2. Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to
1. Recognize and identify major artifacts and monuments of the ancient
world by period and title (and artist if known)
2. Describe, analyze, and compare major works of art from the ancient
world using art historical methods such as iconographic analysis and
formal analysis
3. Explain the relationship between works of art and the social, political,
and religious context in which they were made
4. Draw connections between works of art from different cultures and time
periods
5. Use online and library resources to locate and evaluate information
relevant to the study of art history
20. The University of Chicago Press International Center of Medieval Art
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21. Reading Romanesque Sculpture: The Iconography and
Reception of the South Portal Sculpture at Santiago de
Compostela*
KAREN ROSE MATHEWS
University of Colorado at Denver
Abstract jijxxxxx::?5:?:
..........
...........
Although recent scholarship and reception theory have ............
demonstratedthe importanceof audience in the actualization ..........
.......................
....... .. .... .....
.. ... xxx?
...............
........ ..
.......
..... ..... ..
of meaning in images and texts, more concerted attention is .... x.........
........
....
W.....
..............
necessary to understandthepolyvalent iconographic readings
of Romanesquesculpture. Imagery on the south portal of the .......... .............
..
.......
cathedral of Santiago conveyed messages of ecclesiastical
authority to specific audiences, namely the cathedral chapter
and inhabitantsof the town. The unseverablelink between the
......
.......
cathedral of Santiago and pilgrimage, however, has caused X.
.... . .
.
. ...................
va
pz.
scholars to overlook the importanceof the local population as Xg. ....... ...
an audience for the cult of St. James and the art patronage
program of the cathedral's bishop, Diego Gelmirez (1100- . . ?
..
Al 'eo
1140). Thispaper will explore the reception of the iconogra- ?
phy of the cathedral'ssouthportal by various audiences in the
twelfth century. The cathedral canons and townspeople may
have respondedto the imagery in a manner diametrically op-
. . . .. . "WI
O XW
40
posed to the prescribed reading of this sculptural ensemble
commissionedby the bishop. Theaudiences'multiplereadings,
mis-readings, and non-readings of the south portal imagery
low
,
.. . . .
0
..
demonstratethe indeterminacyinherent in the iconographyof
Romanesquesculptureand highlight the importanceof the di-
alectical relationship betweenproduction and reception to its
understanding.
For centuries Santiago de Compostela has been famed
for its connection to pilgrimage1 (Fig. 1). The Liber Sancti
Iacobi or Codex Calixtinus, the medieval text centered on the
cult of St. James and the pilgrimage to his church,depicts the
NP -?Mw/"
14,
gg??
pilgrims visiting Santiago as a devout, enthusiastic, and thor-
" W3
' el
.............
ON .. ..............
..
oughly satisfied audience for the cult. Recent studies, how-
ever, have begun to analyze the central role played by other
social groups in the orchestrationof James'scult in Santiago
Mag ......
'3, WAR ... ....
and the benefits which these other audiences hoped to derive .
.......
...
from the booming economic enterprise of the medieval cult
of saints.2 FIGURE Santiago Compostela,
1. de exterior
cathedral, viewof west
facade
Unlike the visiting pilgrims, the local population, par- author).
(photo:
ticularly the townspeople and the cathedral canons, were
ambivalentabout the pilgrimage industry generatedin Santi- nity of his cathedral,andto presentSantiagoas a centerof piety
ago by their ambitiousbishop, Diego Gelmirez (1100-1140). and pilgrimage equal to Rome.3The canons and townspeople
Gelmirezcombined the constructionof a massive new cathe- of Santiago were at best reluctantparticipantsin this grandi-
dral, the acquisition of ecclesiastical honors for himself and ose plan, and at worst Gelmirez'smost trenchantopponents.4
his church, and the implementation of religious reform to This paper will address the local inhabitants'responses
increase the flow of pilgrims, to enhance the status and dig- to the central artistic enterprise undertakenby Gelmirez in
GESTAXXXIX/1 @ The InternationalCenter of Medieval Art 2000 3
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37. Click on Search Tools and select “Large” for
high resolution images
38. Evaluating Web Resources
• Much of the information
available on the internet is
not reliable
• You must therefore evaluate
your resources to determine
their validity
40. Authority
Authority:
• Is the author or sponsor a
reliable source?
41. Authority
• Since anybody can post on
the internet you must be
sure that your source is
credible
42. Authority
• This is why Wikipedia is not
considered a reliable
resource
43. Authority
• But Wikipedia can be a great
jumping off point!
44. Authority
• Look for sites sponsored by
recognized experts in the
field
45. Authority
• Beware of sites that appear
to be authored by experts
46. Authority
• The authors are not always
experts on the topic
47. Authority
• Look for sites that are
sponsored by recognized
institutions such as:
Libraries
Museums
Universities
Reputable arts
organizations
48. Authority
• Domain names can help you
identify credible sources at a
glance
49. Authority
• Museums and libraries are
identified by the “.org” tag in
their URL
50. Authority
• Museum sites are an excellent
source of scholarly material
51. Authority
• Artcyclopedia provides links to
museum object pages
52. Authority
• Commercial sites are identified
by the “.com” domain name:
http://www.artble.com/artists/
giotto_di_bondone
66. Citation Format
• Citing internet sources is a pain
in the neck -- but everybody has
to do it!
• Otherwise, you will be guilty of
plagiarism!
67. Citation Format
Required information includes:
Author or agency
Title of article
Site name or original source
Date created and publisher
Date of access
URL
68. Citation Format
Required information includes:
Melissa Hall, “Gothic Art,” Art 108 Ancient to Author or agency
Medieval, Fall 2012 (November 26, 2012)
http://wccart108.wordpress.com/lectures/ Title of article
week-14-15-romanesque-and-gothic/gothic-
Site name or original source
art/
Date created and publisher
Date of access
URL
69. Citation Format
• There are now “citation
machines” available on the web
that will do the formatting for
you
http://citationmachine.net/
70. Citation Format
• Choose the format and type of
source you are using
http://citationmachine.net/
71. Citation Format
• If you can’t find the information
you need then you might want
to question the reliability of your
site
http://citationmachine.net/
72. Citation Format
• Many museum sites now offer
information about how to cite
their pages
