Social and symbolic functions of the Romanesque facade: The example of Macon's Last Judgment galilee.

Abstract

At the turn of the twelfth century, the bishop and canons at Saint-Vincent, Macon constructed a new galilee, replete with paradisiacal imagery, as public entryway to their cathedral. It is argued here that this liminal space sheltered France's earliest Last Judgment portal. In creating an innovative architectural and sculptural program for the cathedral facade, its clergy meant to create a self-consciously Christian community, and to attract the patronage of the Maconnais laity, who were increasingly turning to the abbey of Cluny as their religious center. Chapter one describes the galilee as a complement to Macon's pre-existing west-end architecture, and clarifies its construction campaigns. Chapter two characterizes the sculptural style of the galilee as an outcome of regional developments, and argues an approximate date between 1095 and 1110. A history of the community who commissioned and used this historiated public space, and the web of social actions surrounding the galilee's creation are described in chapter three. The argument culminates in chapter four, where the galilee is analyzed as social and symbolic expression. Its iconographies and possible functions are investigated, its interactive nature emphasized. Chapter five states conclusions. Appendix A provides a post-twelfth-century fabric history and Appendix B briefly describes the galilee capitals and gives measurements of the abaci, bases, and capitals. The Macon galilee program is defined here in relation to developments in Christian culture during the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries: a vastly increased number of churches, their public sculpture, an increasingly accessible liturgy, and various forms of pilgrimage and crusade secured for medieval Europe an active Christian community.