Autun Cathedral

History

The first cathedral of Autun was built from the 5th century onwards, later dedicated to Saint Nazarius, as it held relics of Saints Nazarius and Celsus. In about 970 it obtained from Marseille some of the relics of Lazarus of Aix, in the belief that they were relics of Lazarus of Bethany, the friend of Jesus. These became an object of pilgrimage and the crowds became too great for the cathedral building. The Bishop of Autun, Etienne de Bâgé, therefore decided in about 1120 on the construction of a new cathedral as a pilgrimage church and for the better veneration of the relics.

The new cathedral was allotted a site to the north of the earlier cathedral of Saint Nazaire, of which some remains may still be seen. Work on the new cathedral of Saint Lazarus began in around 1120 and advanced rapidly enough for the building to be consecrated in 1132. It was mostly finished by 1146, when the relics of Lazarus were translated from the old cathedral. The Tomb of Lazarus, the shrine of the relics, was constructed in the choir in 1170–1180.

The narthex or portico was not completed until the very end of the century. St. Lazare Cathedral stands in the highest and best fortified corner of the town. In the period 1462-1469, Bishop Jean Rolin had a new belfry built in replacement of the Romanesque one that was unfortunately destroyed by a bolt of lightning. The inspiration of the new building, both in layout and decoration, was Cluniac.

The designs were the work of the bishop Etienne de Bâgé, who was particularly influenced by the Cluniac abbey of Paray-le-Monial. For a number of years after 1146 the two cathedrals operated in tandem, with Saint Lazare as the summer cathedral (from Easter to All Saints' Day) and Saint Nazaire as the winter cathedral. Saint Lazare was eventually confirmed as the one cathedral of Autun in 1195.

Capitals

St. Lazare Cathedral contains some of the most spectacular Romanesque capitals done by Gislebertus in its nave and choir. Gislebertus created capitals that used the tendrils of the actual Corinthian capital to create an architectural frame for the narrative of the story to develop. The capitals of the portal are carved with biblical and traditional scenes. One depicts St. Jerome removing a thorn from a lion's paw; another shows the Presentation of Christ.

Over 60 capitals within St. Lazare are known to be the works of Gislebertus and include other biblical narratives including Samson, the prophet Habakkuk, Cain & Abel, St. Peter, as well as capitals containing Christ and the Apostles. Owing to a near-collapse in the 19th century, the capitals under the central tower were replaced by replicas; the originals can be viewed up close in the upstairs chapter house. Among the scenes on the capitals in the chapter house are the Flight into Egypt, God Questioning Cain, the Hanging of Judas, and the Adoration of the Magi.

Gislebertus is conceiving the capitals through liturgical drama. One capital depicts the angel's attempt to wake the three sleeping magi. The angel points to the star in attempt to have the three magi to follow the star. The Flight into Egypt capital depicts Mary with a calm demeanour showing us her child as she sits upon the pony.

She seems to be floating on the donkey rather than sitting on him, a position similar to the enthroned Madonna and Child. The Suicide of Judas capital shows Judas with an open face shown in a grimace with his tongue out. The capital also depicts demons pulling Judas up and hanging him. Gislebertus actually uses one of the tendrils of the Corinthian capital in an innovative way to demonstrate what was used to hang Judas. The fire hair of the devils represents a reference to hell.

The Last Judgment tympanum

The tympanum is signed by Giselbertus of Autun. The tympanum's size required double lintels supported by a middle column. The left side depicts the rise to the heavenly kingdom; the right shows demons in hell with an angel and devil weighing souls on a balance. Zodiac signs surround the arch vault, with Christ at the center as a serene, symmetrical figure flanked by the Virgin Mary and apostles. St. Peter guards heaven's gate as resurrected individuals try to enter with angelic assistance. Two men near the center of the lintel carry bags bearing a cross and a seashell, symbols of pilgrims traveling from Jerusalem to Santiago de Compostela. The artwork is a means of teaching the masses of Christian ethics with dramatic scenes of heaven and hell.

Zodiac

The zodiac and labors of the months surround the arch vault of the tympanum. From left to right, clockwise, the carvings include a floral pattern with six petals; a disc possibly representing the sun with alternating ears and leaves; a figure of the improvident crying in his clothes; the wise in priest's habit and the madman naked; January shows a peasant cutting bread while warming by a fire; Aquarius pours water; February shows a peasant warming by a fire; Pisces shows two head-to-spade fish caught on one line; March shows a farmer pruning a vine; Aries shows a ram; April shows a farmer feeding a goat and sheep; Taurus shows a bull; May shows a banneret knight preparing his horse; Gemini shows two naked young men holding banners; the Summer Solstice shows a seated character ruling the annual cycle, possibly representing the year; Cancer shows a crayfish; June shows a character picking fruit; Leo shows a lion; July shows a man sharpening a scythe for hay harvest; Virgo shows an angel; August shows a shirtless man threshing wheat; Libra shows a woman checking a scale; September shows a man treading grapes; Scorpio shows a scorpion as an eight-legged toad; October shows a man beating an oak tree for acorns; Sagittarius shows a centaur shooting a bow; November shows a man carrying a bundle of dead wood; Capricorn shows a mythological figure with goat head, eagle wings, and fishtail; December shows pig slaughter; the cycle ends with a floral pattern.