Orvieto Cathedral: the low reliefs--page 4 (of six pages)

Lorenzo Maitani
1310-1330 CE






The six pages include the following:
page one: exterior views, rose window, mosaics
page two: bronze Evangelists' symbols (Maitani); 20th century bronze door
page three: pillars one and two: stories from Genesis and Messianic prophesies (Maitani)
page four: pillar 3: New Testament events--life of Jesus (Maitani)
page 5: pillar 4: Last Judgment
page 6: interior views; Gentile da Fabriano fresco


The third pillar with stories from the New Testament

Ten rows here are divided by acanthus. In the bottommost row, center, Jacob sleeps, surrounded by prophets in the bottom and next to bottom row--partly obscured by the protective plastic shield. Their scrolls indicate they are prophets.
 

Left: second through the sixth row; center: the third and fourth rows with the Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, and Adoration of the Magi

 

The Annunciation and Visitation--Mary goes to greet Elizabeth, who will also be bearing a child (John the Baptist)

 

The Birth of Jesus and the Visit of the Magi

 
Other scenes include the Presentation in the Temple, the Flight into Egypt, the Slaughter of the Innocents and Jesus among the Doctors. Then, pictured below, is the Baptism of Jesus on the seventh row; on the right of this row, the Temptation in the Desert is depicted (not shown here). The eighth row depicts Jesus entering Jerusalem and his arrest in Gethsemane. The ninth panel shows the scourging of Jesus and His Crucifixion; the tenth depicts the three women at the tomb with the symbolism of the Resurrection.



Continue to page 5.

Works Consulted:
Anna Caprespa. The Cathedral of Orvieto. Sesto Fiorentino: Casa Editrice Perseus, n.d.
Eraldo Rosatelli. The Cathedral of Orvieto: Faith Art Literature. Perugia: Quattroemme Srl, 2000.


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© 2005 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.

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