« Apocalypse XXI-XXII et l’iconographie du portail central de la nef de Vézelay », Cahiers de civilisation médiévale, 41, 1998, p. 209-240. (original) (raw)

It is now generally accepted that Pentecost is in fact the theme of the tympanum of the central portal of the nave of the church at Vézelay -Pentecost, an event which was then regarded, as it still is, as the founding act of the Church. Representations of Apostles are seen at various points on the portal, indicating that the Church is already at work, teaching and preaching. In order to evoke the nature of the Church, the creator of the concept for the portal appears to have drawn on the two final chapters of the Apocalypse (21 and 22) and the relevant exegesis. For a characteristic feature of these texts is that pratically ail the component elements of the portal are therein alluded to, either directly or more or less implicitly. And it is from this source that certain of those elements derive their meaning, namely the waters at the feet of Christ ; the throne on which he sits ; the figures carved on the embrasure and the representation of John the Baptist ; and especially the zodiac with its four insets as well as the two capitals on the right-hand side. It is perfectly possible therefore that the conception of the iconographie message of the portai should have taken shape with those chapters of the Apocalypse in mind.