levels over a base line of repeating palmette motif. At the top of the capital, and rather deteriorated, volutes can be discerned. The delicacy of the carving is amazing, the tips of the leaves joined and the space between the leaves left open [5 to 7].
8910
On the right side of the portal, the two existing capitals tell the complete story of Daniel. It was Serafin Moralejo who identified the sequence as that of Daniel in the lions’ den being fed by Habakkuk (Daniel 14: 32-39). Carved on the inner capital [8 to 10] is the scene of the angel looking for the prophet Habakkuk, who is taking food to the workers in the field, and ordering him to take the food to Daniel in the lions’ den. Miraculously, the beasts do not attack Daniel, but he has no food. Habakkuk argues that he doesn’t know the way to Babylon where Daniel is. So the angel takes him by the hair and flies him there. All of this can be seen on the capital, as well as how Habakkuk gives the food, in the shape of a circular loaf of bread (symbolic of the Eucharist), to the sitting Daniel. The heads of two young lions are visible next to Daniel’s left leg [10]. This same episode is depicted on other emblematic monuments of the new Kingdom of Aragón: in Loarre castle and the upper chapel of the monastery of San Juan de la Peña (See Monographic themes).
On the right side of the portal, the two existing capitals tell the complete story of Daniel. It was Serafin Moralejo who identified the sequence as that of Daniel in the lions’ den being fed by Habakkuk (Daniel 14: 32-39).
Carved on the inner capital [8 to 10] is the scene of the angel looking for the prophet Habakkuk, who is taking food to the workers in the field, and ordering him to take the food to Daniel in the lions’ den. Miraculously, the beasts do not attack Daniel, but he has no food. Habakkuk argues that he doesn’t know the way to Babylon where Daniel is. So the angel takes him by the hair and flies him there.
All of this can be seen on the capital, as well as how Habakkuk gives the food, in the shape of a circular loaf of bread (symbolic of the Eucharist), to the sitting Daniel. The heads of two young lions are visible next to Daniel’s left leg [10].
This same episode is depicted on other emblematic monuments of the new Kingdom of Aragón: in Loarre castle and the upper chapel of the monastery of San Juan de la Peña (See Monographic themes).
111213
On the next capital another story from the life of Daniel can be traced. To be precise, the story of when Daniel exposes the priests who were guarding a deity in the form of a dragon (depicted here as a snake). The priests had given their assurance that at night this god ate all the food offerings which were made to it when, in reality, it was the priests and their families who ate them. Daniel sprinkled soot over the floor and the next morning the footprints of the priests in the soot leading to a secret entrance revealed the true story. The king ordered the priests to be put to death. This is what is narrated in the capital pictured in photos 11 to 13. Its deciphering was made possible by using the figurative language brilliantly discovered by Serafín Moralejo following a study of the sarcophagus of Husillos (Palencia), now in the National Archaeological Museum [14], and the formal language of such sculptures as that of Cain and Abel in Frómista and those of this portal. Observe the chiastic, or crisscross, posture of some figures – arms and legs separated to form an ‘X’; terror expressed by turning the head away and showing the palms of the hands; snakes held in the hand like the mythological Furies; or the use of long pieces of cloth to give continuation to the narration. Professor Prado Vilar brilliantly takes up the idea of Moralejo again and presents it in a marvellous article, “Saevum Facinus” – highly recommended reading (available through the link).
On the next capital another story from the life of Daniel can be traced. To be precise, the story of when Daniel exposes the priests who were guarding a deity in the form of a dragon (depicted here as a snake). The priests had given their assurance that at night this god ate all the food offerings which were made to it when, in reality, it was the priests and their families who ate them. Daniel sprinkled soot over the floor and the next morning the footprints of the priests in the soot leading to a secret entrance revealed the true story. The king ordered the priests to be put to death.
This is what is narrated in the capital pictured in photos 11 to 13. Its deciphering was made possible by using the figurative language brilliantly discovered by Serafín Moralejo following a study of the sarcophagus of Husillos (Palencia), now in the National Archaeological Museum [14], and the formal language of such sculptures as that of Cain and Abel in Frómista and those of this portal.
Observe the chiastic, or crisscross, posture of some figures – arms and legs separated to form an ‘X’; terror expressed by turning the head away and showing the palms of the hands; snakes held in the hand like the mythological Furies; or the use of long pieces of cloth to give continuation to the narration.
Professor Prado Vilar brilliantly takes up the idea of Moralejo again and presents it in a marvellous article, “Saevum Facinus” – highly recommended reading (available through the link).
14
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